What a neurology consultation covers
A neurology visit at AffordaHealth is a full consultation, not a quick referral stop. The doctor takes a detailed history of your symptoms: when they started, what brings them on, what you have already tried. Then comes a complete neurological examination, which checks strength, sensation, reflexes, coordination, balance, eye movements and the cranial nerves.
If you already have imaging or test results, bring them. The doctor reviews prior MRI, CT and nerve study reports rather than repeating tests you have already had. When more information is needed, you leave with a diagnostic plan that may include:
- MRI or CT of the brain or spine, ordered when the exam points to a structural cause.
- EMG and nerve conduction studies to measure how well the nerves and muscles are working, useful for numbness, weakness and suspected neuropathy.
- EEG when there is a question of seizures or unexplained episodes.
- Blood work to check for vitamin deficiencies, thyroid problems, diabetes and other conditions that affect the nerves.
Conditions our neurologists see
- Migraine and chronic headache, including headaches that have stopped responding to over-the-counter medication and headaches that start at the back of the head.
- Numbness and tingling in the hands, feet, arms or legs, whether constant or coming and going.
- Peripheral neuropathy from diabetes, chemotherapy, vitamin deficiency or an unknown cause.
- Dizziness and balance problems that have not been explained by an ear or heart evaluation.
- Memory concerns, where a careful assessment helps separate normal aging from something that needs treatment.
- Pain after nerve injury, including pain that lingers long after an accident, surgery or shingles.
The doctors
Dr. Irvine Mason, our Medical Director, is double board-certified in pain management and neurology, with more than 50 years in practice. Dr. Charley Scheim has spent over 20 years in neurology and chronic pain, with a particular focus on nerve blocks, Botox for chronic migraine and trigger point therapy. Because both are trained in pain as well as neurology, a nerve problem and the pain it causes are managed by the same doctor rather than split between two offices.
Botox for chronic migraine
For people with 15 or more headache days a month who have already tried preventive medication, Botox injections every 12 weeks can reduce how often migraines strike and how hard they hit. We handle the prior authorization and explain the headache diary that insurers need. Read about Botox for migraines.
Headache treatment and occipital neuralgia
Not every headache is a migraine. Tension headache, medication overuse headache and occipital neuralgia (pain that starts at the base of the skull) each need a different approach, from medication changes to occipital nerve blocks and trigger point injections. Read about headache treatment.
Nerve pain and neuropathy
Burning feet, electric shocks down an arm, numbness that makes walking unsteady. Our doctors identify which nerves are involved, look for a treatable cause and combine medication with procedures where they help. Read about nerve pain and neuropathy.
Does insurance cover it? Neurology consultations and follow-up visits are covered by Medicare, Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield and Cigna as specialist visits. Many Medicare Advantage and HMO plans require a referral from your primary care doctor before you can be seen, and our front desk will tell you whether yours does and help you get it. Diagnostic tests such as MRI and nerve studies are covered when medically necessary and may need prior authorization, which we submit for you. Read more about insurance and self-pay.
What to expect
- Before you come in, we verify your coverage, check whether a referral is needed and ask you to bring photo ID, your medication list and any imaging or test reports.
- At the consultation, the neurologist takes your history, performs the full examination and explains what the findings suggest.
- You leave with a plan. Sometimes treatment starts at that visit; sometimes tests are ordered first and the front desk coordinates where they are done.
- Results and follow-up. Test results are reviewed with you at the next visit and the plan is adjusted, with follow-up spacing set by your condition.
Do I need a referral to see a neurologist?
It depends on your plan. Original Medicare and most PPO plans do not require one. Medicare Advantage HMO plans and commercial HMO plans usually do, and it has to come from your primary care doctor. Before your visit, the front desk checks your plan and tells you whether a referral is needed and how to get it.
Do you take Medicare?
Yes. We accept Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans for neurology consultations, follow-up visits and in-office procedures. Some Medicare Advantage plans require a referral or prior authorization for tests and procedures, and we handle that paperwork for you.
Which clinic offers neurology?
Both. Davie serves Broward County and Boynton Beach serves Palm Beach County, and neurology consultations, nerve blocks, trigger point injections and Botox for migraine are available at each.
Will I have tests at the first visit?
The first visit is the examination and history, which often answers the question on their own. If MRI, nerve conduction studies, EEG or blood work are needed, they are ordered at that visit and the results are reviewed with you at the follow-up.
Can the same doctor treat my pain and my nerve problem?
Yes. Dr. Mason and Dr. Scheim are trained in both neurology and pain management, so one doctor manages both.