Neurology deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of disease involving the central and peripheral nervous system. A neurologist is a physician specializing in neurology and trained to investigate, or diagnose and treat neurological disorders. Structural, biochemical or electrical abnormalities in the brain, spinal cord or other nerves can result in a range of symptoms such as paralysis, muscle weakness, poor coordination, loss of sensation, seizures, confusion, pain and altered levels of consciousness. Some of the associated neurological conditions include Epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, Autism, Bipolar disorder, Chronic fatigue syndrome, Chronic pain, Dementia, Dyslexia to name a select few.

Neurosurgery (or neurological surgery) is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of disorders which affect any portion of the nervous system including the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves and extra-cranial cerebrovascular system. The medical conditions which are treated by Neurosurgeons include Artificial cervial and lumbar disc, low back pain, herniated disc, MIS of spine, spinal cord injury, Cushing’s disease, head and neck injury, meningiomas, spinal tumors, stroke, cerebral aneurysm, epilepsy, parkinsons disease, Carpel tunnel syndrome, to name a critical few.

Oncology is the branch of medicine which deals with diagnosis and treatment of cancer and the doctor who treats cancer is termed as oncologist. Oncologist is concerned with diagnosis of cancer using various diagnostic tools such as biopsy and endoscopy, therapy of cancer by means of surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and palliative care of symptoms in terminally ill cancer patients. Oncologists can be divided as Radiological Oncologist, medical oncologist, gynaecological oncologist and paediatric oncologist.

Statistics reveal that gynaecology-related cancers are estimated to go up from 1,53,850 in 2010 to 1,82,600 cases in 2020. Surgical Oncology is a super-specialty of treating cancer with surgery performed by a onco-surgeon. There are many types of cancer surgeries, ranging from treatment of prostate cancer to breast cancer. The major onco-surgeries performed are gastro-oesophageal, hepatobiliary, pancreatic, colorectal, genitourinary, gynecological, head and neck, endocrine and musculoskeletal tumors.

Gatroenetrology is a super-specialty of medicine which focuses on diseases of the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon and rectum, pancreas, liver, gall bladder and bile ducts. A gastroenterologist is proficient in managing and treating common ailments ranging from abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhoea, heartburn to more complex GI conditions like crohn’s disease, ulcerative collitis, IBS, GERD, hepatitis, hiatal hernia, pancreatitis. Colonscopy and endoscopy are the primary diagnostic tools used by a gastroenterologist to determine the nature of ailment.

Endocrinology is a complex study of the various hormone secreting glands and hormones and their actions and disorders in the body. These are substances that help to control activities in the body and have several effects on the metabolism, reproduction, food absorption and utilization, growth and development etc. The glands that make up the endocrine system include the pineal, hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, thymus, adrenals, pancreas, ovaries and testes. An endocrinologist is a specially trained doctor who has a basic training in internal medicine as well.
Endocrinologists have the training to diagnose and treat hormone imbalances and problems by helping to restore the normal balance of hormones in the body. Some disorders like hypothyroidism deals only with an endocrine organ and an endocrinologist alone may detect, diagnose and manage such patients. Other common diseases and disorders of the endocrine system that endocrinologists deal with include diabetes mellitus, thyroid disorders, metabolic diseases, menopause, osteoporosis, infertility, growth disorders, etc.

Heart disease is a leading cause of mortality in many countries world over. A cardiologist is a doctor with special training and skill in finding, treating and preventing diseases of the heart and blood vessels. The field includes medical diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart defects, coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular heart disease and electrophysiology. Cardiologists can use tools like ECG, stress testing, angiography, radiology studies, and a variety of other techniques to diagnose heart conditions. Various treatments including medication and lifestyle changes can be used to treat diagnosed conditions.

A nephrologist is a physician who has been trained in the diagnosis and management of kidney disease, by regulating blood pressure, regulating electrolytes, balancing fluids in the body, and administering dialysis. Nephrologists treat many different kidney disorders including acid-base disorders, electrolyte disorders, kidney stones, hypertension, acute kidney disease and end-stage renal disease. Nephrologists may further sub-specialise in dialysis, kidney transplantation, chronic kidney disease.

Pulmonary medicine, or pulmonology, entails the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, conditions, and abnormalities of the lungs and cardio-pulmonary system. A pulmonologist is a physician (MD, or DO degree) who specializes in the field of pulmonary medicine. The cardio-pulmonary system consists of the heart, lungs, blood vessels and all organs that work together to help a person breathe, in order to take in oxygen, and oxygenate the blood. Pulmonologists treat breathing disorders, and may also specialize in some treatment of sleep disorders, severe allergies, and other lung conditions and diseases. Some pulmonologists may also sub-specialize in critical care medicine, treating patients in the ICU.