Unsurpassed Care for Nervous System Conditions

Injuries and diseases that affect your brain and spine can range from mild to so severe that they affect every aspect of your life. At Benefis, our team of experts from multiple medical specialties work together to find the cause of your symptoms and develop a treatment plan personalized to your condition and your goals.

Neurological Conditions We Treat

We provide comprehensive medical and surgical management for children and adults with conditions such as:

Degenerative Nerve Diseases

Degenerative nerve diseases include muscular dystrophy, Huntington’s disease, spinal muscular atrophy, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig disease), multiple sclerosis, and others. We work with you to design a treatment plan to relieve symptoms and improve your quality of life.

Benefis partners with the Muscular Dystrophy Association to provide a clinic where you or your loved one can be evaluated by a team of specialists. To learn more, call 800-360-7160.

Infections

Bacterial, viral, and other infections of the nervous system can be serious and may need treatment immediately. These infections include meningitis, encephalitis, brain abscesses, and others. Our providers determine the correct medications and other therapies for nervous system infections, and also help with care for any lingering symptoms as you recover.

Injuries

The neurology team at Benefis can quickly determine the extent of a brain or spine injury and the best treatment plan for you or your loved one. We also support you with rehabilitation as you recover.

Seizure Disorders

Our neurology providers have extensive experience treating epilepsy and other seizure disorders. We use state-of-the-art diagnostic technologies, including 24-hour video monitoring, to determine the specific type of seizure and the best treatment plan for you or your loved one. Our expert care makes us one of the most advanced diagnostic program of its kind in Montana.

Stroke

Stroke symptoms come on suddenly. Call 911 immediately if you or someone nearby has:

Weakness, numbness or paralysis, particularly on one side of your body
Blurred or decreased vision
Problems speaking or understanding
Dizziness or loss of balance
Sudden, severe or unexplained headache

A stroke is sometimes called a "brain attack" and happens when blood flow to a part of the brain is interrupted. If blood flow is stopped for longer than a few seconds, the brain cannot get blood and oxygen. Brain cells can die, causing permanent damage.

Getting treatment fast is essential for the best outcome. The Benefis Stroke Center is recognized for excellence by national accrediting agencies.

Diagnosing Your Neurological Condition

Advances in testing for injuries and illnesses of the nervous system have greatly improved care for these complex conditions. The Benefis Neurodiagnostic Department is at the forefront of this field, with the latest imaging and other diagnostics. Testing may include:

Physical exam. Your provider will ask about your symptoms and your medical history. He or she will also do a neurological exam that checks your reflexes, balance, coordination, your ability to feel touch in various body areas, and other factors.
Imaging tests. These tests can provide important information about your condition. Your team may recommend tests such as an angiogram (an X-ray of arteries and veins), computed tomography (CT scans), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET scan), or ultrasound.
Other tests. You may also have tests to measure electrical activity in your muscles and brain, and other neurological factors. These can include an electroencephalogram (EEG), EEG/video seizure monitoring, nerve conduction studies, electromyography (EMG), evoked potentials, intra-operative monitoring, a spinal tap (lumbar puncture), or biopsies of muscle or nerve tissue.

Treating Nervous System Conditions

You or your loved one can depend on Benefis for the most advanced surgical and nonsurgical care for neurological disorders.

Medicines can help relieve symptoms and sometimes alleviate neurological conditions. For example, antibiotics can cure some types of brain or spinal infections, and specific medications can help with seizures and also with the tremors, pain, weakness, depression, and other symptoms of degenerative conditions.
Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are part of treatment for tumors in the brain and spinal cord. Benefis providers plan these therapies for your specific condition, and give you the support you need to minimize side effects. We use advanced techniques such as the Varian Edge™ Radiosurgery System, which delivers highly accurate radiation therapy to tumors and minimizes damage to surrounding tissue.
Surgery. Neurosurgery is a highly specialized medical field that treats disorders of any part of the nervous system. Neurosurgeons at Benefis use the full range of surgical procedures, including conventional open surgery, microsurgery, minimally invasive surgery, deep brain stimulation, and other specialized techniques.