neuro psychiatrist?

And yes I have googled the terms...and still get confused.

Can anyone explain in simple English what is the difference between them?

Newbie.

hey newbie, I don't know the answer and if google didn't tell you, then searching won't help me either.

i always thought a psychologist could counsel, but not prescribe meds and a psychiatrist could prescribe. ?? Like an optometrist can script glasses, but only an opthomologist can treat eye disease.

that's the best I can come up with! maybe someone else will show up that knows.

from my understanding

a Psychiatrist is an MD who has then gone on to specialise in psychiatry. They therefore have all the qualifications needed to practice medicine, with the additional specialization

Psychologists are not medical doctors (as a rule) although they may have a PhD in psychology. I believe a Master's degree is the minimum required to become licenced as a psychologist

HTH

That is a grerat help thanks.

Why do people make it sound so complicated? Oh well perhaps it is just me being a bozo

The fear here is which one is likely to say.. (we have all heard this one)

"It's all in your head!"

After they have done all the physical tests eg MRI, cats, lumbers etc etc (You know the ones) and they are all negatives (I am aware of false negatives)

A regular psychiatrist has ALREADY said it is NOT all in the head... I wonder why a 'neuro' psychiatrist is recomemded?

The GP is now accepting the pain levels and is prescribing pain meds well (at long last)

So why the 'neuro psychiatrist'?

I'm not explaining this well am I?

Hi~

Sounds like the definitions have been worked out, so I'll offer my experience.

My daughter saw a neuropsychologist when she was experiencing some major brain fog symptoms and we were trying to determine if it was seizure symptoms, medication symptoms (depakote), or something else. She had several visits of one or more hours and all sorts of testing cognitive and personality functioning. (intelligence, verbal and non-verbal learning skills, attention capacity, sensory-perceptual functioning, visual-motor intergration, personality and emotional functioning,...looks like about 15 different battery of tests!)

I was referred to a neuropsychiatrist after about 3 years of complaints of neurological and other symptoms, and had seen about six separate specialists, and none of them could find much of any explanation for my many systemic symptoms. I was a little fixated on the 'pyschiatrist' part and thought my PCP had just had enough of me (and I think that part is absolutely true..when I told her my legs were buzzing nonstop, she assumed I was hearing the buzzing).

BUT... the neuropsych ran EMG's (nerve tests) and all sorts of bloodwork to rule out various autoimmune disease, antibody tests, Lyme disease, and more. He did ask me some questions, I think, looking for anxiety/depression, etc. He had also just about given up, telling me many symptoms were all subjective (things I could feel, but they could not 'see' or 'prove') and that he had very little objective information to go on. He was nice enough to say he didn't doubt I was experiencing it all, but I would just have to wait for more to develop (and to call him if I started falling down!) . But as I was leaving his office from the third visit, empty handed one more time, HE SUDDENLY THOUGHT to test me for B12 deficiency...and that turned out to be what the other eight other doctors had missed!! Within a few months I was well on my way to recovery~ slow but sure over the next couple years. Major improvements occured within 3-6 months.

Don't be afraid...just go. It might be the doctor who actually thinks of something nobody else has thought of. ANd if it isn't.... just keep on that merry-go-round... until you finally get some answers.

Cara

A psychiatrist has basic training in both mental illness management as well as organic brain dysfunction. They are an MD who has completed at least an additional 4 year residency in psychiatry, and have passed their boards with the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN). Some will also have additional training (usually a fellowship of 1-2 years) specifically in neurologic/organic brain dysfunction. Many do not.

http://www.aadprt.org/training/default.aspx

A psychologist (in most states they must have a PhD) is not a MD. Most do not have specialized training in neurologic conditions, but instead are expert in personal counseling, adjustment issues, and psychotherapy. A neuropsychologist is one who has specialized training (usually 2 years post-doctorate) in both testing for cognitive deficits and remediation of cognitive and behavioral problems related to neurologic injury or disease.

http://www.appcn.org/mission.html#history

To make things even more complex, there are neuropsychology technicians (also called psychometrists or psychological assistants) who have a bachelor's or master's degree who are trained in how to administer (but not interpret) the vast array of psychological and neuropsychological tests. Interpretation would then by done by the neuropsychologist or psychiatrist:

http://www.napnet.org/49501.html?*se...ession*id*val*

Jccglutenfree....boy can I ever relate to your story.
I too went through years of hell seeking answers to my growing list of symptoms. I seriously considered just "ending it all" when my muscle weakness, loss of voice, musle twitching, nueropathy all increasing to where I could hardly function....my medical records stated Possible ALS.
I had no idea what this meant till I did an internet search.
Every symptom I had pointed to ALS....no way was I going to let my life end this way....slow suffocation....paralized and unable to move.
What a nightmare. I finally got in for the EMG and NC test that showed I did not have this dreadful disease. They did run B12 test that showed normal oh yeah...232 normal? I dont think so!
But I was clueless when it came to B12...months of more suffering till I found Braintalk!
It took only a few days to feel the difference.
I'd love to have a refund from all those "specialist" who gave me so many different possible causes. Where would I be without the B12?
Blessings, Cheryl

The definitions in this thread are good. Both types of professionals are very helpful for injuries such as traumatic brain injury.

From a practical perspective the neuropsychologist helps with “paper and pencil” testing and the practical day-to-day living issues such as how to cope with what is now “not working so well”. They also deal with issues and strategies for re-integrating into work or school.

The testing a neuropsychologist performs tells you what functional areas have been affected by the injury. For instance changes in verbal ability, short-term or working memory, spacial concepts, and such can be measured. One can actually tell during the testing what areas of the brain are being “probed” by the test.

This differs from the neuro psychiatrist’s (or even physiatrist’s) focus on the medical side of things and their ability to prescribe medications to help with cognitive fatigue, headache, vertigo, or sleep problems.

While sleep problems are common with a TBI, the neuropsychologist may rely on treatments such as relaxation or meditation, while the neuro psychiatrist may include these but also rely on medications.

Probably the main difference is their focus.

For my TBI, I see both a neuropsychologist (for testing and reintegration strategies) and a physiatrist for cognitive fatigue, pain, and other issues. They work together as a good team.

Hope this helps.

A Neuro psychiatrist does neuro psych testing.

The testing is cognitive, memory, concentration and alot more.