Understanding Neurologic Symptoms in Women When Further Evaluation Is Needed

A migraine around your period. Brain fog during menopause. Dizziness when you haven’t eaten enough.

Women can often find a plausible explanation for changes in how they feel. And sometimes that explanation is right. Hormonal fluctuations throughout menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause can affect the nervous system, and some neurologic conditions are more common in women than men.

But don’t automatically dismiss a new, persistent or changing neurologic symptom as “just hormones.”

When something feels different from your usual pattern, start with your healthcare provider. If you need further evaluation, our radiology team at Invision Sally Jobe can provide advanced diagnostic imaging to help your provider take a closer look at your brain, spinal cord, and other structures that may be involved.

Why neurologic symptoms can be complicated in women

Headaches are a good example. Women experience migraine attacks more often than men, and changes in estrogen can trigger migraine attacks around menstruation and during other hormonal transitions.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) also disproportionately affects women. Its symptoms can include numbness, tingling, weakness, vision problems, balance difficulties, and fatigue, some of which can overlap with symptoms women may experience for other reasons.

None of this means a headache or tingling sensation points to a neurologic disorder. It means context matters.

Pay attention to symptoms such as:

• Recurring or worsening headaches
• Persistent numbness or tingling
• Unexplained muscle weakness
• New problems with balance or coordination
• Changes in vision or sensation

Your provider will consider what you’re experiencing, when it started, whether it follows a pattern, and what else is happening with your health before deciding whether imaging or additional testing is appropriate.

Know which symptoms can’t wait

Some neurologic changes require immediate medical attention, regardless of your age or stage of life.

Sudden weakness or numbness, particularly on one side of the body, difficulty speaking or understanding speech, sudden vision problems, severe loss of balance, or a sudden severe headache can be warning signs of a stroke or another medical emergency.

Call 911 for sudden symptoms like these.

Diagnostic imaging plays a key role in emergency neurologic care, but an outpatient imaging appointment is not the first stop when symptoms could indicate a stroke or another acute emergency.

MRI can provide a detailed look

When neurologic symptoms need further evaluation, MRI is often an important imaging tool.

MRI uses a magnetic field and radio waves to create highly detailed images without X-rays. It can provide detailed views of your brain, spinal cord, and nerves, and doctors may use it to evaluate conditions such as brain tumors, brain aneurysms, spinal cord injuries, and traumatic brain injuries.

At Invision Sally Jobe, our wide-bore MRI systems have a wider opening and shorter tunnel than conventional systems, which can make the exam easier to tolerate if enclosed spaces make you uncomfortable.

Sometimes CT is the better fit

MRI isn’t automatically the right test for every neurologic symptom.

CT uses X-rays to rapidly produce detailed cross-sectional images. It can be useful for evaluating head injuries, brain injuries, brain tumors, and other conditions.

Which exam you need depends on the clinical question your healthcare provider is trying to answer. You don’t need to choose between MRI and CT yourself. Your referring provider orders the appropriate imaging study, and our radiologists interpret the images to provide information that supports your ongoing care.

Notice when something feels different

Hormonal changes can affect how you feel throughout your life. But being a woman doesn’t mean every headache, episode of brain fog, dizzy spell, or strange sensation should automatically be attributed to your hormones.

Notice what’s new. Pay attention to changes in your usual pattern. And tell your healthcare provider when something concerns you.

If your provider recommends diagnostic imaging, Invision Sally Jobe offers MRI and CT at locations throughout the Denver metro area and Colorado Springs, Colorado. Call our Patient Access Team at 720-493-3700 to schedule your exam.