Displaying moments of poor cognitive abilities and motor skills is both embarrassing and frustrating. Symptoms like this used to lead to being treated with contempt, labeled as slow-minded, and ostracized from society. Today, however, it is recognized that even brilliant and successful people experience moments where their cognitive and motor skills aren't functioning well. These moments are often accompanied by pain and dizziness. They could be the result of a neurological disorder. Once you look at the timeline of neurological testing, you'll be even more grateful for today's modern medicine.

Hundreds of Years Ago: You Must Have Offended the Gods

Hundreds of years ago, superstitions about mystical Beings, magic, and curses outweighed the practice of science and medicine. If you displayed poor motor skills – even if you got tired and shaky for no apparent reason – throughout the day, people would have assumed you offended the gods. They would likely think you were cursed or born a lunatic. These labels would prevent you from interacting in communities without feeling judged and scorned. People would be afraid to associate with you for fear that your malady would spread to them. Overall, it would have been a dismal life that could have ended in something similar to a witch trial.

A Hundred Years Ago: Nobody Knows Until You're Dead

A hundred years ago, things got a little better for people with neurological disorders. They were beginning to be understood and diagnosed. Unfortunately, a proper diagnosis couldn't take place until you were dead and an autopsy was performed. So, while you might have been treated with compassion during an episode, there was little in the way of treatment for you. Medication was haphazard, because a diagnosis could only be guessed at while you were living. Living with even a minor neurological disorder such as migraines and seizures would have been difficult, but not impossible, a hundred years ago.

Today: Genetic Screening Tools Provide a Diagnosis

Because of modern advancements in medicine, you can be successful and live an active lifestyle even when coping with a neurological setback that leaves you fatigued or shaky. A myriad of tools are used to diagnose neurological disorders today. And you don't even have to be dead to take advantage of them. While some disorders are more difficult to diagnose – the specific strain of dementia, for example – these tests are precise enough that medication can be prescribed to help with the symptoms. Among the tests used to diagnose and treat neurological disorders are:

• Fluid Tests: DNA in body fluids carry a lot of information about the state of your body. Blood tests can detect brain defects and spinal infections, both of which are indicators of neurological problems. Blood tests also help determine if you have an autoimmune disease, which could affect you neurologically. Urine tests check the toxin levels in your body. Toxins can contribute to chronic fatigue, headaches, and dizziness.
• Neurological Examination: A neurological examination is used to measure your cognitive abilities and motor skills. This exam includes both mental and physical capacities and can help gauge the intensity of a disorder. For example, in the early stages of Alzheimer's and dementia, your speech may be slurred and your balance might be off even if your ability to process information is unaffected. In the later stages, you might display difficulty following a conversation as well as increased mood swings.
• Genetic Counseling: Coupled with physical tests, genetic counseling is helpful in diagnosing neurological disorders. It takes your family's health history into consideration and determines the likelihood of you (or your offspring) inheriting a disease. If it seems likely that a disorder is inherited, you can be referred to a specialist for continued diagnosing and proper treatment. Genetic counseling also helps you know what to expect and how to cope with an inherited disorder.

When looking at the timeline of neurological testing, it is definitely a good time to be alive. With today's methods of diagnosis, you can get the medial attention you need without fear of public scorn or losing your career. Instead, you should feel confident when seeking medical assistance for your symptoms. If you believe you may have a neurological disorder, you can seek testing from a facility like Courtagen Life Sciences.