Neurology Department

The centre provides highly specialised diagnostic and therapeutic care for patients who have already been examined and treated for headaches and whose difficulties have not yet been alleviated by the standard treatment options. We provide comprehensive treatment for the full range of headaches, working with outpatient neurologists as well as general practitioners and specialists from other disciplines.
The centre has a connection to the inpatient neurology department and additional examination methods (X-ray, CT, MRI, angiography, ultrasonography, electrophysiology laboratory). Consultation services of other medical disciplines, including neuropsychology, are also available. We are also able to offer migraine patients in our region state-of-the-art biological treatment with monoclonal antibodies that target specific receptors in the brain. The first experiences with this new treatment method are very good, the treatment is very effective. Patients who pass the strict indication criteria set by the SÚKL can undergo biological treatment for migraine. The prerequisite is that they have had numerous migraine attacks that have not yet responded to standard treatment (insufficient efficacy must be documented for at least 2 commonly available migraine medications taken for a sufficiently long period of time).
If an adequate therapeutic response is not achieved with monoclonal antibody treatment ( a decrease of at least 50% in migraine days per month compared to baseline ), the treatment must be ceased. This is due, among other reasons, to the high financial cost of biological treatment. Patients from the Jihlava region can make an appointment on the recommendation of a general practitioner or a specialist neurologist, patients from other districts only after a referral from the treating neurologist.

To the initial examination, it is necessary to bring medical documentation of previous examinations and treatment, especially a detailed record of the prophylactic treatment used so far, with the exact time period recorded (but at least 3 months of therapy), the maximum dose of the drug achieved and the reason for discontinuing the treatment, if any. The examination also requires a daily headache record, where the patient carefully records the days with headache, the type and number of painkillers taken and, for women, the days with menstruation throughout the calendar month.

The centre deals with the diagnosis and treatment of multiple sclerosis. Since 2019, the Centre has the status of a highly specialised care centre for multiple sclerosis and neuromyelitis optica.

The centre deals with the diagnosis and treatment of multiple sclerosis. Since 2019, the Centre has the status of a highly specialised care centre for multiple sclerosis and neuromyelitis optica.

Stroke is the most common cause of morbidity and disability and one of the leading causes of death in developed countries. In the Czech Republic, CVA affects up to 40,000 people a year. Therefore, it is necessary to organise care for patients with acute stroke in such a way as to ensure the availability of early diagnosis and effective treatment for these patients throughout the Czech Republic. According to the Ministry of Health Bulletin No. 2/2010, care for patients with acute stroke is provided centrally through a network of Comprehensive Cerebrovascular and Ictal Centres. The Ict Centre of the Jihlava Hospital was included in this network by the Ministry of Health Bulletin No. 8/2010.
It is also necessary to carry out careful prevention in all patients with an increased risk of stroke - screening and timely deployment of treatment that, according to evidence-based medicine, demonstrably reduces this risk. This task is also performed by the Ict Centre in Jihlava through its Cerebrovascular Consultation Centre.

EEG - Electroencephalography

is a test that records electrical brain activity. Nerve cells transmit signals to each other by changes in electrical voltage. Changes in electrical voltage propagate to the surface of the head where they are registered by sensitive electrodes and recorded on a graph. EEG is mainly used in the diagnosis of epilepsy and sleep disorders, but also in patients with migraines, after loss of consciousness of unexplained cause, strokes or brain injuries. Two EEG machines are located in the neurology department. EEG is an essential investigative methodology for the diagnosis of epilepsy. The EEG includes several electrodes (16 to 25) which are connected to an evaluation device - a computer. The examination does not require any special preparation. The EEG is performed as an outpatient examination. A special cap with electrodes is placed on the patient's head, on which a conductive gel has previously been applied. After the cap is placed and connected to the machine, the patient is laid down on the examination bed. The whole examination takes up to 45 minutes. During the examination, the patient is occasionally asked to close or open his eyes for a certain period of time and to breathe deeply and quickly. At some stage, the patient is also exposed to flashes of light, so the EEG may show the sensitivity to light (photosensitivity) that is present in certain types of epilepsy. The EEG examination has no risks, does not expose the patient to any harmful effects and is not painful. There is no need for special preparation for the EEG examination. However, if you are planning a visit to the hairdresser, for example, it is better to postpone it until after the EEG examination, as your hair may get "messy" during the examination.

The examination is ordered by a neurologist and a referral with a completed application form is required. The result of the examination is available in the interval after the description by the doctor.

EEG - Electroencephalography

is a test that records electrical brain activity. Nerve cells transmit signals to each other by changes in electrical voltage. Changes in electrical voltage propagate to the surface of the head where they are registered by sensitive electrodes and recorded on a graph. EEG is mainly used in the diagnosis of epilepsy and sleep disorders, but also in patients with migraines, after loss of consciousness of unexplained cause, strokes or brain injuries. Two EEG machines are located in the neurology department. EEG is an essential investigative methodology for the diagnosis of epilepsy. The EEG includes several electrodes (16 to 25) which are connected to an evaluation device - a computer. The examination does not require any special preparation. The EEG is performed as an outpatient examination. A special cap with electrodes is placed on the patient's head, on which a conductive gel has previously been applied. After the cap is placed and connected to the machine, the patient is laid down on the examination bed. The whole examination takes up to 45 minutes. During the examination, the patient is occasionally asked to close or open his eyes for a certain period of time and to breathe deeply and quickly. At some stage, the patient is also exposed to flashes of light, so the EEG may show the sensitivity to light (photosensitivity) that is present in certain types of epilepsy. The EEG examination has no risks, does not expose the patient to any harmful effects and is not painful. There is no need for special preparation for the EEG examination. However, if you are planning a visit to the hairdresser, for example, it is better to postpone it until after the EEG examination, as your hair may get "messy" during the examination.

The examination is ordered by a neurologist and a referral with a completed application form is required. The result of the examination is available in the interval after the description by the doctor.

EMG - electromyography

Our neurology department has a new EMG diagnostic machine. EMG is used to examine the full spectrum of neuromuscular diseases, as well as peripheral nerve diseases. The speed of conduction of the impulse in the stimulated nerve and the magnitude of the electrical response to stimulation in the muscle or in another nerve site are measured. The most common diagnosis investigated is CTS - carpal tunnel syndrome (a compression syndrome that causes disability or damage to the median nerve - the nervus medianus in the carpal tunnel - of the wrist).
No special preparation is required before the examination. You can eat and drink normally and take your normal medications. There is no need to worry about the examination. If the doctor uses scanning skin electrodes for the examination, the method is absolutely painless. The needle electrode is inserted into the appropriate muscle, and inserting the needle electrode into the muscle by puncturing it causes almost no pain at all because the electrodes are very thin - thinner than ordinary injection needles.
The examination is ordered by a neurologist and a referral with a completed application form is required.

Evoked potentials

They are tests that monitor the current electrical activity of your brain. The examination is used when visual, auditory or spinal cord pathways are suspected to be affected. It is typically used to diagnose demyelinating diseases (such as multiple sclerosis), strokes and nerve damage. The examination is suggested by a neurologist or ophthalmologist. During the examination, sensing electrodes are attached to your head. The attachment is not painful. After verifying that all electrodes are in proper contact, you are given the task of watching the screen. At the same time, the doctor watches on a computer monitor how your brain reacts to visual stimuli. The examination of auditory evoked potentials (BAEP) is similar. However, instead of a screen, you will perceive audio signals from headphones. During a somatosensory examination, your doctor or nurse will attach electrodes to your wrists and ankles. The device will send weak electrical impulses to them. The duration of the examination is approximately 30-60 minutes.

It is run in two forms:

• On inpatient wards - consular specialised speech therapy care provided daily in the morning, mainly in neurology, but also in geriatric, rehabilitation, internal medicine, traumatology, infectious diseases department. etc.
• On an outpatient basis - according to appointments and office hours of ambulance No. 1 and No. 2.

What care we provide

• We provide comprehensive care for pediatric and adult patients with speech communication and swallowing disorders.
• We provide expert diagnostics and long-term systematic therapy.
• We work closely with medical and non-medical health professionals.
• Outpatient intervention is initiated at the request of a general practitioner or specialist.
• Our speech therapy is covered by health insurance.
• In cooperation with the ENT department, we participate in the operation of a specialized outpatient clinic for swallowing disorders and the implementation of the FEES examination method in indicated patients.

The most common speech therapy diagnoses in adult patients include:

• Aphasia - impairment of the individual language abilities.
• Dysarthria - disorder of the speech execution.
• Dysphagia - swallowing disorder.
• Cognitive-communication disorder - cognitive impairment predominates, but at the same time speech communication impairment is present.
• Dyslalia - articulation disorder.
• Stammering

The most common speech therapy diagnoses in paediatric patients include:

• Delayed speech development
• Persistent difficulties due to a neurodevelopmental disorder - developmental dysphasia, specific learning disabilities, ADHD and ADD syndromes, autism spectrum disorders.
• Dyslalia - developmental and persistent disorders of articulation and phonological discrimination of vowels.
• Stammering, stuttering - speech fluency disorders.
• Disruption of speech development based on another predominant disability - mental retardation.
• Mutism - psychogenic speech and communication disorder.
• Speech sound distortion in children with a cleft lip defects.

When to see a clinical speech therapist?

• At any time if you are unsure whether your child's speech development is progressing correctly - regardless of the child's age.
• Early diagnosis and initiation of speech therapy intervention is crucial.
• On the recommendation of a general practitioner or specialist physician, initiate or continue speech therapy in an adult patient, especially after stroke, head and neck trauma and surgery, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, or persistent dyslalia and stammering.

It is run in two forms:

• On inpatient wards - consular specialised speech therapy care provided daily in the morning, mainly in neurology, but also in geriatric, rehabilitation, internal medicine, traumatology, infectious diseases department. etc.
• On an outpatient basis - according to appointments and office hours of ambulance No. 1 and No. 2.

What care we provide

• We provide comprehensive care for pediatric and adult patients with speech communication and swallowing disorders.
• We provide expert diagnostics and long-term systematic therapy.
• We work closely with medical and non-medical health professionals.
• Outpatient intervention is initiated at the request of a general practitioner or specialist.
• Our speech therapy is covered by health insurance.
• In cooperation with the ENT department, we participate in the operation of a specialized outpatient clinic for swallowing disorders and the implementation of the FEES examination method in indicated patients.

The most common speech therapy diagnoses in adult patients include:

• Aphasia - impairment of the individual language abilities.
• Dysarthria - disorder of the speech execution.
• Dysphagia - swallowing disorder.
• Cognitive-communication disorder - cognitive impairment predominates, but at the same time speech communication impairment is present.
• Dyslalia - articulation disorder.
• Stammering

The most common speech therapy diagnoses in paediatric patients include:

• Delayed speech development
• Persistent difficulties due to a neurodevelopmental disorder - developmental dysphasia, specific learning disabilities, ADHD and ADD syndromes, autism spectrum disorders.
• Dyslalia - developmental and persistent disorders of articulation and phonological discrimination of vowels.
• Stammering, stuttering - speech fluency disorders.
• Disruption of speech development based on another predominant disability - mental retardation.
• Mutism - psychogenic speech and communication disorder.
• Speech sound distortion in children with a cleft lip defects.

When to see a clinical speech therapist?

• At any time if you are unsure whether your child's speech development is progressing correctly - regardless of the child's age.
• Early diagnosis and initiation of speech therapy intervention is crucial.
• On the recommendation of a general practitioner or specialist physician, initiate or continue speech therapy in an adult patient, especially after stroke, head and neck trauma and surgery, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, or persistent dyslalia and stammering.

The anti-seizure clinic is primarily intended for patients suffering from epilepsy. Care is provided by doctors with epileptologist status. We are able to care for patients whose disease has not been compensated for by treatment in conventional neurological clinics. We actively cooperate with tertiary centres for the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy in Prague and Brno.

We use the option of performing EEG in our laboratories, as well as a special epileptology protocol on magnetic resonance imaging.

Sonography of the carotid and cerebral arteries

Ultrasound of the carotid and cerebral arteries, also known among people as "SONO". It is a relatively widely used examination. It is non-invasive, or "bloodless", it does not hurt, there are no known side effects when performed routinely, and it can therefore be repeated freely. Ultrasound is used to determine the condition of the blood vessels that supply the brain tissue, both in the neck and directly in the brain. The examination is primarily used to prevent the occurrence or recurrence of a stroke. In the case of a minor degree of impairment, we usually use drug therapy; in the case of a significant narrowing of one of the arteries, it is possible to release it by surgery, bypass surgery or the insertion of a so-called stent, which "reinforces" the artery. A lesser used method is to monitor the arteries after bleeding under the meninges, when they often shrink spontaneously. At the Jihlava Neurology Department we perform this examination every day. After 1 pm there is a time for outpatients who are by appointment. Recommendations for ultrasound can be given by a specialist and a general practitioner by telephone appointment. No preparation at all is necessary for the examination, we would only appreciate it if you remove all neck jewellery beforehand. We work on modern equipment and our department also runs teaching courses for doctors from all over the country.