THE TRACT · A space for patients and families

When medicine becomes part of your life, we’re here to help you understand it.

Clear, trustworthy neurology, written for people before medical terms; without alarm, and without simplifying away the science.

We don’t want you to fear the illness more. We want you to understand it better.

You don’t need to understand everything at once.

Medicine is full of terms, possibilities and decisions. We arrange what’s known so you can see what is happening, what is worth asking about, and when you need medical help.

Understand

A clear account of what is happening, without hiding what medicine doesn’t yet know.

Notice

Practical things you can keep track of, without your life becoming constant monitoring.

Ask

Better questions for your doctor, to copy or print for your appointment.

Library

Long pages when needed, because some questions can’t be answered in two lines. Every page carries a review date and its full sources.

What’s new

When guidelines change, we write down what changed and what it means for you, without alarm.

Everything new

Illness happens to one person. The whole household lives it.

Tell us who you’re reading for and we’ll put first what carers need. We never ask about a diagnosis, and your choice stays in this browser.

I’m here for…

Everything we’ve written for families

The waiting room

Between an appointment and a result, a scan and a diagnosis, there are days nobody writes about. Here is what usually happens in them, what helps, and when not to wait.

Enter the waiting room

Medical language, human language

We don’t shorten a term until it loses its meaning; we explain it until it makes sense. For each term: what it means simply, what it doesn’t mean, why doctors use it, and a question you can ask.

All terms · Explain my report

Lesion EEG Ischaemia White spots Seizure Intensive care Brain death Unremarkable

When do you need urgent help?

Call an ambulance now if any of these start suddenly. Saudi Arabia: 997 ambulance, or 911 unified emergency number. UK 999 · US 911 · most of Europe 112.

Weakness or numbness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side, or a drooping face.
In children too: a sudden severe headache with vomiting and sleepiness, or a new seizure on one side of the body.
Sudden trouble speaking or understanding, sudden loss of vision or double vision, or sudden loss of balance.
A severe headache that peaks within a minute, like the worst headache of your life.
A seizure lasting five minutes or more, or a second seizure before waking from the first. What to do during a seizure
Unusual confusion or drowsiness, sudden difficulty walking, or headache with fever and a stiff neck.

In stroke, time is part of the treatment. Note the last time the person was seen well, and don’t decide for yourself that it’s too late: some people can be treated up to 24 hours after onset, depending on the scans. Don’t wait to see whether it passes, and don’t drive yourself. Stroke: the first hours