Approach to the patient with Neurological complaint Flashcards
Define dysarthria
Problem with the motor functions of speech; causes defective articulation
issue with motor control of the speech apparatus- tongue, vocal cords, etc
Define aphasia
disorder in producing or understanding the language; there is no language ability whatsoever
What does A&O x 4 mean?
Patient is alert and oriented to person, place, time and event
Describe the varying levels of the alert and oriented scale
- A&O x 1
- A&O x 2
- A&O x 3
- A&O x 4
- alert and oriented to person
- alert and oriented to person and place
- alert and oriented to person place and time
- alert and oriented to person, place, time, and event
Differentiate between delirium and dementia
Delirium is reversible and typically from a new situation, like an old person being in the hospital
Dementia is not reversible and you must eliminate depression and delirium prior to diagnosing
How do you ask about depression?
“Have you been feeling down, depressed, or hopeless?”
“Have you felt little interest or pleasure in doing things?”
Describe cranial nerve testing (what are the steps with the pen light)
- Test pupil constriction with a light source (II)
2. Use the same light source to look in the patients mouth and have them say “ahhh” which tests cranial nerve X
Describe the cranial nerve testing for CN V
Start at the top of the forehead and make your way down the face to see if they are able to feel what you are touching (sensory)
Have the patient clench their jaw to test for the motor portion of CN V
Describe the testing of cranial nerve III, VI, IV of the eyes
Do the H test
Describe the cranial nerve testing of CN VIII
Check the hearing with the finger rub next to the ear
Describe the cranial nerve testing of CN VIII
Have the patient smile, frown and observe the mouth and the eyes while they do it
Describe the cranial nerve testing of IX and XII
Have the patient push their tongue against the cheek and feel for strength (IX) then have them stick out their tongue (XII)
Describe the cranial nerve testing of CN XI
Have the patient shrug their shoulders against resistance and turn head L/R against resistance to test the trapezius
Briefly describe the steps of a cranial nerve test
- light test of CN II (constriction) and CN X (mouth say ahhh)
- Test V sensory and motor by touching face and having clench jaw
- H test to test CN III, IV, VI
- Finger rub to test CN VIII
- CN VII testing with smile, frown
- Strength of tongue and sticking out tongue (IX, XII)
- CN XI of shoulder shrug
What are the effects of a lesion in CN III?
Ptosis and pupillary dilation
If there is a lesion in CN III, what are the order in which the eye is affected?
- There is compression of the pupilloconstrictor fibers that cause dilation and fixation of the pupil
- weakness in the extra ocular muscles cause a down and out positioning of the eye
If there is a lesion in CN IV (vulnerable in head trauma), what could it result in?
- Exotropia (eye position drifts laterally) and weaknesss of the downward gaze (weakness of the superior oblique
- Vertical diplopia- increases when looking down
- Head tilting (opposite of the lesion)
Describe a lesion in CN VI (rare, seen in subarachnoid hemorrhage, late syphilis, trauma) , what does it affect?
- convergent strabismus (abduct the eye)
2. Horizontal diplopia
Define nystagmus
rhythmic oscillation of the eyes; due to the fast beating of the nystagmus
What are the causes of nystagmus?
Vision impairment
Disorder of labyrinth of cerebellar systems
drug toxicity
Describe lesions of CN V
Trigeminal neuralgia; loss of corneal reflex, jaw deviation toward the weak side, weakness in mastication, etc.
Very bad pain; brief episodes of shock like pains along the distribution of the trigeminal nerve, can be debilitating