Cervical Tests Flashcards
Naffziger’s Test Procedure
Patient is seated; doctor is standing behind the patient. Bilateral digital pressure is placed on jugular veins to occlude their flow for up to 1 minute. Patient is asked to cough deeply
Naffziger’s Test Pathomechanics/Pathophysiology
Jugular veins are venous drainage for the head. Therefore it is the drainage for the CSF. If you stop the flow of venous drainage, you stop CSF drainage & increase the volume of CSF in the subarachnoid space, thus putting pressure on the pia mater & therefore on the spinal cord, also the pressure expands the dura mater in the spinal canal, the coughing at the end increases intra abdominal and intra thoracic pressure and causes contraction of the spinal muscles. This causes an increase in intra discal pressure.
Naffziger’s Test Indications
Aggravation of cord symptoms indicates a SOL within the dura mater, local or radiating spinal symptoms indicates an extra dural SOL
Valsalva’s Maneuver: Procedure
Patient is seated. Examiner instructs the patient to take a deep breath. Have patient hold the breath, and bear down.
Valsalva’s Maneuver: Pathomechanics/Pathophysiology
When you take a big deep breath in and hold it, you slow your heart rate down, therefore slowing down venous return and increasing the volume and pressure in subarachnoid space. Bearing down of the patient increases intraabdominal and intrathoracic pressure and contracts the spinal muscles. This will increase the pressure within the IVD.
Valsalva’s Maneuver: Indications
Cord symptoms indicate intra dural SOL. Spinal pains that may radiate down the extremities may suggest a space-occupying lesion in the spinal canal, such as an IVD protrusion, trauma, and vascular injury causing a hematoma.
Dejernine’s Sign/Triad: Procedure
Patient coughs, sneezes, and strains (bearing down), can be performed or ask about historically
Dejernine’s Sign/Triad: Pathomechanics
Momentarily increases the volume of CSF in the subarachnoid space, and therefore CSF pressure, compressing the cord and making the dura mater expand, also causes intra thoracic and abdominal pressure with spinal muscle contraction increasing intradiscal pressure
Dejernine’s Sign/Triad: Indications
Reproduction of cord symptoms indicates a space-occupying lesion in the cord, symptoms locally and radiating into the extremity indicates spinal canal SOL.
Swallowing Test: Procedure
Ask patient if they have had any problems swallowing food, drink, etc. Or have the patient drink a small amount of fluids
Swallowing Test: Pathomechanics
CN IX & X innervate the muscles that operate the swallowing mechanism moving food or drink into the esophagus. Pathology to the CN IX & X causes the swallowing mechanism to not work. SOL around the esophagus causes difficulty in passing the food or drink down the esophagus
Swallowing Test: Indications
Patient has non-painful inability to swallow indicates CN IX and X pathology. Difficulty swallowing indicates some type of mass around the esophagus.
Barre-Lieou Sign: Procedure
Patient is seated. Instruct the patient to rotate head all the way in one direction, and then all the way in the other direction, and then back too neutral.
Barre-Lieou Sign: Pathomechanics
When the patient is in rotation, the contralateral vertebral artery is compressed and occluded in the transverse foramen of C1; therefore the other arteries supplying the circle of Willis are being tested for cardiovascular disease
Barre-Lieou Sign: Indications
Lightheadedness, nausea, vertigo, hearing and visual disturbances occurring with the head rotated will indicate occlusion of the vertebral and internal carotid arteries. If symptoms occur, you must due one or both of the following tests
DeKleyn’s Test: Procedure
Patient is supine, so that the head is off the end of the table that is being used. Patient hyperextends neck and rotates to one side, hold 15-45 seconds, while keeping eyes open and fixed on a point
DeKleyn’s Test: Pathomechanics
When the patient is in rotation, the contralateral vertebral artery is compressed and occluded in the transverse foramen of C1; therefore the other arteries supplying the circle of Willis are being tested for cardiovascular disease
DeKleyn’s Test: Indications
Lightheadedness, nausea, vertigo, hearing and visual disturbances, nystagmus (horizontal fluttering of eye), occurring with the head rotated will indicate occlusion of the internal carotids and the ipsilateral vertebral artery.
Maigne’s Test: Procedure
Patient is seated. Patient hyperextends the head and rotates
Maigne’s Test: Pathomechanics
When the patient is in rotation, the contralateral vertebral artery is compressed and occluded in the transverse foramen of C1; therefore the other arteries supplying the circle of Willis are being tested for cardiovascular disease.
Maigne’s Test: Indications
Lightheadedness, nausea, vertigo, hearing and visual disturbances, nystagmus (horizontal fluttering of eye), occurring with the head rotated will indicate occlusion of the internal carotids and the ipsilateral vertebral artery
Rust Sign: Procedure
Visualizing the patient, grasping their head as to distract the neck while weight bearing or arising from a recumbent position
Rust Sign: Pathomechanics
This mechanism relieves the compression force of the head on the neck.
Rust Sign: Indication
Cervical spine fracture or severe sprain/strain
Soto-Hall Test: Procedure
Patient is supine. Doctor stands along side the patient and places knife edge of one hand over the sternum (for women patients, have them put their hands over their sternum first). The other hand goes underneath the back of the patient’s head. Doctor passively flexes the head, chin to the chest
Soto-Hall Test: Pathomechanics
Stretching of the posterior neck & upper thoracics, with gapping of the facets. Also compression of the anterior neck
Soto-Hall Test: Indications
Reproduction of symptoms of muscles, ligaments, or bony structure of the posterior spine would indicate sprains, strains, or fractures. Relieving symptoms suggests facet surfaces are causing the pain. Reproduction of symptoms along the anterolateral neck & radiating may compress nerve roots from things such as disc lesions, von luska joint arthrosis, or spondylosis
O’Donoghue’s Maneuver: Procedures
Patient is seated. Passively do all cervical ROM, denoting any symptomatology with localizing and characterizing. In neutral, perform isometric resistive contractions of the cervical spine in all ROMs