N1213 Head, Neck, Eyes Flashcards
What do we look for when palpating? (3 spots)
- trachea for position, sternal notch
- palpating thyroid gland, thyroid cartilage, cricoid cartilage
- anterior and posterior position
What is hyperthyroidism?
- increased metabolic function
- inc. HR/BP
- enlarged thyroid = goiter
Symptoms of hypothyroidism
- Lethargy (tired, sleepy, slow)
List the common symptoms of head and neck? (6)
- headache
- neck pain/stiffness (meningitis)
- limited neck movements (msk)
- lumps or masses (large cervical lymph nodes)
- hypothroidism
- hyperthyroidism
Headache (cephalgia) (4)
- organic disease (tumour)
- stress response
- vasodilation (migraine)
- skeletal muscle tension (tension headache)
Primary headache has ______ cause, and includes _____, ____, and _____.
- no known cause
- migraine, tensions, cluster
Secondary headache is a ______ cause.
- direct cause (brain tumour or aneurism)
Migraine headache occurs _________.
And lasts from hours to _____.
- periodic and recurrent attacks of severe headache
- lasts from hours to days
What are the 4 phases of migraines?
P.A.H.R
1) Prodrome
2) Aura
3) Headache
4) Recovery
Prodrome symptoms?
- hours to days
- depression, irritability, feeling cold, food cravings, anorexia, change in urination, constipation
Aura symptoms?
- focal neurological symptoms
- light flashes, bright spots, half visual field (heminoptic, numbness, tingling, slight weakness, drowsiness)
Headache symptoms?
- vasodilation phase, intensifying over a couple hours
- photophobia, light sensitivity, Gi symptoms
- 4-72 hours
Recovery symptoms?
- muscle ache, local tenderness, sleep for extended periods
List some triggers for migraines? (6)
- menstrual cycle
- bright light
- stress, sleep deprivation
- fatigue
- food; tyramine, aged cheese, chocolate
- oral contraceptives
What food triggers migraines?
tyramine, aged cheese, chocolate
List one migraine secondary prevention strategy?
- migraine diary (writing down what happened before)
What are some non-pharmacological nursing interventions for a patient experiencing a headache? (tertiary prevention) (6)
- elevate head of bed to 30 degrees
- provide medications to relieve nausea and vomiting
- provide quiet/dark environment
- warm compress/message (tension headache)
- reduce anxiety (fear of tumour)
- patient and family participation
What are 4 risk reduction tips for head and neck injury?
1) drive safe
2) wear protective equipment
3) avoid violence in environment
4) fall prevention assessment of home
Secondary prevention of head/neck injury? (3)
- regulations regarding medical assessment and return to play
- standardized neuro-cognitive testing
- reference to individual baseline scores when possible
Microcephalic
abnormally small head
Macrocephalic
abnormally large head
Normocephalic
round symmetric skull that is appropriately related to body size
How to Use the Ophthalmoscope?
Each lens labeled negative or positive # =
dioptre
Red # = negative diopter = myopic (nearsighted) clients.
Black # = positive dioptre = hyperopic (farsighted) clients.
The zero lens is used if neither the examiner nor the client has refractive errors.
Early symptoms of eye damage? (8)
- pain
- trauma (fall or violent event)
- visual change (bluured vision, cataracts, gradual = illness or aging, possible cranial nerve problem)
- floaters (black dots)
- halos (bright lights around light source)
- discharge (infection or inflammation of foreign body)
- itching/burning (allergies)
- related changes in ADL’s (reading/driving)
