Nervous system

Question 1

What is a head ache? What are the 3 classifications?

Answer 1

Diffuse pain occurring in any portion of the head

Primary: tension, migraine, cluster headaches
Secondary: underlying structural problems
Cranial neuralgia, facial pain, and other headaches

Question 2

What is a migraine headache? which group of people does it affect more?

Answer 2

Description: Recurrent, intense, throbbing headache
May cause nausea, vomiting
Affects women twice as often men

Question 3

Eitiology of Migranes?

Answer 3

Etiology: Vasodilation of cerebrocranial arterioles
Hereditary indications
Some foods, sunlight, hormones, smells, or changes in weather may trigger

Question 4

Signs and symptoms of migranes

Answer 4

Signs and symptoms
Premonitory symptoms 
Photophobia
Tinnitus
Aura, craving for sweets, unusual thirst
Followed by headache

Question 5

Migrane treatment

Answer 5

Treatment
Drug therapy: NSAIDs, triptans, antinausea medications
Rest in quiet, dark room

Question 6

two types of Hematoma?

Answer 6

Epidural and Subdural Hematomas

Question 7

What is a Epidural?

What are the symptoms?

Answer 7

Mass of blood between skull, brain outer membrane

Loss of consciousness, hemiparesis, severe headache, dilated pupils

Question 8

What is a Subdural? & what are the symptoms

Answer 8

Blood collects between dura mater, arachnoid membrane

Similar symptoms as epidural but delayed

Question 9

Treatment for Epidural and Subdural?

Answer 9

Craniotomy to aspirate accumulated blood

Question 10

Cerebral Concussion- What is it? Symptoms?

Answer 10

E/T Blunt impact to head; causes brain to strike, rebound from skull
S/S Temporary loss of consciousness; depressed pulse rate; flaccid muscle tone

Question 11

Cerebral Contusion. What is it, how does it happen? what are the symptoms?

Answer 11

D/S Bruised issue along, beneath brain surface; blood accumulates

E/T Blow to head

S/S Vary according to location, extent of tissue injury; transient loss of consciousness to coma

Question 12

What is a Berry aneurysm?

Answer 12

Congenital, present from birth and takes years to develop, rupture usually in young to middle age adults.

Question 13

What is Hemiplegia? What are the symptoms?

Answer 13

Loss of muscular control, sensation on one side

Symptoms: Paralysis, weakness of arm, leg, face on one side; aphasia, agnosia, apraxia, agraphia, alexia

Question 14

Spinal cord injury- what is paraplegia?

Answer 14

Loss of voluntary motion, sensation of trunk, lower extremities

Question 15

Spinal cord injury: What is quadriplegia?

Answer 15

Paralysis of all four extremities, trunk

Question 16

What may cause a pt to acquire paraplegia and quadriplegia?

Answer 16

Consequence of fracture, dislocation, vertebral column; location, severity determines result

Question 17

Infections of the nervous system- What is Acute Bacterial Meningitis? and what are the symptom?

Answer 17

Inflammation of the three-layer meninges; medical emergency

Symptoms: Sudden onset of severe headache, vomiting, seizures; nuchal rigidity

Question 18

What is the treatment for acute bacterial meningitis?

Answer 18

Aggressive antibiotics; supportive therapy; lessen swelling, blockage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

Question 19

What is Encephalitis? What are the symptoms?

Answer 19

Inflammation of brain (cerebrum, cerebellum, brainstem); epidemic

Symptoms: Vary with age; headache, nausea, vomiting, muscular pain

Question 20

What is a brain abscess? Symptoms?

Answer 20

Collection of pus found in cerebellum and frontal, temporal lobes of cerebrum

Headache; nausea and vomiting; vision disturbances; hemiplegia; slowed pulse

Question 21

Peripheral nerve disease. What is peripheral Neuritis? What are the symptoms?

Answer 21

Degeneration of nerves supplying extremity distal muscles; noninflammatory

Slow onset; muscular weakness; paresthesia; tenderness, pain

Question 22

What is Bell’s Palsy? Symptoms?

Answer 22

Facial (seventh cranial) nerve causing paralysis of muscles on one side of face

Symptoms? One-sided facial weakness; drooping mouth; Bell’s phenomenon (eye cannot close)

Question 23

What is a Cerebrovascular

Accident and its symptoms

Answer 23

D/S Sudden impairment of consciousness, subsequent paralysis; due to occlusion, hemorrhaging of blood vessels to brain

Embolus; hemorrhage sudden whereas thrombus gradual; impaired consciousness; Cheyne- Stokes respiration; full, slow pulse; hemiparesis; dysphasia; numbness

Question 24

Treatment for stroke?

Answer 24

Anticoagulant, antiplatelet agents; surgery to control brain edema; physical rehabilitation

Question 25

Transient Ischemic Attack- what is it? symptoms?

Answer 25

Temporary, recurrent episodes of impaired neurological activity due to insufficient blood flow to brain; “little strokes”

Symptoms: Sudden onset of muscle weakness in the arm, leg, foot

Question 26

What is Epilespy? What are the symptoms?

Answer 26

Chronic, recurring attacks of abnormal sensory, motor, psychological activity; partial or generalized

Symptoms: “Aura”; dizzy; unusual, unpleasant sights, sounds, odors; loss of consciousness, body rigidity

Question 27

What is Alzheimers disease?

Answer 27

The chronic organic death of neurons in the cerebral cortex and is replaced by microscopic plaques.

Question 28

Symptoms of alzeihmers disease?

Answer 28

3 stages:
Mild mental impairment Forgetfulness

Agitation Incontinent

Unable to communicate or care for self.

Question 29

Neurofibrillary tangles in neurons of a patient with what disease?

Answer 29

Alzheimer’s disease

Question 30

What is parkingsons disease?

What are the symptoms?

Answer 30

Chronic, progressive muscle rigidity & involuntary tremors

Symptoms: Slow, insidious; muscle weakness;

Question 31

What is Multiple Sclerosis? Symptoms?

Answer 31

Chronic, progressive destruction of lipid, protein layer, progressive physical disability

Symptoms: Sudden, transient motor, sensory disturbances, impaired vision, muscle weakness, relapses

Question 32

What is Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis also known as?

Answer 32

Lou Gehrig’s disease

Question 33

what is Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis? Symptoms:

Answer 33

Progressive muscular atrophy & weakness. Involuntary muscular contractions, atrophy, weakness, twitching

Question 34

2 types of brain tumors? and describe them both

Answer 34

Primary- Benign, malignant within

and secondary- Metastasis from elsewhere in the body