Neuro/Heet Flashcards
Sign: Bilateral/vice-like,
Duration: Daily
Exacerbated: stress, fatigue, glare.
Associated: hypertonicity of neck muscle.
Tension Headache:
Treatment: Ibuprofen or Naproxen (NSAIDS), Tylenon 325-1000mg PO q4-6
Sign: Unilateral/start temple or eye
Duration: 15 mins to 3 hours
Exacerbated:
Associated: congestion/rhinorrhea, lacrimation, Horner syndrome (ptosis, miosis, anhidrosis)
Cluster Headache:
Treatment: Initial 100% oxygen for 15 mins.
Sumatrip
Sign: Gradual build-up of a throbbing headache
Duration: several hours
Aura: star, light slashes, zigzag, aphasia or numbness, tingling, weakness.
Associated: Nausea and Vomtiting
Migraines
Treatment: Avoidance of precipitating factor.
chronic pain, complaints of headache unresponsive to medication.
History of analgesics reveal.
Medication Overuse Headache
Withdraw med, improvement in months, not days
Symptoms Occur within 1-2 days of injury, and subside with 7-10 days.
Associated: impaired memory, poor concentration, emotional instability.
Post-Traumatic Headache
Treatment: Simple analgesics first line therapy
(a) Hallmark “Thunder clap headache” or “worse headache of my life”
(b) Headache onset is sudden and may have meningeal irritation
Drug use (cocaine, amphetamines), smoking, hypertension, alcohol use
Analgesia with Tylenol
Intracerebral hemorrhage:(SAH)
Analgesia with Tylenol, Referral
Sudden onset focal neurological deficit. Faster – face, arm, steadiness, talking, eyes, react.
Cerebral Vascular Accident (CVA) Transient Ischemic Attack(TIA)
Don’t lower B/P acutely unless 220/120 above, lower pressure by 15%.
Lab
RLS is an uncomfortable “creeping, crawling” sensation or “pins and needles feeling” in the limbs, especially in the legs. The uncomfortable sensations are temporarily relieved by limb movement
Restless Leg Syndrome.
Low iron
Immediate loss of conciousness after significant head trauma
“Lucid interval” with recovery of consciousness
May also see seizure, coma, anisocoria, respiratory collapse
Epidural hemorrhage presentation
Referral
(1) Pain, numbness, or tingling in the lower back and spreading down 1 or both legs
(2) Leg weakness or a problem called “foot drop,” which is when you cannot seem to hold
your foot up (for example, while walking)
(3) Problems with bowel or bladder control
Cauda Equina Syndrome
Referral
Pain, burning, and tingling in the distribution of the median nerve.
(a) Median nerve innervates thumb, pointer, middle and half of the ring finger
Pos for Tinel or phalen’s sign exacerbates neuropathic symptoms
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Patient should modify their hand activities and the affected wrist shoul
b) Nuchal rigidity
(c) Change in mental status
(a) Brudzinski sign – spontaneous flexion of hips during passive flexion of the neck
(b) Kernig sign – inability or reluctance to allow full extension of knee when hip is flexed at 90 degrees
Meningitis
Ceftriaxone (rocephin) 2g IV q12h
Dexamethasone 0.15mg/kg IV Q6Hr
Exposed crew – Ciprofloxacin (Cipro) - is a Fluoroquinolone antibiotic
(1) Abrupt onset of unilateral facial paralysis
(1) In a stroke, there is NO paralysis of the forehead
(2) Intact forehead muscle tone suggests STROKE not BELL’s Pals
Bell’s Palsy.
Prednisone, Immediate referral/MEDEVAC
- Usually, asymptomatic.
- Epigastric pain, Nausea and vomiting.
- Upper GI bleeding with “coffee grounds” hematemesis (Most common presentation).
Gastritis
NSASIDS gastritis: reduce to lowest dosage or with food. Proton pump inhibitor 2-4 weeks. Alcoholic gastritis: D/C alcohol use, H@ receptor antagonists, proton pump inhibitors or sucralfate for 2-4 week. Helicobacter Pylori: spiral gram-negative rod: PPI, AMOX, Clarithromycin (sub metronidazole for AMOX if PCN allegery)
* PPI, levofloxacin, Amox(sub metronidazole for AMOX if PCN allegery)
If bleeding occurs
* PPI 80 mg IV blous, then 8mg/h
* Sucralfate suspension.
- Sense of incomplete evacuation, excessive straining, infrequent stool.
Constipation
- Psych issue identified and addressed.
- First line: diet and exercise. Increase water and fiber supplementation (no immediate response).
- Second line: stool softening or laxative use. Docusate sodium (Colace), Bisacodyl (Dulcolax), Magnesium hydroxide (milk of magnesia), Magnesium citrate:
- Third line: Suppository, Enemas. Fecal disimpaction.
- Initial care: treat empirically in acute phase, start less invasive, lifestyle change, monitor for improvement.