When you see the neurologist, they'll talk with you about your medical history and your symptoms. You'll also have a physical exam that focuses on your brain and nerves. The neurologist may check your: Mental status.
The neurological examination is divided into five parts: mental status, cranial nerves, motor function, sensory function, and reflexes. In the mental status exam, you are asked questions designed to assess your level of alertness, orientation, mood, and cognition.
Some of the most common neurological disorders include Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, migraines, multiple sclerosis, and stroke.
1. Headache. Headaches are one of the most common neurological disorders—and there are a variety of different kinds of headaches, such as migraines, cluster headaches, and tension headaches.
There is no need to prepare for a neurological examination. The doctor will try to reach the right diagnosis by testing normal movements and reactions.
Eye screenings are done to detect any irregularity that could cause vision loss. Common problems we search for are eye misalignments, nearsightedness, farsightedness, cataracts, glaucoma, drooping eyelids, astigmatism, symptoms of any neurological disease, etc.
But for someone undergoing an extensive diagnostic exam, the procedure may take well over an hour. There are far too many tests to discuss in one post so I am going to limit my discussion to the more popular techniques that my personal neurologist performs when I go to see her.
Chemical and metabolic testing of the blood can indicate some muscle disorders, protein or fat-related disorders that affect the brain and inborn errors of metabolism. Blood tests can monitor levels of therapeutic drugs used to treat epilepsy and other neurological disorders.
To find out, conclusively, if your nerves are damaged, you need to see a neurologist. He or she will perform tests to determine the health of your muscles and nerves. If there is a problem, the doctor will explain the reason for the damage and its extent.
These disorders include epilepsy, Alzheimer disease and other dementias, cerebrovascular diseases including stroke, migraine and other headache disorders, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, neuroinfections, brain tumours, traumatic disorders of the nervous system due to head trauma, and neurological disorders as ...
Injections, such as peripheral nerve injections and epidurals may be recommended. We also offer spinal cord stimulation, an implanted device, which sends electrical pulses to the spinal cord to mask the pain. In some cases, surgery will be necessary.
Specifically, researchers believe that high anxiety may cause nerve firing to occur more often. This can make you feel tingling, burning, and other sensations that are also associated with nerve damage and neuropathy. Anxiety may also cause muscles to cramp up, which can also be related to nerve damage.
To test tandem gait, the patient is instructed to walk placing one foot directly in front of the other, heel-to-toe. Normal patients are able to walk without swaying. The Romberg rest is simply tandem walking that is done with the eyes closed and this is done when tandem walking is normal.
Coordination. Coordination can be tested by asking a person to touch a finger to their nose and then to a doctor's finger in front of them. The doctor will continue to move their finger after each touch to see if they can be followed. This is called the finger-to-nose test.
Specificity of the individual tests ranged from 74–100%. Overall, the neurological examination accurately identified 61% of patients with a focal lesion, with a 16% false positive rate (table). The side of the lesion was correctly identified in 96% of cases.
For a comprehensive neurological exam, additional supplies may be needed: Snellen chart; tongue depressor; cotton wisp or applicator; and percussion hammer; objects to touch, such as coins or paper clips; substances to smell, such as vanilla, mint, or coffee; and substances to taste such as sugar, salt, or lemon.
The objective of neurological examination is to localize the neuroanatomical lesion as the cause of the neurological symptoms. The neurologic examination is not a simple check list. Neurologists tailor their examination based on a patient's clinical presentation and history of illness.
Undiagnosed generally refers to patients who have undergone tests and neurological examinations, but doctors haven't been able to find the cause of their symptoms. The term 'syndrome without a name' (SWAN) is sometimes used to talk about an undiagnosed condition. You may find it useful to read our article on diagnosis.
Neurological disorders impair brain and/or muscle function and are much more common in people over 65 years of age. Indeed, as more of us live longer, age-related neurological disorders, amongst other disorders, are becoming more common.