When you see a neurologist in Northport or elsewhere across the country, he or she will take your patient history and give you a neurological exam. You may be referred to a neurologist by your primary care provider or another doctor if it is suspected that you may have a neurological disorder. The term neurological disorders, which are generally diagnosed and treated by a neurologist, encompass disorders affecting the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. Some of the conditions commonly treated by neurologists include Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, migraine headaches, dementia, epilepsy, neuralgia, cervical and lumbar disc disease, strokes, and many other conditions of the nervous system.

Giving the Neurologist Your Patient History

A neurologist will generally take your patient history. This helps the neurologist to get a better understanding of factors that could contribute to, or indicate, a non-neurological cause of the problem you have been referred for.

A neurological patient history generally involves answering questions similar to the following:



When your symptoms began and whether they’re chronic or acute



Your age, gender, and occupation



Your past medical history



What drugs you are currently on or have been on in the past



Your family history



Your social history, which generally involves information about whether, and how often, you exercise, drink alcohol, and use tobacco products



Whether you are right- or left-handed



It may seem strange that your handedness would be a factor, but to a neurologist, this information is extremely important. In nearly all people who are right-handed, it is the left hemisphere that is dominant; conversely, many left-handed individuals are right brain dominant.

The Neurologic Examination

After assessing your patient history and conducting a general examination, a Northport neurologist will conduct a neurological examination. The neurological examination includes specific tests to assess mental status, cranial nerve functions, motor functions, deep tendon reflexes, sensation, and cerebellar function.

The mental status exam generally involves:



Assessment of consciousness (a normal, awake, conscious person is described as “awake, alert, and oriented throughout”; impaired consciousness is generally rated on the Glasgow Coma Scale)



An abbreviated mental test or mini mental state examination



A global assessment of higher cognitive functions



A fundoscopic examination, which involves examining the eyes to estimate intracranial pressure



The cranial nerve exam checks the functioning of the seven cranial nerves (denoted with Roman numerals I-XII) by examining the patient’s:



Sense of smell (I)



Visual field and visual acuity (II)



Eye movements (III, IV, and VI)



Pupils (III)



Facial sensory function (V)



Strength of facial muscles (VII) and shoulder muscles (XI)



Sense of hearing (VII, VIII)



Sense of taste (VII, IX, X)



Pharyngeal reflex and movement (IX, X)



Tongue movement (XII)



To assess your motor function, which can be impaired by neurological disorders, the neurologist will check your:



Muscle strength, on a scale of 0-5



Muscle tone



Posture



The neurologist will also check for signs of resting tremors or of abnormal movements, such as spasticity or rigidity



The Deep Tendon Reflexes are another valuable source of information about possible causes of a patient’s symptoms, and are checked in a neurological exam.

The deep tendon reflexes are:



Masseter



Biceps and triceps



Knee tendon



Ankle jerk



Plantar



The Sensory Examination checks for abnormalities in the sense of touch and tactile sensation.

This generally encompasses tests of:



Light touch



Pain



Temperature



Vibration



Sense of position in space



Cerebellar testing includes:



Finger-to-nose test



Ankle-over-tibia test



Assessment of gait



The standard neurological examination provides a neurologist in Northport and elsewhere with information about any deficits that may be present, which can indicate possible causes and pathologies contributing the symptoms for which the patient was referred. Neurological examinations are a painless process and not particularly difficult or stressful.



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