Bell's palsy physical examination
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Mohamadmostafa Jahansouz M.D.[2]
Overview
Patients with [disease name] usually appear [general appearance]. Physical examination of patients with [disease name] is usually remarkable for [finding 1], [finding 2], and [finding 3].
OR
Common physical examination findings of [disease name] include [finding 1], [finding 2], and [finding 3].
OR
The presence of [finding(s)] on physical examination is diagnostic of [disease name].
OR
The presence of [finding(s)] on physical examination is highly suggestive of [disease name].
Observe for asymmetry
during the interview; pay close attention
to blinking, the nasolabial folds, and the corners of the mouth
General examination
, otoscopy, palpation for masses near the neck
and face, and examination of the skin
Assess motor function,
asking the patient to:
Raise both eyebrows
Close both eyes tightly
Smile
Puff out the cheeks
Purse the lips
Show both upper and lower teeth (grimace)
Assess special sensory function,
if clinically indicated
Sensation of the face and ear
Taste sensation of anterior two-thirds of the tongue
Assess reflexes
Orbicularis reflex: tap the glabella and observe asymmetry in blink
pattern
Bell phenomenon: observe upward movement of eyes
during forced eye-closure
Physical Examination
- Physical examination of patients with [disease name] is usually remarkable for:[finding 1], [finding 2], and [finding 3].
- The presence of [finding(s)] on physical examination is diagnostic of [disease name].
- The presence of [finding(s)] on physical examination is highly suggestive of [disease name].
Appearance of the Patient
- Patients with [disease name] usually appear [general appearance].
Vital Signs
- High-grade / low-grade fever
- Hypothermia / hyperthermia may be present
- Tachycardia with regular pulse or (ir)regularly irregular pulse
- Bradycardia with regular pulse or (ir)regularly irregular pulse
- Tachypnea / bradypnea
- Kussmal respirations may be present in _____ (advanced disease state)
- Weak/bounding pulse / pulsus alternans / paradoxical pulse / asymmetric pulse
- High/low blood pressure with normal pulse pressure / wide pulse pressure / narrow pulse pressure
Skin
- Skin examination of patients with [disease name] is usually normal.
OR
-
Description (Adapted from Dermatology Atlas)
-
Description (Adapted from Dermatology Atlas)
HEENT
- Tenderness upon palpation of the ear may be present.[1]
- Facial tenderness in distribution of facial nerve[2]
- Hearing acuity may be reduced(because of impairment of the function of stapedius muscle).[3]
- Wrinkling of the forehead when raising the eyebrows is asymmetric or absent on the affected side.
- Nystagmus is not a feature of bell's palsy and it could help to differentiate Bell's palsy from Ramsay Hunt syndrome(witch may have nystagmus)
- Extra-ocular movements are normal.
- Weber test is usually normal.
- Rinne test is usually normal.
- Ear canal is usually normal.
- Ophthalmoscopic exam is usually normal.
- Pupils examination is usually normal.
Neck
- Neck examination of patients with [disease name] is usually normal.
OR
- Jugular venous distension
- Carotid bruits may be auscultated unilaterally/bilaterally using the bell/diaphragm of the otoscope
- Lymphadenopathy (describe location, size, tenderness, mobility, and symmetry)
- Thyromegaly / thyroid nodules
- Hepatojugular reflux
Lungs
- Pulmonary examination of patients with [disease name] is usually normal.
OR
- Asymmetric chest expansion / Decreased chest expansion
- Lungs are hypo/hyperresonant
- Fine/coarse crackles upon auscultation of the lung bases/apices unilaterally/bilaterally
- Rhonchi
- Vesicular breath sounds / Distant breath sounds
- Expiratory/inspiratory wheezing with normal / delayed expiratory phase
- Wheezing may be present
- Egophony present/absent
- Bronchophony present/absent
- Normal/reduced tactile fremitus
Heart
- Cardiovascular examination of patients with [disease name] is usually normal.
OR
- Chest tenderness upon palpation
- PMI within 2 cm of the sternum (PMI) / Displaced point of maximal impulse (PMI) suggestive of ____
- Heave / thrill
- Friction rub
- S1
- S2
- S3
- S4
- Gallops
- A high/low grade early/late systolic murmur / diastolic murmur best heard at the base/apex/(specific valve region) may be heard using the bell/diaphgram of the otoscope
Abdomen
Abdominal examination of patients with [disease name] is usually normal.
OR
- Abdominal distention
- Abdominal tenderness in the right/left upper/lower abdominal quadrant
- Rebound tenderness (positive Blumberg sign)
- A palpable abdominal mass in the right/left upper/lower abdominal quadrant
- Guarding may be present
- Hepatomegaly / splenomegaly / hepatosplenomegaly
- Additional findings, such as obturator test, psoas test, McBurney point test, Murphy test
Back
- Back examination of patients with [disease name] is usually normal.
OR
- Point tenderness over __ vertebrae (e.g. L3-L4)
- Sacral edema
- Costovertebral angle tenderness bilaterally/unilaterally
- Buffalo hump
Genitourinary
- Genitourinary examination of patients with [disease name] is usually normal.
OR
- A pelvic/adnexal mass may be palpated
- Inflamed mucosa
- Clear/(color), foul-smelling/odorless penile/vaginal discharge
Neuromuscular
- Neuromuscular examination of patients with [disease name] is usually normal.
OR
- Patient is usually oriented to persons, place, and time
- Altered mental status
- Glasgow coma scale is ___ / 15
- Clonus may be present
- Hyperreflexia / hyporeflexia / areflexia
- Positive (abnormal) Babinski / plantar reflex unilaterally/bilaterally
- Muscle rigidity
- Proximal/distal muscle weakness unilaterally/bilaterally
- ____ (finding) suggestive of cranial nerve ___ (roman numerical) deficit (e.g. Dilated pupils suggestive of CN III deficit)
- Unilateral/bilateral upper/lower extremity weakness
- Unilateral/bilateral sensory loss in the upper/lower extremity
- Positive straight leg raise test
- Abnormal gait (describe gait: e.g. ataxic (cerebellar) gait / steppage gait / waddling gait / choeiform gait / Parkinsonian gait / sensory gait)
- Positive/negative Trendelenburg sign
- Unilateral/bilateral tremor (describe tremor, e.g. at rest, pill-rolling)
- Normal finger-to-nose test / Dysmetria
- Absent/present dysdiadochokinesia (palm tapping test)
Extremities
- Extremities examination of patients with [disease name] is usually normal.
OR
- Clubbing
- Cyanosis
- Pitting/non-pitting edema of the upper/lower extremities
- Muscle atrophy
- Fasciculations in the upper/lower extremity
References
- ↑ Han DG (2010). "Pain around the ear in Bell's palsy is referred pain of facial nerve origin: the role of nervi nervorum". Med Hypotheses. 74 (2): 235–6. doi:10.1016/j.mehy.2009.06.027. PMID 19932939.
- ↑ De Seta D, Mancini P, Minni A, Prosperini L, De Seta E, Attanasio G; et al. (2014). "Bell's palsy: symptoms preceding and accompanying the facial paresis". ScientificWorldJournal. 2014: 801971. doi:10.1155/2014/801971. PMC 4270115. PMID 25544960.
- ↑ Margolis RH (1993). "Detection of hearing impairment with the acoustic stapedius reflex". Ear Hear. 14 (1): 3–10. PMID 8444335.