Epilepsy physical examination
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Fahimeh Shojaei, M.D.
Overview
Physical Examination
Physical examination of patients with epilepsy is usually remarkable for:
Appearance of the Patient
- Patients with epilepsy usually appear normal between the seizures.
- During an epileptic seizure, based on seizure type they present with signs such as:
- Automatic behaviors
- Upward eye rolling
- Unconsciousness
- Drooling
- Cyanosis
- After an epileptic seizure, based on seizure type the can present with signs such as Drowsiness and confusion or no sign at all.[1]
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
- HEENT examination of patients with [disease name] is usually normal.
OR
- Abnormalities of the head/hair may include ___
- Evidence of trauma
- Icteric sclera
- Nystagmus
- Extra-ocular movements may be abnormal
- Pupils non-reactive to light / non-reactive to accommodation / non-reactive to neither light nor accommodation
- Ophthalmoscopic exam may be abnormal with findings of ___
- Hearing acuity may be reduced
- Weber test may be abnormal (Note: A positive Weber test is considered a normal finding / A negative Weber test is considered an abnormal finding. To avoid confusion, you may write "abnormal Weber test".)
- Rinne test may be positive (Note: A positive Rinne test is considered a normal finding / A negative Rinne test is considered an abnormal finding. To avoid confusion, you may write "abnormal Rinne test".)
- Exudate from the ear canal
- Tenderness upon palpation of the ear pinnae/tragus (anterior to ear canal)
- Inflamed nares / congested nares
- Purulent exudate from the nares
- Facial tenderness
- Erythematous throat with/without tonsillar swelling, exudates, and/or petechiae
Neck
- Neck examination of patients with epilepsy is usually normal.
Lungs
- Pulmonary examination of patients with [disease name] is usually normal.
OR
- Asymmetric chest expansion OR decreased chest expansion
- Lungs are hyporesonant OR hyperresonant
- Fine/coarse crackles upon auscultation of the lung bases/apices unilaterally/bilaterally
- Rhonchi
- Vesicular breath sounds OR distant breath sounds
- Expiratory wheezing OR inspiratory wheezing with normal OR 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 stethoscope
Abdomen
- Abdominal examination of patients with epilepsy is usually normal.
Back
- Back examination of patients with epilepsy is usually normal.
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
- ↑ Mattle, Heinrich (2017). Fundamentals of neurology : an illustrated guide. Stuttgart New York: Thieme. ISBN 9783131364524.