I've Noticed several talk about the "neuro exam" i.e. touching your nose with index finger with feet together etc but I've never had one of these and am curious what your neuro-doc had y'all do?
Thanks in advance for your replies!
Kenny,
They a series of things. They check your eyes with one of those lights. Then they check your eye movement by telling you to look different ways. They have you put your arms out and touch your index fingers to your nose. They check the strength of your arms by pushing and pulling them. They also test the strength of your legs by pushing down as you push up. They check your reflexes by hitting them with that little hammer. They run something along the bottom of your feet to see if you can feel it. And sometimes they will use a tuning fork to see if you can hear the pitch and place something cool against your cheeks or neck to see if you can feel cold. Sometimes with Chiari they will do additional things like walk a straight line, stand on tip toes, check tone of some muscles. That's all I can remember.
It's weird though because most nl do it like they are sleep walking and I have always "passed" even though I have serious impairment. I just think they are going through the motions to make it look good and earn their fee. I think it's better suited to the other types of disorders they are used to dealing with. I can tell you that when I went to see a Chiari specialist the exam was alot longer and much more thourogh. She also seemed to be more intuned with the subtle things going on rather than pushing and pulling and making me uncomfortable.
Wendy
Hi..
How are you doing, Pastor??/
I, like Wendy , have always 'passed' the NL exam..which is a huge laugh...just went to a Nl per the insistance of my pain doc...when I went to the pain doc this pass Thurs , he started laughing and said..
"OH, MY GOD!!" and kept laughing...then he asked me to walk heel to toe..I did, and as I always do..tipped over....he told me that was ahy he was laughing b/c the NL wrote in the report that my heel to toe was normal!!! along with everything else.
This is why I blaked at even going to a NL....useless in my case...I guess if one with Chiari is lucky enogh to kind a good NL who knows something about Chiari ..that would be great. Personally, I have ZERO use for the NL 's I have seen...kills me to even give them their co-pay!!!!
I saw my NS's nurse practioner for my first visit and she did the neuro exam, talked to me about symptoms, looked at my MRI with me, then decided what she wanted tested further. She didn't do all the tests I expected, but seemed to know exactly what she was looking for...I just wish I knew exactly what she was looking for!
She did the arm and leg strength test, they eyes, reflexes, and had me stand with my eyes closed. Those are the only ones I remember her doing. I miserably failed standing with my eyes shut, and she even already had her arm behind me. Either she does that with everyone, or she expected me to fall backwards. I thought I passed the rest until she told me that my reflexes were way too sensitive and that it was NOT normal. I suppose I "passed" the other ones.
She didn't have me walk on my heels, toes, or heel to toe and she didn't check my skin sensitivity, nor did she do other tests. Then she seemed to zero in on my spine, whether there are compressions or syrinxes. I felt a tad dismayed when I KNOW i have clear Chiari symptoms, but she seemed to talk more about my spine. After the exam, she ordered cervical and thoracic MRIs, which I will have done next week.
I was very wigged out that she didn't order a CINE MRI, because (as I am sure many people on this board feel) I felt like she didn't "believe" me and I had already been to several doctors. I have asked around about this, and there seem to be people who didn't have a CINE ordered either. I am still kind of wigged out about it...
But...I see the doc in 11 days, with my back MRI in hand and will see what he says. My symptoms worsen daily and the stumbling around has me fairly scared, as well as talking here and there like I have been drinking. I also haven't slept through the night in days, even with the meds I have taken for years. Either my hand falls asleep, I have to use the restroom, etc.
So, it seems like everyone's neuro exams vary. Whether or not my doc offers surgery is to be seen...and if he orders a CINE will also be seen. He has an impeccible reputation and I am overly curious to see what he focuses on.
Please let us know what you are tested for. My nurse practioner obviously had things in mind she was testing for. I would also like to hear other people's stories.