|
|
A neurological examination looks at how well your brain and the rest of your nervous system are functioning. Every time your doctor taps your knee with a hammer to see if your foot jumps, that's part of a neurological exam.
If you have spells that may be seizures, your primary doctor probably will send you to see a neurologist, a doctor who specializes in the brain and nervous system. The neurologist will perform a complete neurological exam to find out whether an area of your brain is functioning abnormally.
Usually the neurologist will first ask you about problems you may have experienced that could be a sign of a brain disorder. The neurologist also will test the functioning of your muscles, your senses, and your reflexes, and will look for any problems with your walking or coordination. Another part of the exam is a test of your mental functions, such as the ability to remember words, do arithmetic, and name objects.
During follow-up visits, the neurologist often will perform a brief version of the exam again to see if anything has changed. If the dosage of your seizure medicine is too high, for instance, this exam may reveal unwanted side effects, such as:
If the neurologist finds signs like these, the dosage of medicine may need to be reduced.
The neurologist may be examining you even while you are just talking. The doctor can assess your mood, thinking, language, eye and facial movements, strength, coordination, and many other features just by carefully listening and observing you.
Topic Editor: Carl W. Bazil, M.D., Ph.D.
Last Reviewed: 3/8/04
This content is user-generated. Content is not monitored nor consistently reviewed by the epilepsy.com Editorial Board. Epilepsy.com therefore cannot guarantee the accuracy of any content edited with the Wiki sections. While epilepsy.com, the Epilepsy Therapy Project, and its partners encourage visitor interaction and publishing within these sections, users should use caution when exploring content, especially as it pertains to health concerns. No content on epilepsy.com is intended to replace the care of a doctor. We encourage you to contact your own health care provider for individual medical advice. We cannot provide second opinions or make specific recommendations regarding therapy, nor does this Wiki content constitute a recommendation for any diagnosis or treatment options.
A neurological examination looks at how well your brain and the rest of your nervous system are functioning. Every time your doctor taps your knee with a hammer to see if your foot jumps, that's part of a neurological exam.
If you have spells that may be seizures, your primary doctor probably will send you to see a neurologist, a doctor who specializes in the brain and nervous system. The neurologist will perform a complete neurological exam to find out whether an area of your brain is functioning abnormally.
Usually the neurologist will first ask you about problems you may have experienced that could be a sign of a brain disorder. The neurologist also will test the functioning of your muscles, your senses, and your reflexes, and will look for any problems with your walking or coordination. Another part of the exam is a test of your mental functions, such as the ability to remember words, do arithmetic, and name objects.
During follow-up visits, the neurologist often will perform a brief version of the exam again to see if anything has changed. If the dosage of your seizure medicine is too high, for instance, this exam may reveal unwanted side effects, such as:
If the neurologist finds signs like these, the dosage of medicine may need to be reduced.
The neurologist may be examining you even while you are just talking. The doctor can assess your mood, thinking, language, eye and facial movements, strength, coordination, and many other features just by carefully listening and observing you.
| Title | Posted | |
|---|---|---|
| Lamictal | Mar 25, 2009 | |
| daffyduck | ||
| Vimpat | May 12, 2009 | |
| daj | ||
| Topamax Side Effects | Mar 27, 2009 | |
| Black.Pearl | ||
| Kepprage: Arrested in Own Home | Jun 10, 2009 | |
| ADK | ||
| PLEASE HELP: Big time problems from generic Keppra made by Mylan | Apr 14, 2009 | |
| jacobh2009 | ||
| Keppra XR | Apr 10, 2009 | |
| screamsatthesky | ||
| I need help! Has your neurologist told you this? | Apr 2, 2009 | |
| Living with Epilepsy as a Teen | ||
| Ramping up on Lamictal - advice needed | May 14, 2009 | |
| mac3mpc | ||
| VITAMINS suggested by our Neurologist... | Apr 14, 2009 | |
| ValNewLife | ||
| Keppra | Apr 4, 2009 | |
| cmonkman | ||
| View all Forums | ||
| Title | Posted | |
|---|---|---|
| I Have Epilepsy and I Hate My Life... | Jul 2, 2009 | |
| 1nevermore | ||
| Police Officer Discharged Regarding Epilepsy | Jul 2, 2009 | |
| scott west coast | ||
| Deja vu and Epilepsy | Jul 2, 2009 | |
| Mikey4 | ||
| Can you will away a seizure? | Jul 2, 2009 | |
| miyagi | ||
| Are you an ETP Hero? | Jul 2, 2009 | |
| ETP | ||
| PNES- NON EPILEPTIC SEIZURES | Jul 2, 2009 | |
| edie | ||
| I think I'm having seizures, but i'm not sure | Jul 2, 2009 | |
| lilith | ||
| Police Officer Discharged Regarding Epilepsy | Jul 2, 2009 | |
| scott west coast | ||
| New job, trust, and interference | Jul 2, 2009 | |
| bleedingheart | ||
| Taking Generic Levetiracetam (Keppra?) | Jul 2, 2009 | |
| madhatteresque | ||
| View all Forums | ||
| Title | Page Views | |
|---|---|---|
| my.epilepsy.com Updates | 20,400 | |
| epi_help | ||
| topamax and weight loss | 18,924 | |
| alexia mom | ||
| kepra | 18,778 | |
| brian mattingly | ||
| Possible cure for absence seizures | 15,617 | |
| pdl1 | ||
| Epilepsy and marijuana | 14,855 | |
| cjad234 | ||
| Sexual Side Effects | 12,890 | |
| George R | ||
| How exactly do aura's feel | 12,636 | |
| WendyBendy | ||
| MEDICAL ALERT I.D.'s | 11,249 | |
| picnupthepcs | ||
| Over 40 Different Types Of Seizures - Revised | 9,928 | |
| spiz | ||
| electrical shock in head? | 9,372 | |
| Maggie | ||
| View all Forums | ||
| Title | Posted | |
|---|---|---|
| Anyone know the answer to this? | Apr 8, 2009 | |
| Living with Epilepsy as a Teen | ||
| I Forgot To Remember... | Mar 25, 2009 | |
| kolz16 | ||
| Educational Epilepsy Book | May 11, 2009 | |
| ny2ga67 | ||
| View all Blogs | ||
| Title | Posted | |
|---|---|---|
| replica watches | Jul 2, 2009 | |
| nbalike123 | ||
| nice site | Jul 2, 2009 | |
| lee | ||
| support worker people with learning disability | Jul 2, 2009 | |
| bhing | ||
| my son sheldon | Jul 2, 2009 | |
| gvalegirl | ||
| Meds do not stop all of my seizures | Jul 1, 2009 | |
| wenko | ||
| Death of my teenage son | Jul 1, 2009 | |
| shelly maire | ||
| Summer! | Jul 1, 2009 | |
| Living with Epilepsy as a Teen | ||
| SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME | Jul 1, 2009 | |
| kimberanne | ||
| Pop Pop came to visit me. | Jul 1, 2009 | |
| xaviersjourney | ||
| please answer :) | Jul 1, 2009 | |
| brittanyanngr | ||
| View all Blogs | ||
| Title | Page Views | |
|---|---|---|
| Inspirational Quote - My Own Personal Inner Thoughts | 7,951 | |
| Butterflygrl | ||
| my partial complex seizures | 3,842 | |
| Zanna1211 | ||
| Topomax... The Dreaded......... | 3,628 | |
| Dr Jason | ||
| Brain Zaps, tics & twitches | 3,448 | |
| JudiS | ||
| side effects of phenobarb. | 3,013 | |
| pksmom | ||
| Feeling Sick | 2,837 | |
| JBJ1984 | ||
| How can you tell if a sleep seizure happens? | 2,806 | |
| epl_controller | ||
| Tegretol XR and ANXIETY meds | 2,777 | |
| Butterflygrl | ||
| TYLENOL, AEDs & SEIZURES | 2,636 | |
| cmscribbles | ||
| Nonepileptic "Events" vs. "Seizures" | 2,555 | |
| teft | ||
| View all Blogs | ||
| Title | Posted | |
|---|---|---|
| Lamotrigine memory loss | Jun 17, 2009 | |
| superfurry | ||
| View all Groups | ||
| Title | Posted | |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Lesional Epilepsy Surgery | Jun 22, 2009 | |
| Chi-gal | ||
| Lamotrigine memory loss | Jun 17, 2009 | |
| superfurry | ||
| Pregnant on Topmax | Jun 16, 2009 | |
| sarah123 | ||
| why don,t they understand, I,m a person too | Jun 3, 2009 | |
| Angela71 | ||
| Living a full life with Epilepsy | May 29, 2009 | |
| Amazon | ||
| teenager driving | May 27, 2009 | |
| babygirl416 | ||
| Epilepsy Surgery Group | May 10, 2009 | |
| lisam11463 | ||
| Dilantin to Lamotrigine & Pregnant | May 7, 2009 | |
| apereira728 | ||
| What is going on here? | May 5, 2009 | |
| jyhprice | ||
| Parent of child with cerebral palsy and epilepsy. | May 2, 2009 | |
| bunglemc | ||
| View all Groups | ||
| Title | Posted | |
|---|---|---|
| Police Officer Discharged Regarding Seizures | Jul 2, 2009 | |
| scott west coast | ||
| JAN 26,2006 CHANGED MY LIFE FOR GOOD | Jul 2, 2009 | |
| kimberly1975 | ||
| Concerned Bystander | Jul 1, 2009 | |
| Bystander | ||
| temporal lobe epilepsy | Jul 1, 2009 | |
| dennyxx82 | ||
| Epilepsy is now part of my life | Jun 30, 2009 | |
| Running Free | ||
| MY NEW LIFE WITH EPILEPSY! | Jun 29, 2009 | |
| unicorn26 | ||
| Track Day | Jun 28, 2009 | |
| danniegirl | ||
| My son's seizures | Jun 27, 2009 | |
| Magali | ||
| Who Knows? | Jun 25, 2009 | |
| Sheri Lopez | ||
| Looking for best meds for tonic/clonic for 51 yr. female | Jun 25, 2009 | |
| mjecker | ||
| View all Stories | ||
| Title | Page Views | |
|---|---|---|
| Jessica Roiz | 2,238 | |
| kroiz | ||
| Seizure Cat helps unfold my seizure life! | 590 | |
| wenko | ||
| my story | 455 | |
| snoby | ||
| Always Have On Clean Underwear | 427 | |
| crashllama | ||
| Kelly's Life With Epilepsy | 400 | |
| kjcanada1979 | ||
| my brain has died a thousand deaths........... | 382 | |
| banffgirl | ||
| What My Seizures Are Like...... | 363 | |
| javaman | ||
| Nocturnal grand mal seizures (primary generalized epilepsy) | 324 | |
| karalyeva | ||
| Crystal's story | 320 | |
| Crystal11 | ||
| Life......... | 319 | |
| dizzygal | ||
| View all Stories | ||
