Pain is the chief complaint in many patients. Although pain may arise from a variety of nonneurologic causes, this chapter will cover the diagnosis and management of six pain syndromes that are uniquely neurologic. Headache is covered in Chapter 15…
Syncope is brief loss of consciousness caused by a sudden reduction of cerebral blood flow. Patients will often use the words “fainting” or “passing out” to describe a syncopal event. Presyncope refers to the sensation of impending loss of consciousness,…
Generalized weakness is usually the primary complaint in patients with severe neuromuscular disease. The most common diseases presenting as acute paralysis and acute respiratory failure are myasthenia gravis and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) (acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy). Patients may also present…
Headache is one of the most common complaints presented to neurologists. This symptom can be caused by two broad categories of disorders. One group comprises the primary headache disorders , including migraine, tension-type headache, cluster headache, and other trigeminal autonomic…
Dizziness and vertigo are among the most common neurologic complaints. The etiology of these conditions may range from the relatively benign, such as labyrinthitis, to the potentially serious, such as cardiac syncope or life-threatening cerebellar hemorrhage. Vertigo may be defined…
Increased intracranial pressure (ICP) is not a symptom; rather, intracranial hypertension is a pathologic state common to a variety of serious neurologic illnesses ( Table 13.1 ). All conditions that result in increased ICP are characterized by an increase in…
Few symptoms may be as disturbing or dramatic to a patient as acute visual loss. Although acute ocular diseases such as uveitis, retinal detachment, and some forms of glaucoma may require urgent evaluation by an ophthalmologist, a high percentage of…
The control of gait and posture involves numerous components of the nervous system. Gait ataxia implies decomposition in the coordinated control of posture and gait that are typically controlled by the cerebellum and other subcortical structures. A call for a…
Introduction Focal brain masses are a common reason for neurologic consultation, particularly in the inpatient setting. The main etiologic considerations include malignancy, infection, and, less commonly, inflammatory disease. The management of the brain mass varies widely depending on the etiology.…
The initial assessment of head injury in the emergency room (ER) can be frantic, with resuscitation measures, history taking, and examination occurring simultaneously. An organized approach is essential to ensure that vital components of the evaluation are not omitted. The…