Neurology

How does a neurologist examine a patient?
well, he checks the eyes - extraocular muscles and visual field. He would ask the patient to cover one eye with their hand and look straight at the doctor's nose. Then the doctor would hold up both his hands and ask how many fingers is he holding up? He would do the same with the other eye. So far, all the patients I saw with him were able to tell how many fingers he held up. But if the patient couldn't tell, he would send the patient to an opthalmologist. One patient was unable to move her eyes up & down. But she was able to move her eyes side to side. Can you think of what her diagnosis is? She also has some dementia. She has progressive supranuclear palsy.
He then asks them to close their eyes and then open them. Next, he asks them to smile, then, open their mouth, and say "ahh."
Next, he checks reflexes. He saids that those reflex hammers that you can get free from a pharm rep sometimes or the $3 hammer I bought are crap. All the neurologists in the office have hammers that are much heavier (one had a solid metal ball with a rubber ring around it on one end). - now I know why I can't get reflexes on some people. He always does babinski on patients. He also bends and extends the arm at the elbow to check for cog-wheel rigidity (the arm will move like a ratchet wrench). He uses a safety pin and pokes them on both upper & lower extremities and fingers for sensation. (he uses a new safety pin for each patient)
On occasion, he might check for carotid bruits (for patients who may be at risk for or had strokes). Other than that, that's pretty much the entire exam.

One drug that the neurologist recommends to every patient with peripheral neuropathy is alpha-lipoic acid (over the counter supplement). He saids that there's a study showing that it works.

btw, I did neurology clinic prior to medicine shelf exam.

question: what nerve can easily be damaged if you injure the lateral side of your knee? hint: it causes foot drop.