Nervous system Flashcards
(34 cards)
What is a head ache? What are the 3 classifications?
Diffuse pain occurring in any portion of the head
Primary: tension, migraine, cluster headaches
Secondary: underlying structural problems
Cranial neuralgia, facial pain, and other headaches
What is a migraine headache? which group of people does it affect more?
Description: Recurrent, intense, throbbing headache
May cause nausea, vomiting
Affects women twice as often men
Eitiology of Migranes?
Etiology: Vasodilation of cerebrocranial arterioles
Hereditary indications
Some foods, sunlight, hormones, smells, or changes in weather may trigger
Signs and symptoms of migranes
Signs and symptoms Premonitory symptoms Photophobia Tinnitus Aura, craving for sweets, unusual thirst Followed by headache
Migrane treatment
Treatment
Drug therapy: NSAIDs, triptans, antinausea medications
Rest in quiet, dark room
two types of Hematoma?
Epidural and Subdural Hematomas
What is a Epidural?
What are the symptoms?
Mass of blood between skull, brain outer membrane
Loss of consciousness, hemiparesis, severe headache, dilated pupils
What is a Subdural? & what are the symptoms
Blood collects between dura mater, arachnoid membrane
Similar symptoms as epidural but delayed
Treatment for Epidural and Subdural?
Craniotomy to aspirate accumulated blood
Cerebral Concussion- What is it? Symptoms?
E/T Blunt impact to head; causes brain to strike, rebound from skull
S/S Temporary loss of consciousness; depressed pulse rate; flaccid muscle tone
Cerebral Contusion. What is it, how does it happen? what are the symptoms?
D/S Bruised issue along, beneath brain surface; blood accumulates
E/T Blow to head
S/S Vary according to location, extent of tissue injury; transient loss of consciousness to coma
What is a Berry aneurysm?
Congenital, present from birth and takes years to develop, rupture usually in young to middle age adults.
What is Hemiplegia? What are the symptoms?
Loss of muscular control, sensation on one side
Symptoms: Paralysis, weakness of arm, leg, face on one side; aphasia, agnosia, apraxia, agraphia, alexia
Spinal cord injury- what is paraplegia?
Loss of voluntary motion, sensation of trunk, lower extremities
Spinal cord injury: What is quadriplegia?
Paralysis of all four extremities, trunk
What may cause a pt to acquire paraplegia and quadriplegia?
Consequence of fracture, dislocation, vertebral column; location, severity determines result
Infections of the nervous system- What is Acute Bacterial Meningitis? and what are the symptom?
Inflammation of the three-layer meninges; medical emergency
Symptoms: Sudden onset of severe headache, vomiting, seizures; nuchal rigidity
What is the treatment for acute bacterial meningitis?
Aggressive antibiotics; supportive therapy; lessen swelling, blockage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
What is Encephalitis? What are the symptoms?
Inflammation of brain (cerebrum, cerebellum, brainstem); epidemic
Symptoms: Vary with age; headache, nausea, vomiting, muscular pain
What is a brain abscess? Symptoms?
Collection of pus found in cerebellum and frontal, temporal lobes of cerebrum
Headache; nausea and vomiting; vision disturbances; hemiplegia; slowed pulse
Peripheral nerve disease. What is peripheral Neuritis? What are the symptoms?
Degeneration of nerves supplying extremity distal muscles; noninflammatory
Slow onset; muscular weakness; paresthesia; tenderness, pain
What is Bell’s Palsy? Symptoms?
Facial (seventh cranial) nerve causing paralysis of muscles on one side of face
Symptoms? One-sided facial weakness; drooping mouth; Bell’s phenomenon (eye cannot close)
What is a Cerebrovascular
Accident and its symptoms
D/S Sudden impairment of consciousness, subsequent paralysis; due to occlusion, hemorrhaging of blood vessels to brain
Embolus; hemorrhage sudden whereas thrombus gradual; impaired consciousness; Cheyne- Stokes respiration; full, slow pulse; hemiparesis; dysphasia; numbness
Treatment for stroke?
Anticoagulant, antiplatelet agents; surgery to control brain edema; physical rehabilitation
