Learning Checkpoint - Review the patient cases presented below and answer the following questions for each case:
- Does this patient require somatosensory testing as part of the initial examination and evaluation?
- Should the clinician test for a peripheral or central nervous system dysfunction or some combination of these?
- Describe the rationale for your response.
Patient Problem 1 - A 58-year-old with a history of diabetes and a left below knee amputation had a right middle cerebral artery CVA resulting in left hemiplegia.
Patient Problem 2 - A 58-year-old with no significant prior medical history had a right middle cerebral artery CVA resulting in left hemiplegia.
Patient Problem 3 - A 67-year-old has a 40-year history of smoking 1-2 packs of cigarettes per day. After several years of increasing shortness of breath, they have recently been diagnosed with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). They have a history of hypertension but have no other neurological or orthopedic problems.
Patient Problem 4 - A 62-year-old has a history of cervical osteoarthritis with no other significant medical history. They report complaints of numbness in their right fourth and fifth fingers.
Patient Problem 5 - A 62-year-old has a history of cervical osteoarthritis and a right elbow fracture. They report complaints of numbness in their right fourth and fifth fingers.
Patient problem worksheet .
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