If a deficit is found, systematic testing is required to delineate the boundaries of the deficit:

• A body chart is often used to document areas of sensory changes, particularly for patients who have peripheral or spinal nerve involvement.
  • Distinct colors or different hash marks can represent different sensory modalities.
  • Density of hash marks can also be used to demonstrate the severity of sensory change.

Appropriate terminology should be used to document findings, for example:

• Intact or normal
• Decreased or diminished
• Absent
• Delayed
• Hypersensitive
• Inconsistent

Ask questions such as "Do the stimuli feel the same or different?", "If different, in what way?", "Do you feel any unusual sensations or lack of sensation?" and "Where?" Document other findings based on context, diagnosis, prognosis, plan of care, and probable impact of the sensory dysfunction on the patient’s participation in activities of daily living