The complete neurologic examination is the most complex exam in clinical medicine. The purpose of the neurologic examination is to allow the physician to determine:
- is a neurologic deficit is present
- if there is a neurologic deficit present, is it central (arising from the brain) or peripheral
The neurologic exam has six components:
- general appearance of the patient
- cranial nerve exam
- motor exam
- sensory exam
- reflexes
- coordination
A normal examination would be recorded as follows: “the patient is awake, alert, orient, CN 2 – 12 non focal, strength 5/5 and symmetric upper and lower extremities, sensory exam grossly intact, reflexes 2+ and symmetric, cerebellar testing normal.”