CMA Chapter 19

• dysphagia


  Difficulty swallowing
• dysphasia


  Impairment of the ability to use or understand language
• electroencephalogram


  A test that measures and records the electrical activity of the brain
• meningocele


  A sac-like protrusion of the membranes covering the spinal cord through an opening in the backbone
• migraine


  A severe, recurrent headache often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light
• myelogram


  An X-ray examination of the spinal cord and spinal canal after injection of a contrast medium
• myelomeningocele


  A type of spina bifida in which the spinal cord and its coverings protrude through an opening in the backbone
• Queckenstedt test


  A test to determine if there is a blockage in the spinal cord by measuring the pressure changes in the cerebrospinal fluid
• Romberg test


  A test to assess balance and coordination by having the patient stand with feet together and eyes closed
• seizures


  Sudden, uncontrolled electrical disturbances in the brain
• spina bifida occulta


  A mild form of spina bifida in which there is a small gap or opening in one or more of the bones of the spine, but the spinal cord and its coverings remain in place
• Neurology deals with the study of the nervous system and its disorders, and the physician who specializes in this area is a neurologist
• The medical assistant who works in a neurology office has many interesting and challenging patients
• The medical assistant who works in other medical specialties may also have patients with diseases or disorders of the nervous system
• Meningitis is characterized by inflammation of the meninges covering the spinal cord and the brain
• Viral meningitis is usually not life threatening and is often short-lived, but bacterial meningitis is often severe and may be fatal
• Meningitis can also result from head trauma when an open wound allows organisms to enter the cranium and nervous system
• Patients with meningitis have a variety of signs and symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, fever, headache, and a stiff neck
• To diagnose meningitis, the physician usually orders a complete blood count
• If the white blood cell count is high, a lumbar puncture is performed, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is sent to the laboratory for analysis to determine the infectious organism
• The treatment of meningitis depends on the organism causing the infection
• The treatment for viral meningitis includes fluids and bed rest, and bacterial meningitis is treated with antibiotics and generally requires hospitalization
• Encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain that frequently results from a viral infection following a varicella (chicken pox), measles, or mumps infection
• Symptoms of encephalitis include drowsiness, headache, and fever. Seizures and coma may occur in later stages
• Diagnosis of encephalitis is made via lumbar puncture and analysis of CSF
• Treatment of encephalitis requires hospitalization for intravenous fluid therapy and supportive care
• Herpes zoster, or shingles, is caused by the virus that causes chickenpox and occurs only in those who have had a varicella infection
• Herpes zoster usually occurs in adults, often in times of physical and emotional stress
• The virus becomes reactivated and spreads along the length of a nerve, causing redness, swelling, and pain
• After about 48 hours, a band of papules develops on the skin following the nerve pathway
• The lesions may last for 2 to 5 weeks and the patient may have pain after the lesions disappear
• The treatment of a herpes zoster breakout includes an analgesic or nerve block for pain, and calamine lotion may be applied to the skin to reduce itching
• Antiviral medication, such as acyclovir, may be prescribed to alleviate the severity of the disease
• Poliomyelitis, commonly called polio, is a highly contagious and debilitating virus that affects the brain and spinal cord
• In the acute phase, the patient may complain of a stiff neck, fever, headaches, and a sore throat
• As the disease progresses, paralysis may develop, leading to muscle atrophy and eventual deformities
• If the respiratory muscles are affected, the patient cannot breathe without artificial assistance
• Postpoliomyelitis muscular atrophy (PPMA) syndrome has been documented in some individuals who had polio as children
• Patients with PPMA usually complain of muscle weakness and a lack of coordination
• During the acute stage of polio, treatment is palliative and supportive, and after this stage, treatment focuses on rehabilitation of the weakened extremities with physical and occupational therapy