System of signs

• LOC


  Level of conciousness
• OTPP


  Oriented to time, place, person
• Dysarthria


  A disorder of the mechanics of articulation
• Dysphasia


  A disorder of the symbolic function of speech inverted in the comprehension and expression of meaning through words
• Percept dysphasia_ A defect in the recognition of spoken or written words
• Expressive dysphasia


  A defect in the speaking or writing of words
• Aphonia


  Whispering speech due to local laryngeal disease, or bilateral laryngeal paralysis
• Mutism


  Complete absence of speech
• Visual acuity


  Test each eye separately
• Visual fields


  Large abnormalities can be detected by confrontation. Face the patient at a distance of 6 meters, instruct him or her to cover one eye lightly with his hand and to say when he sees your finger move in your matched fields.
• Pupils


  These normally are equal, central and circular, react (ECCR) directly and consensually to light and to accomodation.
• ECCR


  Equal, Central and Circular, React.
• Myasthenia


  A chronic neuromuscular disease that causes weakness in the voluntary muscles. These muscles involve those that are connected to the bones, muscles of the face, throat, and diaphragm.
• Ptosis


  Whenever the upper eyelid droops over the eye.
• Primary ocular myopathy


  A degenerative disorder of extra-ocular muscles with the primary site of the lesion in the striated eye muscle cell itself.
• Diplopia (Double vision)


  A condition that causes people to see two of the same image - whether horizontal, vertical, or diagonal - instead of one
• Strabismus


  A condition in which one eye is turned in a direction different from the other.
• Nystagmus


  A rapid uncontrollable eye movement and is either congenital or acquired.
• Pterygoids (aka: Internal pterygoid muscle)


  A square-shaped masticatory muscle, located on the medial aspect of the lower jaw bilaterally
• Bell palsy


  An unexplained episode of facial muscle weakness or paralysis. It begins suddenly and can get worse over 48 hours. It occurs as a result of facial nerve damage.
• Weber's and Rinne's test

  Demonstrated to test for hearing problems
• Fasciculation (muscle twitching)


  This happens when a single peripheral nerve that controls a muscle is overactive, resulting in involuntary muscle movements.
• Thyrotoxicosis


  A very fine tremor
• Hysteria


  Behavior exhibiting overwhelming or unmanageable fear or emotional excess