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Cephalgia (headache)
Pain in the head
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Migraine Headache
- 1. Can be preceded by a warning aura
- 2. Characterized by throbbing pain on one side of the head
- 3. Can be proceeded by a warning aura
- 4. Primarily affect women
- 5. Accompanied by :
- ......a. Nausea
- .....b. Vomiting
- .....c. Sensitivity to light &/or sound
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Warning Aura
Sensation perceived by the patient that precedes a migraine
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Cluster Headache
1. Intensely painful headaches that affect one side of the head
2. May be associated with tearing of the eyes & nasal congestion
3. Affect primarily men
4. Named for their repeated occurance in groups or clusters.
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Encephalocele (craniocele)
Congenital herniation of brain tissue
Note: Contrast with meningiocele which is herniation of meninges thru defect in the skull or spinal column
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Congenital
Means present at birth
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Herniation
Protrusion of a structure from its normal position
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Meningiocele
Congenital herniation of the meninges thru a defect in the skull or spinal column.
Note: Contrast with encephalocele
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Hydrocephalus
1. Condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the ventricles of the brain.
2. Can occur at birth or develop later on in life from obstructions related to meningitis, brain tumors, or other causes.
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Meningitis
1. Inflammation of the meninges of the brain & spinal cord which can be fatal
2. Is usually caused by a bacterial or viral infection
- 3. Characterized by:
- .....a. Fever
- .....b. Vomiting
- .....c. Intense headache
- .....d. Stiff neck
Note: Contrast with encephalitis which is inflammation of the brain & usually caused by a virus
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Alzheimer's disease
- 1. A group of disorders involving the parts of the brain that control:
- .....a. Thought
- .....b. Memory
- .....c. Language
2. Marked by progressive deterioration that affects both the memory & reasoning capabilities of an individual
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Cognition
- Describes the mental activities associated with:
- .....1. Thinking
- .....2. Learning
- .....3. Memory
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Mild Cognitive Disorder
1. Memory disorder usually associated with recently acquired information (short term memory?)
2. May be a predictor of Alzheimer's disease
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Dementia
- 1. Slowly progressive decline in mental abilities including:
- .....a. Memory
- .....b. Thinking
- .....c. Judgment
2. Often accompanied by personality changes
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Encephalitis
1. Inflammation of the brain
2. Can be caused by a viral infection, such as rabies
Note: Contrast with meningitis which is inflammation of the meningies & can be caused by a bacterial or viral infection
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Parkinson's disease
- 1. Chronic, degenerative CNS disorder
- 2. Characterized by:
- .....a. Fine muscle tremors
- .....b. Rigidity
- .....c. Slow or shuffling gait
- 3. Chacteristic gait is caused by gradually progressive loss of control over movements
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4. Caused by inadequate levels of neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain
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Reye's Syndrome (RS)
1. Potentially serious or deadly disorder in children
- 2. Characterized by:
- .....a. Vomiting
- .....b. Confusion
3. Syndrome usually follows a viral infection in which the child was treated with ASPIRIN
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Tetanus (lockjaw)
- 1. Acute & potenially fatal infection of the CNS
- 2. Caused by toxin produced by the tetanus bacteria
- 3. Tetanus can be prevented thru immunization
- 4. Without this protection, the condition is typically acquired thru a deep puncture wound
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Amnesia
- 1. Memory disturbance characterized by total or partial inability to recall past experiences
- 2. This condition can be caused by:
- .....a. Brain injury
- .....b. Illness
- .....c. Psychological disturbance
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Concussion
- 1. A violent shaking up or jarring of the brain
- 2. May result in a temporary loss of awareness & function.
Note: Contrast with cerebral contusion which is a bruising of brain tissue when the brain bounces against the skull
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Cerebral Contusion
- 1. Brusing of brain tissue
- 2. Result of a head injury that causes brain to bounce against skull
Note: Contrast with concussion.
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Cranial Hematoma
- 1. Collection of blood trapped in the tissues of brain
- 2. Named by location
- 3. Types include:
- ......a. Epidural - located in dura mater
- ......b. Subdural - below the dura mater
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Traumatic Brain Injury
1. Cause: Blow to head or penetrating head injury that damages brain
2. Not all blows to head result in damage to brain
- 3. When injury does occur it can range from:
- .....a. Mild (brief change in mental status) to
- .....b. Severe ( longer lasting effects)
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Coup
Injury that occurs within skull near point of impact
Example: Hitting windshield in car accident
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Contrecoup (counter blow)
Injury that occurs beneath the skull opposite area of impact
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Shaken Baby Syndrome
- 1. Describes result of child being violently shaken by someone.
- 2. Action can cause:
- .....a. Brain injury
- .....b. Blindness
- .....c. Fractures
- .....d. Seizures
- .....e. Paralysis
- .....f. Death
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Levels of Consciousness
- 1. Term used to describe alterations in consciousness:
- .....a. Conscious
- .....b. Unconscious
- 2. Caused by:
- .....a. Injury
- .....b. Disease
- .....c. Substances such as:............(1.) Medications
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............(2.) Drugs............(3.) Alcohol
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Conscioius
State of being awake, alert, & responsing appropriately
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Unconscious
State of being unaware & unable to respond to any stimuli, including pain
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Lethargy
- 1. Lowered state of consciousness marked by:
- .....a. Listlessness
- .....b. Drowsiness
- .....c. Apathy
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Apathy
- Means:
- 1. Indifference
- 2. Reduced level of activity
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Stupor
Unresponsive state from which a person can be only be aroused briefly & with vigorous, repeated attempts
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Syncope (fainting)
- 1. Brief loss of consciousness 2. Caused by the decreaed flow of blood to the brain
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Coma
- 1. Profound (deep) state of unconsciousness
- 2. Marked by:
- .....a. Absence of spontaneous eye movements
- .....b. No response to painful stimuli
- .....c. Lack of speech
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Comatose
Refers to person who is in a coma
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Persistence of Vegatative State
- 1. Type of coma
- 2. Patient exhibits alternating sleep & wake cycles
- 3. Caused by severe damage to certain areas of the brain
- 4. Person is unconscious even when appearing awake
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Delirium
- 1. Acute condition of:
- ......a. Confusion
- ......b. Disorientation
- ......c. Disordered thinking & memory
- ......d. Agitation
- ......e. Hallucinations
2. Condition usually caused by treatable condition, such as a high fever
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Delirious
Means condition of suffering from delirium
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Brain Tumor
- 1. Growth located inside the skull
- 2. Can be:
- .....a. Malignant
- .....b. Benign
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Malignant Brain Tumor
1. An invasive tumor that destroys brain tissue
2. Primary site - Cancer originates in the brain
3. Secondary site - Cancer metastasizes to brain from another body system
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Benign Brain Tumors
- 1. Tumor that does not invade the brain tissue
- 2. Tumor growth is surrounded by rigid bone
- 3. As tumor grows, can damage brain tissue by:
- .....a. Placing pressure against tissues
- .....b. Increasing intracranial pressure
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Intracranial Pressure
- 1. Amount of pressure inside skull
- 2. Elevated intracranial pressure can be due to a:
- .....a. Tumor
- .....b. Injury
- .....c. Improper drainage of cerebrospinal fluid
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Cerebrovascular Accident (Stroke or CVA)
- 1. Damage to the brain that
- 2. Occurs when blood flow to brain is disrupted because a vessel is either blocked or ruptured
- 3. Location of disruption determine symptoms
- 4. Damage to one side of brain causes symptoms on other side
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Ischemic Stroke
- 1. Most common type of stroke in older people
- 2. Occurs when flow of blood to brain is blocked
- 3. May be caused by:
- .....a. Narrowing of carotid artery
- .....b. Cerebral thrombosis
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Cerebral Thrombosis
- 1. Occurs when a blood clot blocks an artery that supplies blood to the cerebrum
- 2. Blockage damages the controls of:
- ......a. Movments
- ......b. Senses
- ......c. Speech
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Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)
- 1. Temporary interruption in blood supply to the brain
- 2. Symptoms include:
- .....a. Numbness
- .....b. Blurred vision
- .....c. Dizziness
- .....d. Loss of balance
- 3. A TIA passes in less than an hour
- 4. Is often a warning sign of risk for a more serious & debilitating stroke
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Transient
Means passing quickly
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Ischemic
Means pertaining to the disruption of the blood supply
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Aphasia
- 1. Loss of language ability including:
- ......a. Speaking
- .....b. Writing
- .....c. And/or comprehending written or spoken language
- 2. Often caused by brain damage associated with a sstroke
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Hemorrhagic Stroke (bleed)
- 1. Occurs when a blood vessel in the brain leaks
- 2. Also occurs when brain aneurysm ruptures
- 3. This type of stroke is less common than ischemic strokes
- 4. Often fatal
- 5. Affects the area of the brain damaged by the leaking blood
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Aneurysm
Localized, weak, balloon-like enlargement of an artery wall
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Insomnia
- 1. Prolonged abnormal inability to sleep
- 2. Usually a symptom of another problem such as:
- .....a. Depression
- .....b. Pain
- .....c. Excessive caffeine
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Narcolepsy
- 1. Sleep disorder
- 2. Consists of sudden & uncontrollable brief episodes of falling asleep during the day
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Sleep Deprivation
- 1. Lack of sufficient restorative sleep over cumulative period
- 2. Causes physical or psychiatric symptoms
- 3. Affects performance or tasks
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Somnambulism (Sleepwalking or Noctambulism)
Condition of walking or performing some other activity without awakening
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Myelitis
Inflammation of spinal cord
Note: Term also applies to inflammation of bone marrow
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Myelosis
Tumor of the spinal cord.
Note: Also means abnormal proliferation of bone marrow tissue
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Poliomyelitis (Polio)
- 1. Highly contagious viral disease
- 2. Can be prevented through immunization
- 3. No known cure
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Post-polio Syndrome
Recurrence later in life of some polio symptoms in individuals who have had childhood polio & recovered from it
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Radiculitis (pinched nerve)
- 1. Inflammation of the root of a spinal nerve
- 2. Causes pain & numbness radiating down the affected limb 3. Usually applies to portion of the root that lies between the spinal cord & intervertebral canal of the spinal column
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Cervical Radiculopathy
Nerve pain caused by pressure on spinal nerve roots in neck region
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Lumbar Radiculopathy
- Nerve pain in the lower back caused by:
- 1. Muscle spasms
- 2. Nerve root irritation from compression of vertebral disks (such as herniated disk)
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Multiple Sclerosis
- 1. Progressive, autoimmunes disorder
- 2. Characterized by inflammation that causes demyelination of myelin sheaths
- 3. Causes scarring to:
- .....a. Brain
- .....b. Spinal cord
- .....c. Optic nerves
- 4. Disrupts transmission of nerve impulses
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Demyelination
Loss of patches of the protective myelin sheath
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Exacerbation (flare)
- 1. Episode of worsening symptoms.
- 2. Between theses episodes, the patient may be in remission
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Remission
Time during which the symptoms ease, but the disease has not been cured
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Flare
- 1. Episode of worsening symptoms (exacerbation.)
- 2. Between these episodes, the patient may be in remission
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Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease)
- 1. Rapidly progressive neurological disease
- 2. Attacks nerve cells responsible for controlling voluntary muscles
- 3. Course: Patients become progressively weaker until they are completely paralyzed & die.
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Bell's Palsy
- 1. Temporary paralysis of 7th cranial nerve
- 2. Causes paralysis only of affected side of face
- 3. Paralysis symptoms can include:
- .....a. Inability to close the eye
- .....b. Pain
- .....c. Tearing
- .....d. Drooling
- .....e. Hypersensitivity to sound in affected ear
- .....g. Impairment of taste
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Guillain-Barre Syndrome (Infectious Polyneuritis)
- 1. Inflammation of myelin sheath of pheripheral nerves
- 2. Charcterized by rapidly worsening muscle weakness
- 3. Can lead to temporary paralysis
- 4. An autoimmune reaction that can occur after:
- .....a. Certain viral infections
- .....b. Immunization
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Sciatica
- 1. Inflammation of the sciatic nerve
- 2. Results in pain, burning, & tingling along course of affected sciatic nerve thru thigh, leg, & foot
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Trigeminal Neuralgia
- 1. Inflammation of the 5th cranial nerve
- 2. Characterized by severe lightening-like pain
- 3. Sudden, intense, brief attacks of severe pain affecting:
- .....a. Cheeks
- .....b. Lips
- .....c. Gums
- 4. Only on side of face inervated by affected nerve
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Cerebral Palsy
- 1. Damage that affects the cerebrum
- .....a. Most frequent in premature or low birth-weight babies
- .....b. Usually caused by injury that occurs:
- ..........(1.) During pregnancy
- ..........(2.) During birth
- ..........(3.) Soon after birth
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- 2. Condition chaaracterized by:
- .....a. Poor muscle tone
- .....b. Spasticity
- .....c. Speech defects
- .....Other neurologic deficiencies
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Spasticity
Condition in which certain muscles are continuously contracted
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Palsy
- Means paralysis of body part accompanied by:
- .....a. Loss of feeling
- .....b. Uncontrolled body movements (such as shaking)
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Epilepsy (seizure disorder)
- 1. Chronic neurological condition
- 2. Characterized by recurrent episodes of varying severity
- 3. Can usually be controlled by medication
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Seizure
- 1. Sudden surge of electrical activity in brain
- 2. Affects how a person feels or acts for a short time
- 3. Some seizures can hardly be noticed; others cause a brief loss of consciousness
- 4. Are symptoms of different disorders that can affect brain
- Can also be caused by extreme high fever, brain injury, or brain lesion.
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Causalgia
Persistent, severe buring pain that usually follows an injury to a sensory nerve
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Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Symdrome)
- 1. A form of causalgia with burning pain much worse than would be expected from the injury
- 2. Pain that occurs after:
- .....a. Injury to an arm or leg
- .....b. Heart attack
- .....c. Stroke
- .....d. Other medical problem
- 3.
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Hyperesthesia
Condition of abnormal & excessive sensitivity to touch, pain, or other sensory stimuli
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Paresthesia
- 1. Refers to a burning or pricking sensation that is usually felt in the:
- .....a. Hands
- .....b. Arms
- .....c. Feet
- .....d. Legs
- .....e. Can also occur in other parts of body
- 2. These sensations may constitute:
- .....a. First symptoms of peripheral neuropathy
- .....b. Drug side effect
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Peripheral Neuropathy (peripheral neuritis)
- 1. Disorder of nerves that carry information to & from the brain & spinal cord
- 2. Produces:
- .....a. Pain
- .....b. Loss of sensation
- .....c. Inability to control muscles, particularly in:
- .............(1.) Arms
- .............(2.) Legs
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Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)
- 1. Neurological disorder
- 2. Characterized by uncomfortable feeling in legs
- 3. Produces a strong urge to move legs
- 4. Sensation is usually most noticeable:
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.....a. At night.....b. When trying to rest
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