Sharpening assessment skills in neurology

I’ve been reflecting on the importance of thorough neurological assessments, especially for patients presenting with atypical symptoms. We’ve all encountered those cases that don’t fit neatly into a diagnostic box, and I find that refining my assessment techniques can often make a significant difference. What tools or resources have you found most helpful in enhancing your assessment skills in neurology?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌⁠‌‌‌⁠​‍‌⁠​⁠‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌⁠​‍‌‍​‌‌‍​⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍‍‌‌⁠‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠⁠‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠​‌​⁠‌‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠‌​⁠‌‍‌⁠‌‍​⁠​‌‌⁠‌​‌‍‍‍​⁠‌⁠‌​‍⁠‌⁠​‍‌‍⁠​​⁠​​‌​⁠‍‌‍‌​‌​‍⁠​⁠‍‌‌‍⁠⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌

I totally get that! Sometimes, a focused neuro exam can reveal so much. Have you tried using the Neurological Exam app?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌⁠‌‌‌⁠​‍‌⁠​⁠‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌⁠​‍‌‍​‌‌‍​⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍‍‌‌⁠‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠⁠‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‌​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌⁠​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​​‍‌‍⁠​‌​‍​‌‌‍​‌‌‌⁠​⁠‌‌‌⁠‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‍‌‍​⁠‌‍⁠‍‌​⁠‌‌​⁠⁠‌‍​‌‌⁠‍‍‌⁠​​​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌

I’ve had my share of those head-scratchers too. It drives me nuts when I know something’s off, but the usual tests come back normal. I recently started using the ‘Neurology Pocketcard’ app, and it’s been a game changer for quick reference during assessments.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌⁠‌‌‌⁠​‍‌⁠​⁠‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌⁠​‍‌‍​‌‌‍​⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍‍‌‌⁠‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠⁠‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‌​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌⁠​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​⁠‌‌‌​‌​⁠⁠‌​‍‌​⁠‌⁠‌‍‍‍​⁠‍​‌​‍‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‍‍‌‌‌⁠‌‍‌‍​⁠​‍​‍⁠‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌