Focused History-Taking in Acute Neurological Disease
- Weakness? Numbness? Pain/headache? Unsteadiness? Dizziness? Altered consciousness? Visual disturbance?
- Cognitive/higher mental dysfunction? Speech and language disturbance?
- Swallowing difficulty? Sphincter disturbance?
- Chronology of different symptoms? Previous episodes? Distribution? Speed of onset? Aggravating/relieving factors? Progression (in time and space)? Fluctuating?
- Trigger/prodromal illness?
- Functional consequences?
- Systemic upset? Rash? Weight loss? Appetite? Diet?
- Drugs and medications? Missed/extra doses? Newly prescribed/taken?
- Past history? Family history? Smoking? Alcohol? Recreational drugs?
- Occupation? Toxin exposure? Handedness?
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