Diagnostic Tests for Muscle cramps
Muscle cramps Tests: Book Excerpts
Home Diagnostic Testing
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Muscle cramps Diagnosis: Book Excerpts
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Diagnostic Tests for Muscle cramps: Online Medical Books
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Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration,
for more information about the diagnostic tests for Muscle cramps.
Muscle flaccidity [Muscle hypotonicity]:
History and physical examination
(Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition))
If the patient isn’t in distress, ask about the onset and duration of muscle flaccidity and precipitating factors. Ask about associated symptoms, notably weakness, other muscle changes, and sensory loss or paresthesia.
Examine the affected muscles for atrophy, which indicates a chronic problem. Test muscle strength, and check deep tendon reflexes (DTRs) in all limbs.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition), 2006
Muscle weakness:
History and physical examination
(Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition))
Begin by determining the location of the patient’s muscle weakness. Ask if he has difficulty with specific movements such as rising from a chair. Find out when he first noticed the weakness; ask him whether it worsens with exercise or as the day progresses. Also ask about related symptoms, especially muscle or joint pain, altered sensory function, and fatigue.
Obtain a medical history, noting especially chronic disease, such as hyperthyroidism; musculoskeletal or neurologic problems, including recent trauma; a family history of chronic muscle weakness, especially in males; and alcohol and drug use.
Focus your physical examination on evaluating muscle strength. Test all major muscles bilaterally. (See Testing muscle strength, pages 418 and 419.) When testing, make sure that the patient’s effort is constant; if it isn’t, suspect pain or other reluctance to make the effort. If the patient complains of pain, ease or discontinue testing and have him try the movements again. Remember that the patient’s dominant arm, hand, and leg are somewhat stronger than their nondominant counterparts. Besides testing individual muscle strength, test for range of motion (ROM) at all major joints (shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, and ankle). Also test sensory function in the involved areas, and test deep tendon reflexes (DTRs) bilaterally.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition), 2006
Muscle spasms [Muscle cramps]:
History and physical examination
(Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition))
If the patient isn’t in distress, ask when the spasms began. Is there a particular activity that precipitates them? How long did they last? How painful were they? Did anything worsen or lessen the pain? Ask about other symptoms, such as weakness, sensory loss, or paresthesia.
Evaluate muscle strength and tone. Then, check all major muscle groups and note whether movements precipitate spasms. Test the presence and quality of all peripheral pulses, and examine the limbs for color and temperature changes. Test the capillary refill time (normal is less than 3 seconds), and inspect for edema, especially in the involved area. Observe for signs and symptoms of dehydration such as dry mucous membranes. Obtain a thorough drug and diet history. Ask the patient if he has had recent vomiting or diarrhea. Finally, test reflexes and sensory function in all extremities.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition), 2006
Muscle flaccidity [Muscle hypotonicity]:
History and physical examination
(Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition))
If the patient isn’t in distress, ask about the onset and duration of muscle flaccidity and any precipitating factors. Ask about associated symptoms, notably weakness, other muscle changes, and sensory loss or paresthesia.
Examine the affected muscles for atrophy, which indicates a chronic problem. Test muscle strength, and check deep tendon reflexes in all limbs.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition), 2006
Muscle weakness:
History and physical examination
(Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition))
Begin by determining the location of the patient’s muscle weakness. Ask if he has difficulty with specific movements, such as rising from a chair. Find out when he first noticed the weakness; ask him whether it worsens with exercise or as the day progresses. Also ask about related symptoms, especially muscle or joint pain, altered sensory function, and fatigue.
Obtain a medical history, noting especially chronic disease such as hyperthyroidism; musculoskeletal or neurologic problems, including recent trauma; family history of chronic muscle weakness, especially in males; and alcohol and drug use.
Focus your physical examination on evaluating muscle strength. Test all major muscles bilaterally. (See Testing muscle strength, pages 530 and 531.) When testing, make sure the patient’s effort is constant; if it isn’t, suspect pain or other reluctance to make the effort. If the patient complains of pain, ease or discontinue testing and have him try the movements again. Remember that the patient’s dominant arm, hand, and leg are somewhat stronger than their nondominant counterparts. Besides testing individual muscle strength, test for range of motion at all major joints (shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, and ankle). Also test sensory function in the involved areas, and test deep tendon reflexes bilaterally.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition), 2006
Muscle spasms [Muscle cramps]:
History and physical examination
(Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition))
If the patient isn’t in distress, ask when the spasms began. Is there any particular activity that precipitates them? How long did they last? How painful were they? Did anything worsen or lessen the pain? Ask about other symptoms, such as weakness, sensory loss, or paresthesia.
Evaluate muscle strength and tone. Then, check all major muscle groups and note whether any movements precipitate spasms. Test the presence and quality of all peripheral pulses, and examine the limbs for color and temperature changes. Test capillary refill time (normal is less than 3 seconds), and inspect for edema, especially in the involved area. Observe for signs and symptoms of dehydration such as dry mucous membranes. Obtain a thorough drug and diet history. Ask the patient if he has had recent vomiting or diarrhea. Finally, test reflexes and sensory function in all extremities.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition), 2006
Muscle Cramps:
Diagnostic Approach
(Field Guide to Bedside Diagnosis)
Nocturnal leg cramps are common and easily recognized. They are due to muscle overuse, structural conditions such as flat feet, prolonged sitting, standing on hard floors, extracellular volume depletion, or electrolyte imbalance.
Generalized cramps suggest chronic disease of the motor neuron such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Cramps recurrent and localized to one muscle group suggest nerve root disease. Myotonia is difficulty releasing a grip (handshake or doorknob) that improves with repeated contractions.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Field Guide to Bedside Diagnosis, 2007
Muscle weakness:
Physical assessment
(Signs & Symptoms: A 2-in-1 Reference for Nurses)
Focus your physical assessment on evaluating muscle strength. Test all major muscles bilaterally. (See Testing muscle strength, pages 428 and 429.)
When testing, make sure the patient’s effort is constant; if it isn’t, suspect pain or other reluctance to make the effort. If the patient complains of pain, ease or discontinue testing and have him try the movements again. Remember that the patient’s dominant arm, hand, and leg are somewhat stronger than their nondominant counterparts. Besides testing individual muscle strength, test for range of motion (ROM) at all major joints (shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, and ankle). Also test sensory function in the involved areas, and test deep tendon reflexes (DTRs) bilaterally.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Signs & Symptoms: A 2-in-1 Reference for Nurses, 2007
Muscle flaccidity [Muscle hypotonicity]:
History and physical examination
(Nursing: Interpreting Signs and Symptoms)
If the patient isn't in distress, ask about the onset and duration of muscle flaccidity and precipitating factors. Ask about associated symptoms, notably weakness, other muscle changes, and sensory loss or paresthesia.
Examine the affected muscles for atrophy, which indicates a chronic problem. Test muscle strength, and check deep tendon reflexes (DTRs) in all limbs. Then perform a complete neurologic examination.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Nursing: Interpreting Signs and Symptoms, 2007
Muscle weakness:
History and physical examination
(Nursing: Interpreting Signs and Symptoms)
Begin by determining the location of the patient's muscle weakness. Ask if he has difficulty with specific movements such as rising from a chair. Find out when he first noticed the weakness; ask him whether it worsens with exercise or as the day progresses. Also ask about related symptoms, especially muscle or joint pain, altered sensory function, and fatigue.
Obtain a medical history, noting especially chronic disease, such as hyperthyroidism; musculoskeletal or neurologic problems, including recent trauma; a family history of chronic muscle weakness, especially in males; and alcohol and drug use.
Focus your physical examination on evaluating muscle strength. Test all major muscles bilaterally. (See Testing muscle strength, pages 410 and 411.) When testing, make sure that the patient's effort is constant; if it isn't, suspect pain or other reluctance to make the effort. If the patient complains of pain, ease or discontinue testing and have him try the movements again. Remember that the patient's dominant arm, hand, and leg are somewhat stronger than their nondominant counterparts. Besides testing individual muscle strength, test for range of motion (ROM) of all major joints (such as shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, and ankle). Also test sensory function in the involved areas, and test deep tendon reflexes (DTRs) bilaterally.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Nursing: Interpreting Signs and Symptoms, 2007
Muscle spasms [Muscle cramps]:
History and physical examination
(Nursing: Interpreting Signs and Symptoms)
If the patient isn't in distress, ask when the muscle spasms began. Does a particular activity precipitate them? How long do they last? How painful are they? Did anything worsen or lessen the spasm? Ask about other symptoms, such as muscle weakness, sensory loss, or paresthesia.
Evaluate muscle strength and tone. Then, check all major muscle groups and note whether movement precipitate spasms. Test the presence and quality of all peripheral pulses, and examine the limbs for color and temperature changes. Test the capillary refill time (normal is less than 3 seconds), and inspect for edema, especially in the involved area. Observe for signs and symptoms of dehydration such as dry mucous membranes. Obtain a thorough drug and diet history. Ask the patient if he has had recent vomiting or diarrhea. Finally, test reflexes and sensory function in all extremities.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Nursing: Interpreting Signs and Symptoms, 2007
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