A patient presents at the clinic complaining of pain and weakness in her hands. On assessment, the nurse notes diminished reflexes in the upper extremities bilaterally and bilateral loss of sensation

Question

The nurse knows that these findings are indicative of what?
A) Guillain-Barré syndrome
B) Myasthenia gravis
C) Trigeminal neuralgia
D) Peripheral nerve disorder

Answer 1

Ans: D
Feedback:
The major symptoms of peripheral nerve disorders are loss of sensation, muscle atrophy, weakness, diminished reflexes, pain, and paresthesia (numbness, tingling) of the extremities. Trigeminal neuralgia is a condition of the fifth cranial nerve that is characterized by paroxysms of pain in the area innervated by any of the three branches, but most commonly the second and third branches of the trigeminal nerve. Myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune disorder affecting the myoneural junction, is characterized by varying degrees of weakness of the voluntary muscles. Guillain-Barré syndrome is an autoimmune attack on the peripheral nerve myelin.