How do you examine the facial nerve?
How do you examine the facial nerve?
The facial motor nerve supplies motor branches to the muscles of facial expression. This nerve is therefore tested by asking the patient to crease up their forehead by raising their eyebrows, close their eyes, and keep them closed against resistance, puff out their cheeks and reveal their teeth.
How do you examine the 12 cranial nerves?
Light touch is tested in each of the three divisions of the trigeminal nerve and on each side of the face using a cotton wisp or tissue paper. The ophthalmic division is tested by touching the forehead, the maxillary division is tested by touching the cheeks, and the mandibular division is tested by touching the chin.
What is the 7th facial nerve?
The facial nerve is the 7th cranial nerve and carries nerve fibers that control facial movement and expression. The facial nerve also carries nerves that are involved in taste to the anterior 2/3 of the tongue and producing tears (lacrimal gland).
How do you test facial muscles?
Motor Function: Facial Muscles
- Inspect the face.
- Ask the patient to wrinkle his forehead or raise his eyebrows, enabling you to test the upper face (frontalis).
- Next, have the patient tightly close his eyes.
- Instruct him to puff out both cheeks.
- Have the patient smile broadly and show his teeth, testing the lower face.
How do you test for CN 3?
Inability to follow and object in direction of CN III (the quickest test is to observe upward gaze which is all CN III; the eye on the affected side does not look upward) Inability to open the eyelid. CN III dysfunction causes the eyelid on the affected side to become “droopy”.
How do you test for CN VIII?
8th Cranial nerve
- Hearing is first tested in each ear by whispering something while occluding the opposite ear.
- Vestibular function can be evaluated by testing for nystagmus.
- If patients have acute vertigo during the examination, nystagmus is usually apparent during inspection.
