Cranial Nerve Assessment
Remember when testing for cranial nerves that you generally test a combination rather than a single nerve. Cranial nerve assessment should include the following:
Assess eye tracking
Assess pupil reactivity
Assess general vision
Assess sense of taste
Assess sense of smell
Assess sense of hearing
Assess ability to open and close mouth
Assess speech
Assess tongue function (ask athlete to stick the tongue out and lick the lips)
Assess neck movement (lateral and rotating from side to side)
Assess ability to elevate shoulders (shrugging)
Perhaps the best way to think about cranial nerve injury is this: If you see any deficits, you know the athlete has a significant head injury. Injuries are classified as either traumatic (acute) or nontraumatic. The force required to cause acute trauma to the brain, enough force to lead to a cranial nerve deficit, is uncommon in athletics.
You're more likely to detect a cranial nerve deficit in the preseason health screening than during the season. Cranial nerve deficits are typically secondary to some nontraumatic condition and might indicate a significant health risk for the athlete.
