A cranial nerve exam evaluates the function of the 12 cranial nerves through simple tests such as smelling a strong aroma, assessing hearing with a tuning fork, and checking vision and eye movements. Doctors should ask for consent and wash their hands before the exam. The exam evaluates the trigeminal nerve, controls chewing muscles and sensation in the face and eyes, and the facial nerve, which controls facial movements. If problems are found, further neurological exams may be necessary.
During a cranial nerve exam, your doctor will do a series of simple tests to evaluate the function of your 12 cranial nerves. The tests don’t involve complex equipment or needles and are normally performed while sitting in a chair. Your sense of smell will be tested using a strong aroma and your hearing will be assessed with a tuning fork. Your doctor will check your vision, eye movements, and look at the back of your eyes through a hand-held optical instrument. You will also be asked to move muscles in your face, neck, shoulders and tongue.
Before performing a cranial nerve exam, doctors should ask your consent to a physical exam and should wash their hands. Although the cranial nerve exam can be done in any order, doctors may start with the first cranial nerve, the olfactory nerve, which controls smell. A strong scent such as that of coffee is held under each nostril in turn and you will be asked if you can smell it.
In the next part of the cranial nerve exam the optic nerve can be tested. Your doctor will ask you to read letters on a graph, look at objects near and far, and check your pupils by shining a pen into your eyes. You will also be asked to look straight ahead as the doctor moves a finger around the edges of your field of vision to see if you can detect it. Finally, your doctor will examine the back of your eyes using a small instrument called an ophthalmoscope.
Many of the cranial nerves control eye movements, so you’ll need to track the movements of a finger with your eyes and tell if you have double vision. Part of the cranial nerve exam evaluates the fifth cranial nerve, or trigeminal, which controls the chewing muscles and sensation in the face and eyes. You will be asked to grit your teeth and move your jaw against the pressure of the doctor’s hand. The cotton ball will be patted into the skin of your face and gently dabbed at the corner of each eye. Your doctor should warn you about this first.
Facial movements are controlled by the seventh cranial facial nerve. To test for this during the cranial nerve exam, your doctor may ask you to raise your eyebrows, screw up your eyes, bare your teeth, and puff out your cheeks. To assess hearing, which affects the eighth cranial nerve, a tuning fork will be played and placed first behind the ears, then next to each ear. Your doctor will ask which of these positions sounds louder and place the tuning fork in the center of your forehead to determine if it sounds louder in both ears.
To test for remaining cranial nerves, you’ll be asked to stick out your tongue, say “aah,” and shrug and turn your head against the pressure of the doctor’s hands. If you have problems, your doctor may want to do a more detailed neurological exam. You may be referred for further procedures and neurological tests such as CT and MRI scans.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
