Differential Diagnosis for CVA, Essay Example

Cranial Nerve Palsy (Bell’s palsy): Because of the damage to the cranial nerve, weakness or the paralysis occurs on one side of the face. Muscles of the face have motor innervations. Nerve with tuning fork examination is done to test the corneal and hearing sensation.

Brain Tumor: This tumor when originated from the cells of the central nervous system of the brain results in primary brain cancer and when the cells from another cancer organ migrates to brain results in secondary or metastatic brain cancer (MDGuidelines, 2013). The tumors in the brain can be cancerous (malignant) or noncancerous (benign).

Head Injury: Superficial head injury does not involve any damage to the brain or the skull. These injuries include abrasions, lacerations, contusions, burns or the animal bites. Minor head injury results in unconsciousness for not more than ten minutes.

Subdural Hematoma: Here bleeding occurs due to the trauma between the middle and the outer meninges of the brain (Mitchell & Medzon, 2005). This bleeding occurs above the arachnoid and below the dura of the brain. This hemorrhage is life threatening and requires immediate treatment.

Syncope: Temporary loss of the consciousness or fainting because of the insufficient flow of the blood to the brain results in syncope (MDGuidelines, 2013). This is the major cause of mortality and morbidity in the elderly people. If seizure is expected then EEG should be done.

Complicated Migraine: This type of headache occurs because of the narrowing of the blood vessels and becomes painful when the blood vessels inflate. This kind of headache occurs with the sensitivity to light and sound and may last for hours or days too.

Delirium: This is a fluctuating or acute disturbance in thought process and it has a noticeable change from the previous one. Impairments of speech, memory, concentration and perceptions may occur. Older people are mostly affected by this delirium.

References

Alexander Bachmann & Jean De La Rosette (Eds). (2012). Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia and Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Men. New York: Oxford University Press Inc.

Armenian Medical Network (AMN). (2006). Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia. Retrieved from http://www.health.am/cr/benign-prostatic-hyperplasia/

Elizabeth L. Mitchell & Ron Medzon (Eds). (2005). Introduction to Emergency Medicine. Baltimore, MD: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Medscape Reference. (2013). Drugs, Diseases and Procedures. Retrieved from http://emedicine.medscape.com/

MD Guidelines. (2013). Medical Disability Advisor: Cerebrovascular Accident. Retrieved from http://www.mdguidelines.com/cerebrovascular-accident/differential-diagnosis