Medical history (history of illness) is an important component in the diagnosis of acute paresis (acute paralysis).
Family history
- Is there a history of frequent cardiovascular disease or neurologic disease in your family?
Social history
- Is there any evidence of psychosocial stress or strain due to your family situation?
Current medical history/systemic history (somatic and psychological complaints).
- In which areas did the paralysis occur?
- Was the onset:
- Rapid or sudden?
- Within a few days?
- Within several days / weeks?
- Was there unconsciousness?* (external history).
- Do you have any complaints such as nausea and vomiting?
- Do you have any other complaints, if any, such as:
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Fever
- Gait unsteadiness*
- Sensory loss, dizziness, visual disturbances or speech disorders noticed?* .
- If yes, how long have these symptoms existed?*
- Besides the complaints increase or decrease?
- Have these symptoms occurred before?*
- Have you had a head injury recently?
Vegetative anamnesis including nutritional anamnesis.
- Are you overweight? Please tell us your body weight (in kg) and height (in cm).
- Do you exercise enough every day?
- Do you smoke? If so, how many cigarettes, cigars or pipes per day?
- Do you drink alcohol? If yes, what drink(s) and how many glasses per day?
- Do you use drugs? If yes, which drugs (amphetamines, cannabis, cocaine) and how often per day or per week?
Self history incl. drug history.
- Pre-existing conditions (cardiovascular disease, cardiac arrhythmias (atrial fibrillation), diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia).
- Operations
- Allergies
- Medication (insulin therapy)
- Environmental history (exposure to particulate matter)
Acute paresis is considered an emergency and thus requires immediate inpatient evaluation in a hospital with a “stroke unit” (special organizational unit within a hospital for the initial treatment of stroke patients).
