The medical history (history of the patient) represents an important component in the diagnosis of gait disorder.
Family history
- Are there any people in your family with neurologic disorders?
- Are there any hereditary diseases in your family?
Social anamnesis
Current medical history/systemic medical history (somatic and psychological complaints).
- How long has the gait disorder been present? Has there been any change in intensity? Become more severe? Did it occur suddenly?*
- When does the gait disturbance occur? Always? On a regular basis?
- How far can you walk at a stretch?
- Can you climb stairs?
- Does the gait disorder get worse with your eyes closed?
- How exactly can the gait disorder be described?
- Limping
- Uncoordinated
- Small-step
- Broad-based
- Do you have pain when you walk? Where exactly is the pain then? Does the pain get better the longer they walk or do they need to take a break?
- Have you ever fallen as part of the gait disorder?
- Have you noticed other disorders such as dizziness, a tremor of the hands, cognitive disorders (memory disorders)* , incontinence (involuntary urination), etc.?
Vegetative anamnesis including nutritional anamnesis.
- Has your appetite changed?
- Have you lost body weight unintentionally?
- Have you noticed any changes in bowel movements and/or urination?
- 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, what drugs and how often per day or per week?
Self history incl. medication history.
- Pre-existing conditions (neurological diseases, tumor diseases, injuries).
- Operations
- Allergies
Medication history
- Analgesics (painkillers), unspecified.
- Antiarrhythmic drugs – drugs for cardiac arrhythmias, unspecified
- Anticholinergics (parasympatholytics) – drugs that block certain nerve endings and perceive various effects there.
- Antidiabetic drugs, unspecified
- Antihypertensives – drugs for high blood pressure such as ACE inhibitors, beta blockers.
- Antipsychotics (neuroleptics) – medications used to treat mental illness such as melperone, fluspirilen
- Anti-Parkinson drugs
- Benzodiazepines – sedatives such as diazepam.
- Quinine (anti-malarial drug)
- Lithium
- Phenytoin (anticonvulsant: medication used to treat epilepsy).
* If this question has been answered with “Yes”, an immediate visit to the doctor is required! (Data without guarantee)