National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale
The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) is a tool that helps doctors understand how severe a stroke is and what areas of the brain it's affecting. When someone has a stroke, it means that the blood flow to part of their brain has been blocked or cut off, which can cause damage or even death to those brain cells. The NIHSS has questions that ask patients to do simple tasks or answer simple questions that help doctors assess how well they are functioning.
For example, the doctor may ask the patient to move their arms or legs, or to say a simple phrase like "the cat chased the mouse". Based on the patient's responses, the doctor can assign a score from 0 to 42, with a higher score indicating more severe stroke symptoms.
The score is broken down into different categories, such as motor function, speech ability, and other neurological symptoms. The higher the score in each category, the more severe the stroke is likely to be. This helps the doctor determine the best course of action for treatment, such as medications, surgery, or physical therapy.
Overall, the NIHSS is designed to help doctors quickly and accurately assess the severity of a stroke, so that they can provide the best possible care for the patient.
For example, the doctor may ask the patient to move their arms or legs, or to say a simple phrase like "the cat chased the mouse". Based on the patient's responses, the doctor can assign a score from 0 to 42, with a higher score indicating more severe stroke symptoms.
The score is broken down into different categories, such as motor function, speech ability, and other neurological symptoms. The higher the score in each category, the more severe the stroke is likely to be. This helps the doctor determine the best course of action for treatment, such as medications, surgery, or physical therapy.
Overall, the NIHSS is designed to help doctors quickly and accurately assess the severity of a stroke, so that they can provide the best possible care for the patient.