Terminology?

[mamaoftwo]

Some of you on this forum are so educated in neurology I swear you could do the job! I wonder if anyone would mind sharing a brief explanation of some of the terms we come across all the time. I can google all of them I am sure but just wondered if anyone knows them off the top of their head - rombergs, hoffmans, babinski, clonus etc etc. Or is there a place on the board that explains all these terms to us newbies?

[liz]

I think it would be useful if people who decide to take up this challenge cite their sources so that we can have some assurance of and can verify the reliability of the information that is presented.

[Jamiet]

Liz,
1) go on the internet,
2)open up windows internet explorer or equivalent
3) type in www.google.com

Then, type in:

1) Hoffmans Sign and hit return.... Weikepedia is usually the best
2) Babinski Sign - Same as #1
3) Romberg Sign - Same as #1
4) Clonus - Same as # 1

Mamma....Annmarie is spot on and each one show's different "lesions", wether it be the spinal cord or upper (brain) motor. A combination these things point "POINT" to upper and lower (spinal cord) lesions which is classic ALS.

[mamaoftwo]

Thanks Jamie - I just read about some of them. Confusing. And its not like you can try these at home as it were. I wouldnt know if I was doing it right. Now that I have read about them I think I have had all of these things done to me at some point or another but no-one has ever told me whether they are positive or negative. All I know because i heard them discussing it, is that my reflexes are brisk and that I have an almost absent gag reflex.

[liz]

I was merely offering some advice of the things that I was aware of.. Since the docs are not even sure of many of the things they tell us in als, I think different sources would give different answers. Oh and I thought this was just a forum for people to share info, so sorry I upset you LIZ........MY GOODNESS..


Annmarie -

I'm sorry that you thought my post was a response to yours just because it followed. My post was intended for the forum at large, not directed to you specifically.

Liz

[Al]

By the way folks Wikipedia can have info from any source so be careful. It isn't exactly the World Book Encyclobedia. We do have a definitions area on the front page here that came from the ALS Society of Canada I believe.
AL.

[Jamiet]

Google is one of the best tools ever to come out...lol...how the heck do yall think i found out what i know...and how do you think i found yall....lol

take care yall.

rgds,

jamie