Acute loss of taste?

[TRPMinus]

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jf

 

[Luka75]

Wouldn't a stroke be detected by a CT?

 

[DrBowtie]

Wouldn't a stroke be detected by a CT?

Not unless it's fairly large and not hyperacute.

 

[Psai]

ED's job is to rule out emergencies and decide about admitting. It could something like gerd but I don't know anything about the patient

 

[Luka75]

Wait CT won't detect hyperacute strokes? Why do we try to do them so rapidly in the ED then? I

"Not hyperacute"

 

[EM2Be2017]

Wait CT won't detect hyperacute strokes? Why do we try to do them so rapidly in the ED then? I

The reason for doing a non-con Head CT quickly in a suspected CVA is to r/o a bleed. If the pt is in the time window and there is no bleed or other contraindications, the pt is eligible for TPA.

 

[TRPMinus]

The reason for doing a non-con Head CT quickly in a suspected CVA is to r/o a bleed. If the pt is in the time window and there is no bleed or other contraindications, the pt is eligible for TPA.

The reason for doing a non-con Head CT quickly in a suspected CVA is to r/o a bleed. If the pt is in the time window and there is no bleed or other contraindications, the pt is eligible for TPA.

Thanks that is good to know!

 

[DrBowtie]

Wait CT won't detect hyperacute strokes? Why do we try to do them so rapidly in the ED then? I

As said above they are done to r/o hemorrhage for TPA. You can increase sensitivity by doing CT Perfusion but that's largely useful in places with endovascular options.

If there is persistent concern for stroke, MRI is recommended.

 

[Mr Roboto]

It could be so many things. Without a more complete picture of the patient's history and presentation (don't break hippa to give that), the differential is very wide.

 

[fishyscent]

Not saying I know anything, but when I was in highschool and had my wisdom teeth out, the surgeon actually damaged a nerve in my tongue leading to exactly one half of my tongue without feeling or taste. It was temporary but I definitely couldn't taste/feel anything on that side for a couple weeks.

 

[sliceofbread136]

Only about 5% of all patients who visit special clinics for smell and taste disorders actually suffer from taste disorders. The vast majority have smell disorders due to altered odour perception [50]. The main causes of taste disorders are (1) head trauma, (2) infections of the upper respiratory tract, (3) exposure to toxic substances, (4) iatrogenic causes (e.g. dental treatment or exposure to radiation), (5) medicines and (6) glossodynia, the "Burning Mouth Syndrome" (BMS).

Smell and taste disorders

 

[sliceofbread136]

Yeah I guess my question was because the physician was telling the nursing staff they should have worked the pt up for a brainstem stroke. I was just wondering how common that is. Dealing with a large-city patient population we see seemingly "minor" stuff like this all the time.

It would be pretty unlikely without any other cranial nerve deficits. I'm no expert but if we are talking neurologic causes I would think peripheral before central.

 

[LyMed]

Only about 5% of all patients who visit special clinics for smell and taste disorders actually suffer from taste disorders. The vast majority have smell disorders due to altered odour perception [50]. The main causes of taste disorders are (1) head trauma, (2) infections of the upper respiratory tract, (3) exposure to toxic substances, (4) iatrogenic causes (e.g. dental treatment or exposure to radiation), (5) medicines and (6) glossodynia, the "Burning Mouth Syndrome" (BMS).

Smell and taste disorders

Agreed. The first thing to do when someone complains of a loss of taste is to check the sense of smell.