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Meningeal IrritationAka: Brudzinski's Sign, Kernig's Sign, Spinal Rigidity, Nuchal Rigidity
- See Also
- Causes
- Meningitis
- Meningismus
- Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
- Posterior fossa tumor
- Increased Intracranial Pressure
- Efficacy of meningeal signs
- Do not rely on these signs due to low efficacy
- Kernig's Sign and Brudzinski's Sign
- Test Sensitivity: 5%
- Test Specificity: 95%
- Nuchal rigidity
- Test Sensitivity: 30%
- Test Specificity: 68%
- References
- Nuchal Rigidity
- Involuntary muscle spasm limits passive neck flexion
- Patient cannot flex neck to place chin on chest
- Spinal Rigidity
- Erector spinae muscle spasm limits spine movement
- Opisthotonos (rigid arched back) may occur
- Kernig's Signs
- Technique
- Patient supine
- Flex both hip and knee to 90 degrees
- Hold hip immobile and extend knee
- Positive Test suggesting Meningeal Irritation
- Resistance to knee extension
- Pain in hamstrings
- Technique
- Brudzinski's Sign
- Technique
- Patient supine
- Immobilize trunk against bed
- Flex neck, chin to chest
- Positive Test suggesting Meningeal Irritation
- Involuntary hip flexion
- Technique
Nuchal Rigidity (C1320474) | |
|---|---|
| Concepts | Sign or Symptom (T184) |
| MSH | D009127 |
| English | Nuchal Rigidity |
| Spanish | rigidez de nuca |
| Parent Concepts | Decreased flexion (C0231455), Muscle finding (C0427194), Finding of neck region (C0575155) |
| Sources | DXP, MSH, MTH, SCTSPA, SNOMEDCT Derived from the NIH UMLS (Unified Medical Language System) |
