The nasal test is a type of physical examination in neurology, which can distinguish whether there is an abnormality in the thalamus. In clinical medicine, thalamic abnormalities are related to many diseases, such as cerebellar infarction, thalamic tumor, and cerebellar hemorrhage, etc. These diseases can cause a series of symptoms, leading to ataxia in the patient. Then, what does a positive nasal test mean?

What does a positive nasal test mean

The nasal test requires the patient to rotate and straighten their upper arm, then touch their own nose tip, starting slowly and then quickly, blinking first and then closing their eyes, repeating this posture. If the nose posture is accurate, it indicates that everything is normal, and the patient does not have a cerebellar lesion. If abnormal results are found, such as dull, inaccurate, or unstable nose posture, it can indicate that the thalamus has developed a disease, indicating ataxia. To improve accuracy, this posture needs to be repeated. If there is little change in the nose posture when opening and closing the eyes, it is called thalamic ataxia. If there is only mild impairment when opening the eyes and significant impairment when closing the eyes, or even being unable to find the nose tip, it indicates sensory ataxia.

Common questions about the nasal test

Patients with unstable standing symptoms all need to do a nasal test, but patients with disabilities or injuries in their arms cannot perform this test due to inaccurate test results. Before the examination, the patient should trim and flatten their nails to prevent injury to the facial skin. When the patient opens their eyes, they should be careful not to poke their eyes and should not be too forceful. The nasal test is not the only basis for diagnosis. To diagnose the disease, the patient needs to undergo head MRI and other examinations.

A positive nasal test can be used to analyze and judge the presence of disease in the thalamus, indicating ataxia in the patient. Ataxia has various types in clinical medicine, including hereditary ataxia, subacute thalamic ataxia, and tumor-related thalamic atrophy, etc. If a child has symptoms of instability for a long time, a nasal test should be performed. To improve the accuracy of the test, it is best to do several tests.