General Characteristics:

• Inciting event: ex. none, trauma, fall, TBI, medical condition, medication, procedure

• Duration: ex. hyperacute, acute, subacute, chronic

• Muscles/Limbs involved: ex. eyelids, extra-ocular muscles, facial/pharnygeal muscles, arm, leg, hemiparesis, bilateral upper or lower extremities, proximal or distal muscles

• Current limitations or effect on function

• Progression: ex. maximal at onset, slowly progressive, waxing and waning, ascending, descending pattern, resolved

• Sensory abnormalities: Numbness, paresthesias

• Associated symptoms: Neglect, field cut, cognitive changes, language/speech deficit, bowel/bladder dysfunction, abnormal movements, dysautonomia, dysphagia, pseudobulbar affect, pain, skin changes/rashes, abnormalities with coordination

• Systemic Symptoms: Fever, chills, weight loss, lymphadenopathy, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, vomiting

• Prior episodes of weakness

• Risk Factors for differential diagnosis: ex. vascular (HTN, HLD, DM, tobacco - increased risk of ischemic stroke), malignancy (metastasis, paraneoplastic process), immunosuppression (increased risk for infection), neurologic condition (multiple sclerosis, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder, prior stroke, seizure history)

• Environmental exposures: Toxins, travel, illness

• Social History: Drug use and sexual history

• Family History: Similar symptoms or any neurologic condition

• Prior Workup:

  • Serum: CBC, CMP, Antibodies for nerve/NMJ/muscle disorders etc.

  • Imaging: Brain, spine, limbs, vessels

  • Lumbar puncture

  • Electromyography/Nerve conduction study