Question

Patient: 52-year-old white male.

Chief complaint: "Suddenly I can't move half my face or close my eyes and my ear is ringing! Everything has less taste. My mouth is a little dry."

Background/or patient history: Not applicable.

Current Findings: Symptoms appeared suddenly. Facial paralysis on the left half of the face, including the forehead. The patient has tenderness posterior to his left ear. Eyes are moist.

Which nerve do you suspect has a lesion?

CN X

CN V

CN IX

CN VII

Answer 1

The symptoms described by the patient suggest a lesion of the Cranial Nerve VII - Facial Nerve. Lesions of the facial nerve can result in facial paralysis, loss of taste, and other symptoms. Further medical evaluation would be needed to confirm the cause.

Step-by-step explanation:

The symptoms described by the patient, including sudden facial paralysis on the left half of the face, tenderness posterior to the left ear, and less taste, suggest a lesion of the Cranial Nerve VII - Facial Nerve. The facial nerve controls the muscles of facial expression and is responsible for sensation in the taste buds of the anterior two-thirds of the tongue. Lesions of the facial nerve can result in facial paralysis, loss of taste, and other symptoms described by the patient. Further medical evaluation and diagnostic tests would be needed to confirm the specific cause of the lesion.