clinical examination
Last reviewed 01/2018
The clinical examination of the ninth cranial nerve is intimately linked with that of the tenth. A general examination will endeavour to:
- inspect patient's palate with torch - ask them to say 'ah' - in tenth nerve palsy the palate is pulled up to the normal side
- test for gag reflex - IX is the sensory component and X the motor component
Ask the patient to speak:
- assess hoarseness - unilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve lesion
- ask to cough - bovine cough characteristic of bilateral recurrent nerve lesion
The taste fibres on the posterior third of the tongue (IX) are not routinely tested.