Questions 1. If Sarah had skin vesicles on the anterolateral region of her neck, which peripheral nerve is infected by the virus? To which peripheral nerve plexus does this nerve belong? 2. If Sarah had a viral infection that affected neuron function in the ventral root of the same spinal nerve, how would the signs and symptoms be different than those she has now? 3.Define the following terms, used in the case and also in associated questions. a. paresthesia b. skin vesicle c. dorsal d. ventral e. dormant
"My Leg is on Fire": A Case Study on Spinal and Peripheral Nerve Anatomy
Sarah Mitchell is a 68-year-old female who is normally healthy. However, about five days ago she began to feel very fatigued and started to experience a burning and tingling sensation on her right thigh.
You ask to see the area and upon visual inspection you notice 3–4 small, red, swollen areas with vesicles on the posterior aspect of her right thigh. She describes the pain to you, saying “it feels like the back of my leg is on fire and it hurts so bad.” She denies being exposed to any excessive heat sources, any changes in her diet, and any changes in the type of body soap, lotion, or laundry detergent she is using. All other physical findings are within normal limits, but her oral temperature is 100.6˚F. She complains about being under a lot of stress for the past three months because she has been helping take care of her husband, who is in the end stages of Alzheimer’s disease. She has no known drug allergies, is a non-smoker, and attends a water aerobics class twice a week. You suspect she may be suffering from a particular viral infection, so you ask if she had chicken pox as a child. Sarah confirms that she had chicken pox and measles during childhood. Her answer confirms your suspicions that she is likely suffering from shingles (herpes zoster) due to varicella-zoster virus infection.
Questions
1. If Sarah had skin vesicles on the anterolateral region of her neck, which peripheral nerve is infected by the virus? To which peripheral nerve plexus does this nerve belong?
2. If Sarah had a viral infection that affected neuron function in the ventral root of the same spinal nerve, how would the signs and symptoms be different than those she has now?
3.Define the following terms, used in the case and also in associated questions.
a. paresthesia
b. skin vesicle
c. dorsal
d. ventral
e. dormant
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