The neurological exam is a practice that dates back to the late 1800s. Joseph Babinski and Wilhelm Erb were the first to discover the clinical application of a neurological exam. The practice has since become standard procedure across the world. The importance of this exam stems from its ability to determine the integrity of both the central and peripheral nervous systems. Beyond this, the utilization of a neurological exam allows for the determination of whether pain in the extremities results from peripheral or central tissue. Testing of reflexes within the context of a neurological exam should take place when patients present with a sensory, motor, or both forms of symptoms. In this instance, the results of reflex testing will help to distinguish between an upper and a lower motor neuron lesion as upper motor neuron lesions are associated with hyperreflexia and lower with hyporeflexia.
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