Healthy From Center: How to Self-Check the Nervous System

Reviewed by: Dr. Steven Knauf, D.C.

By: Genevieve Cunningham

It’s our job to keep our bodies as healthy and as strong as we can. For the most part, we understand this to be true, and we do our best to follow through. We get gym memberships, plan healthy menus, and try to maintain a healthy weight. Some aspects of our health take a bit more determination. A bit more persistent and purposeful care.

If you want to maintain your health and ability to remain active, take a look at why self-checking your nervous system should be at the top of your self-care list.

What is the nervous system?

Your nervous system is your body's command center. Made up of your brain, spinal cord, and nerves, it's a complex network that helps you move, think, feel, and do countless other tasks. It receives and sends information, keeping everything running smoothly. Because of its crucial roles in your body, maintaining a healthy nervous system is incredibly important.

What are the signs of nervous system problems?

Because the nervous system is so complex, problems can show up in many different ways. Some common signs to watch for include:

• Numbness or tingling in your limbs
• Unexplained weakness
• Persistent headaches
• Sudden loss of coordination
• Sudden loss of strength
• Sudden or ongoing memory loss
• Noticeable or sudden paralysis in any part of your body

By knowing what to look for, you can check your symptoms at home. If you notice any of these issues, it's a good idea to plan a schedule a visit to your healthcare provider for a full checkup.

How to self-check the nervous system at home

Self-checking your nervous system can help you assess your neurological health and identify any potential issues. You may get information about brain function and motor neurons and see your nervous system work (or not work) with just a few tests. Although it probably sounds like a complicated task, self-checking the nervous system is a lot easier than you think—and there are a number of ways to do it.

Check Your Reflexes

Your nervous system includes your reflexes. When our reflexes aren’t sharp or don’t respond, it generally indicates a problem. Luckily, you can easily check your reflexes from home.

• Knee jerk reflex - You probably remember this from when you were a child getting checkups. Sit on the edge of a chair, making certain your foot is dangling slightly. Use a small object to tap just below your kneecap. Your leg should kick out slightly.
• Ankle reflex - Sit with your legs dangling and tap your Achilles tendon. Your foot should jerk downward. This might take some practice, as it’s possible you haven’t seen or attempted this test before.

Check balance and coordination

Without a strong nervous system, balance and coordination are likely to be slightly off, resulting in stumbling, falls, and dizziness. If you think you might have a problem with balance and coordination, it's important to see your doctor. But first, you can do a simple check at home.

• Romberg test - Stand with your feet together, arms at your sides, and eyes closed. Try to maintain your balance for 30 seconds. If you’re having trouble with your nervous system, you may feel unsteady while performing this task.
• Heel-to-toe walk - Walk in a straight line, placing the heel of one foot directly in front of the toes of the other foot. An inability to complete this task may indicate a need to check your central nervous system with your doctor.

Check the senses

We expect our sensory neurons to work all the time. And for the most part, they do. Sometimes, we don’t realize right away when our senses aren't working as well as they could be. Checking your sences regularly can help catch any small changes early, before they become bigger problems.

• Light touch - Use a soft object like a cotton ball to lightly touch different areas of your skin. Check for any differences in sensation. Can you feel the sensation everywhere? Does it feel the same on both sides of your body, left versus right? Take note.
• Sharp vs dull - Use a sharp—but safe—object (like a toothpick) to touch your skin lightly. Check if you can feel the sensation, and take note of any differences in different areas of your skin.

Check muscle strength

Even your muscles can be affected by your nervous system. Checking your muscles in relation to your nervous system will be all about balanced strength on both sides of the body.

• Hand grip strength - Squeeze a stress ball or, if you have access to one, a grip tester. As hard as you can, compare the strength between both hands. It’s normal to notice a slight difference. Any major differences should be discussed without your healthcare provider.
• Arm and leg strength - Use a wall to push against or lift a small weight to test for equal strength in both limbs. Again, a small difference between sides is normal. But if one side can push you away from the wall, and you can’t move yourself at all on the other side, you may need to have your nervous system evaluated.

Check nerve function in the head and face

We often think of the nervous system as mainly affecting our head, neck, and face, even though it impacts the entire body. Checking for problems in the face might seem tricky, but all you need is a mirror. If that's still tough, ask a loved one or friend to help you out.

• Facial movements - Smile, frown, and raise your eyebrows to check for symmetry. If one side can smile, but the other cannot, you may have a problem worth exploring.
• Vision - Cover one eye and read a paragraph of text. Repeat with the other eye. Check for any blurriness or difficulty focusing. The best way to stay on top of this test is to simply see your eye doctor at regular intervals.

How much decline in the central nervous system is normal as we age?

It’s normal to experience some changes in the nervous system as we age. For older people, the nerve cells begin to atrophy, and therefore electrical signals and messages are passed more slowly. This is just one of the effects of aging, and doesn’t always indicate a serious problem.

We might notice weakness developing slowly, which can be normal. We may notice a bit of forgetfulness. We may notice slower reflexes and reactions. These natural changes in the nervous system are not necessarily alarming when accompanied by age, but it’s still best to regularly visit your doctor for care and a long-term treatment plan.

The nervous system is one of, if not the most, important parts of our body. We need it to stay healthy and alert, especially as we age. These self-checks can help you stay moving in the right direction. Make a plan, follow through, and keep your nervous system in check for a higher quality of life.

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