Clinical method

Released 25 Sep 2025

History taking in neurology

This video begins by reviewing the importance of optimal history taking in clinical neurology, along with associated history-taking pearls and pitfalls, before exploring the ordering and components of the history. It then progresses to an in-depth discussion of the history of the presenting complaint, systems review, past medical history, family history, medications and allergies, and the psychosocial history, as they pertain to a range of general and subspecialty neurology presentations including epilepsy/seizures, stroke, headache/migraine, movement disorders/Parkinson's disease, neuroimmunology/multiple sclerosis, and neuromuscular conditions such as myopathies.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7jxQZbdfsS6q8yeCqa72Gj?si=TNzlduwySqaWVJWbADPk_w

Released 2 Oct 2025

Cranial nerves examination (theory) with pearls & pitfalls: Part 1

This episode begins with a description of the examinable components of each cranial nerve, and how they are best grouped together for an efficient and logical examination, before taking a deep dive into the specific examination techniques for each cranial nerve, focussing on pearls and pitfalls for optimal testing, along with focussing on linking the examination to relevant neurological pathologies for contextualisation and to aid memorisation. This episode, part 1, focusses on cranial nerves I-IV and VI (the olfactory, optic, oculomotor, trochlear and abducens nerves).

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5J2OSIMiPob2480lH4jvE5?si=MHIRGIRRTZOhewihj8VmIw

Released 4 Oct 2025

Cranial nerves examination (theory) with pearls & pitfalls: Part 2

This episode is part 2 of the session taking a deep dive into the specific examination techniques for each cranial nerve, focussing on pearls and pitfalls for optimal testing, along with focussing on linking the examination to relevant neurological pathologies for contextualisation and to aid memorisation. This episode, part 2, focuses on cranial nerves V and VII-XII (the trigeminal, facial, vestibulocochlear/auditory, glossopharyngeal, vagus, spinal accessory and hypoglossal nerves), before concluding with a slightly condensed and more efficient way to examine the cranial nerves in routine day-to-day neurological practice.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0Zf9OeCuwB8K2NCWyKExft?si=0HrLPwZ-RRS1iBbb2kZ6jA

Released 12 Oct 2025

Upper limb neurological examination (theory) with pearls & pitfalls

This episode continues our clinical method series by turning to the upper limb examination, focussing on tips and tricks to optimise your examination technique assessing inspection, tone, power, reflexes, sensation and coordination. This episode also introduces some neurophysiological and anatomical principles, and ties these in with key patterns encountered in clinical neurology (such as distinguishing an upper from a lower motor neuron lesion), to assist with consolidation and memorisation.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6cv30k1f4V3bhgB4IR8sLq?si=woogISSaRQaS43bXXiBr_A

Released 16 Oct 2025

Lower limb neurological examination (theory) with pearls & pitfalls

This episode further continues our clinical method series by turning to the lower limb examination, focussing on tips and tricks to optimise your examination technique assessing inspection, tone, power, reflexes, sensation, coordination, stance and gait. The diagnostic utility of many of these examination components are critically discussed, and various pearls and pitfalls are highlighted, along with linking the examination to relevant clinical presentations in order to form mental connections and aid memorisation.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/749iSWY4IQ6X15e7VAvxOY?si=f_vqrUluR3-rPoZ8PGuwog

Released 20 Oct 2025

NIHSS hyperacute stroke examination (theory) with pearls & pitfalls

We’re very excited to present the first episode in the stroke and cerebrovascular diseases series! (As an overlap with our ongoing clinical method series). This episode focusses on how to perform a NIHSS hyperacute stroke examination accurately and quickly, and explains the rationale behind each item, how to examine each item correctly, and tips for remembering the NIHSS items, in order to better prepare you for your next stroke call/code stroke.

Correction: 19:30 Visual threat testing is for testing visual fields when the patient isn't properly responding to your initial standard field testing (not for when there is already an established field deficit in a cooperative and responsive patient); Correction: 21:31 Should say "retrochiasmal components" (not "upper motor neuron components", oops!); Correction: 45:56 Same as for my initial correction.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2mk27kIidaNCCNa9VSKHue?si=t6mKeB0jQuibxUSujjKC4w

Released 27 Oct 2025

Central vertigo (HiNTs+) & Dix-Hallpike/related examinations (theory) with pearls & pitfalls

We’ve got another surprise installed for you today… the first episode in the neuro-otology and vertigo series! (Again as an overlap with our ongoing clinical method series). This episode focuses on the HiNTs+ examination in distinguishing central from peripheral causes of an acute vestibular syndrome, in particular distinguishing a posterior circulation stroke (of the brainstem or the cerebellum and its connections) from vestibular neuritis. The episode then changes tack to discuss the Dix-Hallpike examination and then the horizontal head roll (log roll) tests to diagnose posterior canal and geotropic/ageotropic horizontal canal BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo), respectively, and it also discusses the Epley manoeuvre and barbeque roll (BBQ roll; Lampert roll) manoeuvre in the treatment of posterior canal and horizontal canal BPPV, respectively. As always, the episode is packed to the brim with helpful tips and tricks to help you perform these examinations and techniques optimally and efficiently, along with suggestions to help remember them! This episode is appropriate for medical students, junior doctors, physician and neurology trainees, neurologists, cardiologists/ general practitioners (family doctors)/emergency and intensive care physicians and their respective trainees, and any other health professional assessing patients presenting with dizziness (who may ultimately have a neurologic, cardiac or another cause for this presenting symptom).

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5GY7RT25IQZslnNDyAS026?si=z4jhNdNuS529zUwEokM3YA

Released 4 Nov 2025

Extrapyramidal & Parkinson’s disease examination (theory) with pearls & pitfalls

We’re thrilled to announce the first episode in our movement disorders & Parkinson’s disease series (also continuing our clinical method series), beginning with a discussion of how to perform an extrapyramidal examination, particularly in the context of suspected Parkinson’s disease, progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), multiple system atrophy (MSA), corticobasal degeneration (CBD; or corticobasal syndrome, CBS), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), as well as assessing treatment responses to levodopa and other Parkinsonian therapies to distinguish an excessively ‘on’ or dyskinetic state, from a ‘good on’ state, from an ‘off’ state including a frozen state. As always in Riisfeldt Neurology Education, we provide a clinical focus to help contextualise the information, peppered with tips and tricks to optimise your examination techniques, and hopefully providing a structure to your learning, along with helpful mnemonics in order to aid memorisation. This episode is appropriate for medical students, junior doctors, physician and neurology trainees, and general practitioners (family doctors) and emergency physicians and their respective trainees, and any other health professional assessing patients presenting with extrapyramidal symptoms and signs or with a pre-established diagnosis such as Parkinson’s disease.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3kKGamt1Xxh5lQxjj6S4Qe?si=Kln3GJofQm6ZHf6ZN_uj1w