Earlier this month my wife went to the doctor for migraine headaches. He was a neurologist. During the appointment he asked he to take off her shoes (fancy loafers), and socks. They were the only items of clothing he asked her to remove. My wife has size 8 feet, always pedicured and quite lovely. The doctor then used the bottom of the hammer that he used to test the reflexes on her knees and tickled each of her feet. He warned her that it might tickle before he did so. Is this the babinsky test, and what is the purpose of it? Does anyone have a similar experience. I happened to be there and it was nearly overwhelming!
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TklDuo-Ann
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Testing reflexes is routine and can help to detect underlying causes of things like migraines. I can imagine it must have been a bit strange to hear that when you aren't expecting it, though. 
Ann
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milagros317
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Yes, it was the Babinski test of the plantar reflex. See link.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plantar_reflex
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plantar_reflex
Screentest
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I had a similar experience when my wife went in for a physical after we found out she was prego with #3. I had been to every Doctors appointment with her in the past and both of us pretty much knew the routine. We figured we would hear the heartbeat to confirm the pregnancy and do the quick height and weight thing etc.
This time we entered the room, she was instructed to undress as usual and she began to disrobe. After her top and bra, she put on the paper gown over her head, jumped up on the exam table and pointed her feet in my direction. I quickly obliged and removed her tennis shoes and she dropped her socked feet (she always wore those very thin almost nylon type socks with some designs on them) back down and finished getting undressed.
After a few moments the doctor (a new guy we had never seen before) and nurse entered and began her usual pregnancy exam. He did the usual stuff and we heard the heartbeat. After he finished checking for the heartbeat, I figured we were done and she would be getting dressed. He then turned to her and stated he was going to give her a thorough exam now.
I sat back down and watched as he worked his was around her body, poking here and listening there etc. He then asked her to lie back down and swing her feet up. He then checked her reflexes with the hammer on her knees and then he tapped her ankles, mentioning something about her socks. After her ankles, he held my wife’s right foot with one hand and quickly removed her sock. I had never seen another man remove my wife’s socks before so, like you, I was a little shocked by the scene. 😱
Now, her perfect pedicured (hot pink) bare size 6.5 foot was in his left hand and he turned that reflex hammer over and placed the tip of the metal handle on her heel, slowly stroking up her sole to her toes. I have heard of this; however, never seen it done, let alone on my wife’s feet. He didn’t get it halfway up her sole before she began to jerk and let out a little squeal. He continued saying “Sorry, this is ticklish” and quickly removed her other sock and tickled that foot as well.
It was a quick scene that left me a little speechless. She just giggled at me after he left and said “that tickled like crazy.”
This time we entered the room, she was instructed to undress as usual and she began to disrobe. After her top and bra, she put on the paper gown over her head, jumped up on the exam table and pointed her feet in my direction. I quickly obliged and removed her tennis shoes and she dropped her socked feet (she always wore those very thin almost nylon type socks with some designs on them) back down and finished getting undressed.
After a few moments the doctor (a new guy we had never seen before) and nurse entered and began her usual pregnancy exam. He did the usual stuff and we heard the heartbeat. After he finished checking for the heartbeat, I figured we were done and she would be getting dressed. He then turned to her and stated he was going to give her a thorough exam now.
I sat back down and watched as he worked his was around her body, poking here and listening there etc. He then asked her to lie back down and swing her feet up. He then checked her reflexes with the hammer on her knees and then he tapped her ankles, mentioning something about her socks. After her ankles, he held my wife’s right foot with one hand and quickly removed her sock. I had never seen another man remove my wife’s socks before so, like you, I was a little shocked by the scene. 😱
Now, her perfect pedicured (hot pink) bare size 6.5 foot was in his left hand and he turned that reflex hammer over and placed the tip of the metal handle on her heel, slowly stroking up her sole to her toes. I have heard of this; however, never seen it done, let alone on my wife’s feet. He didn’t get it halfway up her sole before she began to jerk and let out a little squeal. He continued saying “Sorry, this is ticklish” and quickly removed her other sock and tickled that foot as well.
It was a quick scene that left me a little speechless. She just giggled at me after he left and said “that tickled like crazy.”
If you don't work in medicine, aren't diabetic or have never been pregnant, this probably sounds a little weird. It's not. That was a VERY knowledgable OB/GYN. He was testing for signs of gestational diabetes, which can not only indicate a HUGE danger for the baby but might predict diabetes in the future for Mom.
XOXO
XOXO
Screentest said:
Iluv2Btickled
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* is in total awe of Steph's knowledge*
So how does that reflex determine danger for the baby?
So how does that reflex determine danger for the baby?
bellystrokes
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Iluv2Btickled said:
Yes, Steph is a triple threat: beautiful, smart, and ticklish.
But back on track, I had the same reflex tests during my pregnancies.
Babinski
Professor Tkl
I concur with Steph about the OB/GYN. The neurologic exam does include this test to check for what is callled "upper motor neuron" disease, that is in the brain or one of the nerves leading from the brain to spinal cord. Essentially, this neurologist was looking for a sign that the woman's headaches were from a brain tumor which would have prompted an MRI. As a physician, this is a regular test performed as part of the physical exam and it has NOTHING to do with a tickling fetish or with tickling at all - the examiner is looking for the reflexive movement of the great toe and whether the patient is tickled in irrelevant. There is a similar (albeit less known and possibly less reliable although less ticklish) test in the hand for the same type of condition. That test does not cover so much neurologic territory in terms of picking up a lesion however.
So a word from your old professor, this is your physician being thorough and legitiamte. If he grabs her foot, smiles and says "does that tickle?" while she rolls about on the gurney laughing hysterically . . . . well that is not a Babinksi test.
Hope this little $0.02 helps.
So a word from your old professor, this is your physician being thorough and legitiamte. If he grabs her foot, smiles and says "does that tickle?" while she rolls about on the gurney laughing hysterically . . . . well that is not a Babinksi test.
Hope this little $0.02 helps.
Professor Tkl
Thanks Professor 
You gave a better explanation than I had time for that early in the morning~much appreciated!
Oh and Lena~think of Mom as baby's lifeline, literally speaking. If anything endanger's Mom's health, it could also endanger baby. It's what they call a "high-risk" pregnancy and any OB worth his or her salt is always VERY concerned that they cover all bases in that respect.
Yooooooooooo hooooooooo...MIMI...
XOXO
You gave a better explanation than I had time for that early in the morning~much appreciated!Oh and Lena~think of Mom as baby's lifeline, literally speaking. If anything endanger's Mom's health, it could also endanger baby. It's what they call a "high-risk" pregnancy and any OB worth his or her salt is always VERY concerned that they cover all bases in that respect.
Yooooooooooo hooooooooo...MIMI...
XOXO
