Light Touch Sensation

Cotton swabs, November 9, 2021. Courtesy of Mikayla Morton.

Light touch sensation is performed by mechanoreceptors. Assessment of this sensation is completed using a cotton swab.

Without Localization:

1. Explain to the client what you will be doing and why you will be doing it. Say: “A ______ injury can affect how a person feels things. I would like to check how you are feeling things by touching you on your arms and hands.”
2. Show the client the cotton swab. Instruct them to tell you when they feel the sensation. Say: “I am going to be using this cotton swab. When you feel it, say ‘yes.'”
3. Demonstrate on yourself. Say: “I am going to touch you like this.”
4. Demonstrate on patient’s less involved side with visual input. Say: “I am going to touch you like this.”
5. Assess patient’s less involved side with vision occluded. Test random stimuli in random locations 10 times. Say: ” Now, I am going to do the same thing but so that you cannot see when I touch you.”
6. Assess patient’s more involved side with vision occluded. Test random stimuli in random locations 10 times. Say: “Now, I am going to do the same thing on the other side.”
7. Document results of the assessment as intact, impaired or absent as identified ___ out of 10 stim correctly. Ex: “Impaired as identified 6 of 10 stim correctly.”

(Gett & Romaniw, 2021)

With Localization:

1. Explain to the client what you will be doing and why you will be doing it. Say: “A ______ injury can affect how a person feels things. I would like to check how you are feeling things by touching you on your arms and hands.”
2. Show the client the cotton swab. Instruct them to tell you where they feel the sensation. Say: “I am going to be using this cotton swab. When you feel it touch you, tell or show me where you feel it.”
3. Demonstrate on yourself. Say: “I am going to touch you like this.”
4. Demonstrate on patient’s less involved side with visual input. Say: “I am going to touch you like this.”
5. Assess patient’s less involved side with vision occluded. Test random stimuli in random locations 10 times. Say: ” Now, I am going to do the same thing but so that you cannot see when I touch you.”
6. Assess patient’s more involved side with vision occluded. Test random stimuli in random locations 10 times. Say: “Now, I am going to do the same thing on the other side.”
7. Document results of the assessment as intact, impaired or absent as identified ___ out of 10 stim correctly. Ex: “Impaired as identified 6 of 10 stim correctly.”

(Gett & Romaniw, 2021)

References

Gett, M., & Romaniw, A. (2021, October 19). Sensory deficits [PowerPoint slides]. Brightspace. https://mylearning.chatham.edu/d2l/le/content/21252/Home

Morton, M. (Photographer). (2021). Cotton swabs [Photograph].