Physical Exam

Cranial Nerve V

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Video coming September 2026

How to Perform

Test facial sensation to light touch (and to sharp sensation if indicated) over the three divisions — forehead, cheek, and jaw — on each side, comparing sides.

How to Interpret

Orbital Fracture

Infraorbital hypoesthesia after facial trauma

Rule in

InconclusiveWide CI

Rule out

Not helpfulDerived CI

Evidence:Strong

Stroke

Posterior Circulation Stroke

Crossed sensory findings (ipsilateral facial with contralateral body sensory loss) in a patient with confirmed acute ischemic stroke

Rule in

Not helpfulDerived CI

Rule out

Not helpfulDerived CI

Evidence:Limited

References

Huang X, Xu J, Xu M, Zhou LF, Zhang R, Lang L, Xu Q, Zhong P, Chen M, Wang Y, Zhang Z. Clinical features of intracranial vestibular schwannomas. Oncol Lett. 2013;5(1):57-62. doi:10.3892/ol.2012.1011. PMID: 23255894. PMCID: PMC3525418 (free full text).
Tao WD, Liu M, Fisher M, et al. Posterior versus anterior circulation infarction: how different are the neurologic deficits? Stroke. 2012;43(8):2060-2065. PMID: 22678088.
Rozema R, Doff MHJ, Delli K, Spijkervet FKL, van Minnen B. Diagnostic accuracy of physical examination findings for midfacial fractures: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Clin Oral Investig. 2022;26(4):3405-3427. doi:10.1007/s00784-022-04423-y. PMCID: PMC8979892. PMID: 35298710.
Rozema R, Doff MHJ, Delli K, Spijkervet FKL, van Minnen B. Diagnostic accuracy of physical examination findings for midfacial fractures: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Clin Oral Investig. 2022;26(4):3405-3427. doi:10.1007/s00784-022-04423-y. PMID: 35298710. PMCID: PMC8979892.
Bickley LS, Szilagyi PG, Hoffman RM, Soriano RP. Bates' Guide to Physical Examination and History Taking. 13th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer; 2021.
Swartz MH. Textbook of Physical Diagnosis: History and Examination. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025.

Research last updated September 10, 2026.