Why are the coma responses “to pain” or “painful stimuli”?
Patients in deeper levels of coma do not respond at all to subtle stimuli such as gentle touch or speech. To assess the level of their neurological functioning, it is necessary to stimulate them more strongly. There are several ways that a clinician does this including pinching, pressure on the nail bed of their finger or toes, pressure on the rim of their orbit above their eyes, or a chest rub with their knuckles. It can look like the doctor or nurse is hurting the patient, but because this is only done in deeply comatose patients, they do not consciously perceive it. Return to the Traumatic Brain Injury page from the Glasgow Coma Scale page. Return to the Nervous System Diseases home page. Important Note: This site is not intended to offer medical advice. Every patient is different, and only your personal physician can help to counsel you about what is best for your situation. What we offer is general reference information about various disorders and treatments for your education.
