Glasgow Coma Scale
The Glasgow Coma Scale was developed in 1974 to assess the severity of head trauma, and is split into three categories; eyes, verbal and motor.
Each category gives a score, with the highest being the least severe and lowest being the most severe. The details behind each individual score will be explained.
| Eye Opening | ||
| Spontaneous | 4 points | Patient’s eyes open spontaneously |
| To verbal command | 3 points | Patient’s eyes open after sound (for example, shouting) |
| To pain | 2 points | Patient’s eyes open after pressing pressure by fingernail? tip |
| None | 1 point | Patient doesn’t open eyes |
| Best Motor Response | ||
| Obeys verbal command | 6 points | Patient performs a two step action – squeezing hands, opening mouth & sticking out tongue |
| Localizes painful stimuli | 5 points | Patient reacts to pressure by moving their hand above their collarbone in an attempt to move the stimulus away |
| Flexion withdrawal from pain | 4 points | Patient reacts to pressure by bringing the elbow rapidly away from the body |
| Decorticate response to pain | 3 points | Patient reacts to pressure by bringing the arm slowly across the body |
| Decerebrate response to pain | 2 points | Patient reacts to pressure by elbow extension (straightening) |
| None | 1 point | Patient doesn’t react to pressure |
| Best Verbal Response | ||
| Oriented conversation | 5 points | Patient can tell you where they are, their name and the month of the year |
| Disorientated conversation | 4 points | Patient can speak in phrases/sentences but is unable to answer the above questions correctly |
| Inappropriate words | 3 points | Patient can’t talk coherently, and utters single words |
| Incomprehensible words | 3 points | Patient moans and groans, with no recognisable words |
| None | 1 point | Patient makes no sound |
| Score: |
The reliability is high with this score, and the results are categorised here:
- Severe head trauma: GCS 8 or less
- Moderate head trauma: GCS 9-12
- Mild head trauma: GCS 13-15
For any further questions, please don’t hesitate to ask:
info@movementandwellbeingclinic.co.uk
Ed Madeley M.Ost
