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Chvostek's sign
System: Hormone & Metabolic Signs · All hormone & metabolic signs
What it is — and how it is elicited
Tapping gently over the facial nerve, just in front of the ear, makes the muscles of the face on that side twitch or contract.
What a positive finding suggests
Associated with increased nerve excitability from low blood calcium (hypocalcaemia), though it can occur in some healthy people.
◈ Behind the name
František Chvostek (1835–1884), Austrian surgeon.
Related signs — Hormone & Metabolic Signs
Browse the C section of the A–Z list or return to the Clinical Signs hub.
Please note: This page is an educational reference about clinical examination signs. A clinical sign supports — and never replaces — a full clinical evaluation, examination and appropriate testing. A sign being present does not by itself prove a diagnosis, and an absent sign does not rule one out. If you have symptoms that worry you, see a health professional.