Glasgow Coma Scale Calculator
Eye, verbal, motor to GCS total and band.
What it does
Consciousness needs a common language when seconds count. The Glasgow Coma Scale scores eye, verbal, and motor responses from 3 to 15, sorting mild, moderate, and severe brain injury. Components travel with every total.
The tool above takes the three responses and prints total with band and action. Mild bands watch routinely; moderate triggers urgent workup; severe demands airway protection. Serial exams matter more than snapshots.
Brain Trauma Foundation guidelines with CDC injury resources use GCS bands to steer neuro checks, imaging, and transport decisions. Always chart components beside totals so trends show through.
Score, communicate, repeat. A 14 sliding toward 11 outranks a steady 12, and unequal pupils or repeated vomiting override any number. Call for help early; minutes matter most first.
How to use
- Score eye response 1 to 4.
- Score verbal response 1 to 5.
- Score motor response 1 to 6.
- Read total, band, and action.
- Report components with the total.
- Repeat serially for trends.
Formula
- E
- Eye response E1 to E4.
- V
- Verbal response V1 to V5.
- M
- Motor response M1 to M6.
Components range E1-E4, V1-V5, M1-M6 with T-suffixes for untestable parts in practice. Bands: 13-15 mild, 9-12 moderate, 3-8 severe. Serial scores beat single snapshots.
Worked example
Example: E4 V4 M6
E4 V4 M6 after a fall.
- Eye opens to voice: E3? No: opens spontaneously, E4.
- Verbal confused: V4. Obeys commands: M6.
- Total: 4 + 4 + 6 = GCS 14.
- Band reads Mild brain injury.
- Routine neuro checks, watch for decline.
Reference table
| Total | Band | Move |
|---|---|---|
| 13 to 15 | Mild | Routine checks, watch decline |
| 9 to 12 | Moderate | Urgent workup |
| 3 to 8 | Severe | Emergency airway |
| Falling trend | Worse | Escalate regardless |
Limits
- Screening and triage, not diagnosis.
- Intubation and swelling need T-suffixes.
- Pediatric scales differ for infants.
- Trends need serial exams.
Common mistakes
- Reporting totals without components.
- Scoring once and relaxing.
- Missing decline in mild bands.
- Skipping airway priorities.
- Delaying calls for help.
Try it yourself
Quick checks. Answers sit tucked under each question.
E3 V3 M5?
3 + 3 + 5 = GCS 11: Moderate brain injury. Urgent neuro workup.
E2 V2 M4?
2 + 2 + 4 = GCS 8: Severe brain injury. Emergency, protect the airway.
Questions
How is the GCS scored?
Eye 1-4, verbal 1-5, motor 1-6, summed 3 to 15. E4 opens spontaneously, V5 oriented, M6 obeys. Always report components (E4V4M6), never just the total.
What do the totals mean?
13 to 15 mild, 9 to 12 moderate, 3 to 8 severe. Mild still needs watching: decline kills as surely as bad scores.
When does scoring get tricky?
Intubated, swollen eyes, infants, and aphasia all bend scoring with T-suffixes and pediatric scales. Score what you see and document why.
One score or trends?
Serial exams trending down matter more than one number. A 14 sliding to 11 outranks a steady 12.
What comes before scoring?
Airway, breathing, circulation, spine precautions, and rapid transport first. Scores sort and communicate; care saves.
When do I call for help?
Call emergency services for moderate and severe bands, worsening mild scores, unequal pupils, or repeated vomiting. Minutes matter most early.