Spastic gait is

Postural instability is the consequence of the development of a phobia in a person. Agoraphobia is the fear of open spaces and crowds. The following fears are associated with this psychiatric disorder:

Spasticity - what is it? How and why are they treated?

spasticity syndromes. Treatment of spasticity with selective rhizotomy

Spasticity Syndrome – is an uncontrolled increase in muscle tone. The degree of spasticity generally depends on the speed at which the muscle is contracted. There is a symptomatology caused by a tonic contraction of the entire muscle group called the 'jackknife' phenomenon. The movements are synkinetic in nature with a characteristic increase in tendon reflexes and muscle clonus.

The initial pathological disorder is in the area of the nerve fibers that run from the brain to the motor neurons of the spine. The disturbed tension prevents the muscles from making appropriate movements. This leads to muscle wasting and contractures. The consequences of this pathology are especially serious at a young age, as it leads to abnormal development of the musculoskeletal system.

causes

Spasticity can be caused by

  • cerebral palsy;;
  • neuroinfections;
  • multiple sclerosis (sclerosis multiplex);
  • spinal cord injuries;
  • Spinal cord and cerebrovascular diseases.

Depending on the degree of impairment, the causes and the impact of the disease on quality of life, the treatment can be more or less drastic. In some cases, conservative therapy is indicated. However, the most effective surgical treatment is the. the selective rhizotomy.

symptoms of pathology

Spasticity is spasms or involuntary muscle movements associated with pain and marked muscle weakness. The spasticity impairs motor and speech function and disrupts movement coordination and body balance.

Spasticity can be mild or severe. Mild spasticity does not prevent a person from leading a normal life. People with severe spasticity are restricted in their movements and can only get around in a wheelchair.

When signs of the condition appear, a doctor should be consulted to find out the cause of the condition and prescribe treatment. If the disease is left untreated, it can have unpleasant consequences. Left untreated, spasticity can lead to joint and muscular dystrophy, with the potential for falls and serious injury.

causes

Why do spastic disorders arise and what is their cause? Mild muscle spasms and diastasis are often diagnosed in elderly patients. They arise from age-related disorders in the communication between the spinal cord and the brain in older people.

The following diseases and pathologies can also cause spasticity:

  • traumatic brain injuries;
  • spinal cord injuries;
  • stroke
  • CEREBRAL PALSY;
  • amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or multiple sclerosis;
  • encephalitis;
  • meningitis etc.

With spasticity, the situation can be aggravated by intestinal infections, indigestion, wearing tight clothing, genitourinary tract infections, and skin infections that cause inflammation.

Treatment of spasticity at the Yauza Clinical Hospital

The treatment methods used by the neurologists of the Yauza Teaching Hospital aim to relieve the symptoms of spasticity, relieve pain and muscle spasms, improve the patient's gait and prevent musculoskeletal complications. Therapy for these patients must be individually designed and carefully planned.

To reduce spasticity, specialists from the neurology department at Yauza Clinical Hospital use various medications and recommend exercise therapy and physiotherapy. Physiotherapy reduces muscle tension and improves mobility. In addition, various aids are used to stabilize certain parts of the body and improve mobility, as well as various devices for patient self-care.

Prices for the services The prices can be found in the price list or requested by calling the phone number given on this page.

Postural instability: treatment

Treatment of postural instability syndrome first requires ruling out the disease causing it. In the case of psychological causes of the development of the disease, the help of a psychologist is required to eliminate the phobia that leads to postural instability. Depending on how deep the fears have penetrated the patient's subconscious, psychotherapy can take a long time. To alleviate the patient's condition, antidepressants and tranquilizers can be prescribed. The attending physician alone decides on the choice of medication, depending on the individual characteristics of the patient. Such drugs should not be prescribed on their own and can lead to a deterioration in the patient's condition.

A holistic approach is used to treat the postural instability associated with Parkinson's disease. Since Parkinson's disease is currently considered incurable, all therapeutic measures are aimed at relieving the patient's condition and slowing down the progression of the disease. The main drugs used to treat movement disorders are levodopa, dopamine receptor agonists and MAO-B inhibitors. Since Parkinson's disease is associated with decreased levels of dopamine in the brain, these drugs supplement it.

If conservative treatment is not effective, the movement disorder can be corrected with a pallidotomy. This is a surgical procedure on the brain in which the pallidal balloon is partially destroyed. Neurostimulation, a minimally invasive neurosurgical procedure that uses electrical current to simulate specific brain structures, is also used to treat Parkinson's disease.

The specialists of the Yusupov Hospital take on the most complex cases and achieve the greatest possible therapeutic effect. With admission to the Yusupov Hospital, the patient receives qualified medical care and psychological care, which significantly improves his quality of life.

The Yusupov Hospital is located near the center of Moscow and accepts patients 24 hours a day. You can make an appointment and get expert advice by calling the clinic.

Ashforth Spasticity Scale

An experienced doctor can easily identify muscle stiffness or spasticity on examination. If the doctor can flex and straighten the patient's leg or arm easily, all values for flexibility and muscle tone are normal. If the doctor feels muscle resistance, it means that there is increased muscle tension. This is assessed using the Ashforth Spasticity Scale, which is structured as follows:

  • 0 - no increase in muscle tension.
  • 1 – a slight increase in tension, manifested by an initial contraction of the muscles and subsequent rapid relaxation
  • 1a - Slight increase in tension, manifested in muscle contraction at less than ½ of the total volume of passive movements
  • 2 - moderate increase in muscle tension. Tension occurs at less than 1/2 the total volume of passive movements
  • 3 - Significant increase in muscle tone with limited passive movements
  • 4 - the paretic part of the limb cannot be fully flexed or extended.

Regardless of the degree of muscle spasticity, doctors at Yusupov Hospital help each patient to reduce or eliminate these symptoms and improve their quality of life.

Make an appointment with the doctors of Yusupov Hospital.

What is spasticity in simple terms?

In the normal state, the mechanism of muscle contraction and diastole is brought to automatism. All processes go smoothly thanks to the coordinated work of the limbs, spinal cord and brain. However, a stroke or injury leads to the death of the cells responsible for transmitting signals to the motor neurons of the spinal cord and brain. As a result, the inhibitory impulses do not reach their destination - coordination is impaired.

In other words, the muscles in the legs or arms have lost contact with the brain, but continue to store energy. However, this energy must be expended, and it does so in the form of painful contractions. Since the muscles do not receive direct commands from the brain, spasms can occur at any time.

Spasticity: good or bad?

The mechanisms of spasticity are still little known due to their complexity and complexity. Not everyone suffers from spasticity. There are pros and cons to having or not having spasticity.

Spasticity maintains muscle tone and promotes good blood circulation. Many doctors take a very positive view of spasticity—it means the legs or arms can be restored and the person can walk again. Even when pain occurs, many patients are happy that their legs (or arms) are 'working', if only spontaneously. At least in the first phase of rehabilitation, the role of spasticity is clearly positive. However, at a later stage, increased spasticity leads to serious difficulties in recovery.

forecast

Since cerebral palsy is an incurable disease, the aim of treatment is to adapt the patient as much as possible to life in society and to improve their general well-being. Although the prognosis is generally poor, people with cerebral palsy can live to a ripe old age with appropriate treatment and additional rehabilitation.

If the disease is mild, patients can lead normal lives, get education, and work. When choosing a profession, it is important to consider the specific health conditions, to have regular preventive treatment and to follow all medical recommendations.

However, only a quarter of patients will be able to move and look after themselves. When a serious illness is diagnosed, the patient requires constant care and is unable to lead a full, independent life.

Parents of children with cerebral palsy also need psychological help and support. To do this, they can take part in special courses and training in rehabilitation centers, where they can receive appropriate advice on treatment and care, and find like-minded people and friends.

Treatment of spastic diplegia - photo

complications

The negative effects of the disease primarily affect the musculoskeletal system. Possible complications include:

  • formation of contractures;
  • risk of joint anomalies – arthrosis;
  • Muscular dystrophy;
  • Increased risk of injury due to impaired movement coordination, unsteady gait and falls.

Avoiding complications and maximizing a child's rehabilitation is possible only with timely diagnosis and early treatment.

Factors that cause spasticity

Mild spasms and cramps are commonly diagnosed in older people due to age-related changes in the neural control of muscles and tendons. Wearing tight shoes and clothing, frequent exposure to cold, unhealthy habits, obesity, constant stress, and some chronic diseases also contribute to these symptoms. Since neurodegenerative diseases develop in patients with a genetic predisposition, among other things, it comes to muscle spasticityMuscle spasticity, which develops as a result of abnormalities in the CNS, can also be considered a hereditary syndrome. Spasticity is also associated with diseases such as B.

  • stroke;
  • meningitis (inflammation of the meninges);
  • varicose veins;
  • atherosclerosis;
  • high blood pressure
  • diabetes;
  • Injuries to the brain and/or spinal cord.

Often muscle spasticity develops against the background of Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, senile dementia. Spasms and increased muscle tension can be caused by inflammation, constipation, and urinary tract infections.

Symptoms of spasticity in the elderly

When diagnosing spasticity, the specialist first looks for increased muscle tension. In this case, the patient complains of spontaneous spasmsspontaneous cramps, especially at night and after exertion, as well as pain when bending and stretching the limbs. Joint deformations and changes in posture are also observed. There is an increased reflex reaction. The pathology is aggravated by concomitant inflammatory processes in the joints, and the intensity of pain increases.

Neurological assessments of pathology severity include the following. Ashworth scale. In this scale, the severity of the disease is classified according to the degree of muscle hypertonicity. The maximum degree of impairment is 4, ie the examined limb can hardly be bent/extended. A CT or MRI scan is done to determine if there are central nervous system abnormalities or damage to the spine that can cause spasticity.

Treatment is conservative and comprehensive, including both medication and physical therapy. Self-treatment is contraindicated, and all drugs used to treat spasticity are prescribed by a doctor. Their action is to reduce muscle tension by inhibiting intermediate neurons and blocking nerve impulses. Overdose leads to hallucinations, respiratory arrest and death.

Local anesthetics can be used to relieve pain. Seizures are treated with magnesium. B vitamins should be administered to improve neuronal function, stimulate trophism and blood circulation, and reduce inflammation.

The methods used in physiotherapy include: electrophoresis, acupuncture, therapeutic massagePHYSICAL THERAPY. Ideally, the patient should be treated and rehabilitated in the following facilities specialized medical centersPatients are treated and rehabilitated in specialized medical centers, under the guidance of experienced doctors. In our center we have all the necessary conditions for daily treatment and care. visit this page Here you can familiarize yourself with our rehabilitation programs.

Complications of Ataxia

Treatment of ataxia must be timely, otherwise serious complications may arise. Heart failure is one of the most serious complications of ataxia. This is an acute or chronic condition characterized by shortness of breath, swelling and frequent fatigue. The dangerous thing about this pathology is that it can cause pulmonary edema. Heart failure is one of the leading causes of death today. Equally dangerous complications of ataxia are recurrent infections and respiratory arrest.

Treatment of ataxia is aimed at eliminating the etiological factor that provoked the development of ataxia. Depending on the type of disease, the following surgeries may be recommended:

In rare cases, it may be necessary to relieve pressure in the posterior fossa. In particular, this procedure is performed when the patient is diagnosed with an Arnold-Chiari anomaly, which is characterized by a small depression of part of the cerebellum in the opening of the skull, causing severe pressure on the brainstem. Ataxia can also be caused by hydrocephalus, which is characterized by fluid buildup in the ventricular system of the brain. In this case, the doctors ensure a drainage of the liquor, which normalizes the metabolism of the brain.

If high blood pressure is the cause of this serious disease, it must be normalized with drug therapy. Drugs that improve metabolism and blood circulation are also indicated for circulatory disorders in the brain. These primarily include nootropics and angioprotective agents.

Ear infections can also lead to ataxia. Antibiotic therapy is prescribed for infectious brain damage caused by ear pathology. If there is a vitamin B12 deficiency, it must be corrected. To eliminate poisoning, vitamins A, B and C are prescribed. With demyelinating diseases, hormonal drugs and plasmapheresis are prescribed. With this treatment, the blood plasma is removed, but the blood cells remain.

prognosis of ataxia

In the case of hereditary diseases, the prognosis is unfavorable, since many patients also have progressive neuropsychiatric disorders in addition to the severe movement disorders. In addition, their ability to work is significantly reduced. Patient prognosis can be improved by treating the disease symptomatically and avoiding injury and infectious diseases. In order to avoid hereditary ataxia, it makes sense to exclude the possibility of inbreeding.

To prevent the disease, doctors recommend an active lifestyle. They recommend daily walks in the fresh air, a correct sleeping and waking rhythm, a healthy diet and exercise. Timely treatment of any infectious diseases is advisable, as is constant monitoring of blood pressure.

  • Neurotic Stuttering
  • Chiari anomaly
  • Assimilation of the Atlas
  • Congenital Myopathies
  • hydrocephalus
  • hypersomnia
  • depressive neurosis
  • cerebral palsy
  • Rhythmic encephalopathy
  • ischemic stroke
  • lumbago
  • meningioma
  • Metabolic Myopathy
  • sleep disorders
  • Hereditary cerebellar ataxia according to Pierre-Marie
  • neurasthenia
  • neuropathies
  • polyneuropathy
  • somnambulism
  • epilepsy
Read more:
Save the article?
Orthopedic group practice in Radebeul
en_USEnglish