2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 21:43
Hemiplegia
Causes and symptoms of hemiplegia
What is hemiplegia?
Hemiplegia is called complete unilateral paralysis of the arm and leg: the muscles on one side of the body lose their function of mobility. Sometimes with hemiplegia, paralysis of the muscles of the face and tongue is observed. Often this symptom appears after a stroke or other damage to the brain and spinal cord.
There are a number of types of hemiplegia:
- alternating hemiplegia - muscle damage on the side of the body opposite to the localization of the pathological focus;
- flaccid hemiplegia: decreased muscle tone due to damage to the brain or spinal cord;
- homolateral (ipsilateral) hemiplegia - muscle paralysis on the side of localization of the pathological process; occurs with damage to the upper spinal cord;
- hysterical hemiplegia - hemiplegia with hysteria, passing without a trace without changes in reflexes and muscle tone disorders;
- cross (cruciform) hemiplegia - paralysis of the arm and the opposite leg, resulting from damage to the medulla oblongata;
- central (spastic) hemiplegia - damage to the pyramidal pathways, accompanied by paralysis, muscle hypertonicity and pathological reflexes;
- spinal hemiplegia - damage to the pyramidal tract due to the occurrence of a pathological focus that has arisen in the upper cervical region. Muscle paralysis occurs on the side of the localization of the focus.
Causes of hemiplegia
The most common causes of hemiplegia are diseases of the vascular system that interfere with the blood circulation of the brain (thrombosis of the arteries and veins, vascular spasms, cerebral hemorrhages). Sometimes this syndrome is caused by injuries, tumors and infections of the brain and spinal cord (meningoencephalitis, meningitis, brain abscess, arachnoiditis). In infants, hemiplegia can result from birth trauma; spastic hemiplegia often accompanies infantile cerebral palsy (cerebral palsy). Sometimes muscle paralysis occurs with hysteria (passes without consequences) or as a complication of toxicosis during pregnancy.
Hemiplegia symptoms
Among the main symptoms of hemiplegia are paralysis of the limbs, an increase in tendon reflexes and muscle tone. In addition to a violation of the motor function of the arm and leg, there is a lesion of the facial muscles of the face, sometimes the tongue. The affected side of the body is characterized by cyanosis (blue discoloration), swelling, paralyzed limbs - cold and insensitive.
The prognosis of hemiplegia depends on the underlying disease. A person can either fully recover the ability to move, or the residual effects of the disease remain.
Hemiplegia treatment
Treatment of hemiplegia should focus on eliminating the underlying disease that caused the muscle paralysis.
The therapy also includes the use of vitamin preparations of groups C and B (B1, B6, B12), physiotherapy exercises, massage, reduction of muscle tone and stimulation of the nervous system.
The restoration of motor functions is facilitated by the use of proserin; muscle tone is reduced by melliktin. In order not to develop contractures, it is imperative to change the position of the affected limbs from time to time. After 7-10 days after the onset of the disease, physiotherapy exercises are prescribed; massage is recommended to start on the 10-20th day. The patient must systematically stimulate the paralyzed limb.
If the cause of hemiplegia is a stroke, with proper treatment the patient will be able to sit within a month, and after 5-6 weeks he will be taught to walk. For physiotherapy exercises, hanging frames with belts are used. Exercises are carried out under medical supervision, as pulse, blood pressure and respiration must be measured.
Article author: Mochalov Pavel Alexandrovich | d. m. n. therapist
Education: Moscow Medical Institute. IM Sechenov, specialty - "General Medicine" in 1991, in 1993 "Occupational Diseases", in 1996 "Therapy".
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