Patna Neuro's blog : Movement DisorderTreatment in Patna

Movements like jerking, tremors, spasm or shaking can be defined as abnormal. Have you noticed some abnormal involuntary movement in your child? Is your child involuntarily shaking? If your child is going through some of the above mentioned problems, refer to a doctor specializing in movement disorder treatment, in Patna, Dr. Vivek Pratap Singh.

Every movement in your body from moving your hand to speaking, is regulated by different regions in your brain like the central nervous system, skeletal muscles, and motor nerves. Any derangement in these regions leads to abnormality and losing control of the brain on your movements.

These abnormal movements can be a disorder in itself or a symptom of another major condition.

List of movement disorders:

The movement disorder classification can be done on the basis of either increased or decreased movements.

Hyperkinetic movement
Hypokinetic movement

A condition can have either of these two or both of them co existing simultaneously.

The hyperkinetic movement means increased movement of your body. Because it affects normal movements, it can cause involuntary movements. For example,

Ataxia: there’s poor muscle incoordination and causes difficulty in movements like walking, eating, or slurred speech. It manifests commonly as a symptom more than a condition.

Akathisia: if you can’t stay still, always need to move due to restlessness, you might be suffering from this condition. It is commonly due to side effect of medications like antipsychotics.

Chorea: this one is the most common symptom of a genetically mutated condition known as Huntington’s disease. It is unrhythmic, jerky, and rapid movement of face and hands. This includes athetosis (slow chorea) that is slow wriggling and squirming movements. Hemiballismus (rapid chorea), nonrhythmic involuntary movements of arms and legs. It is known as the severe form of the condition.

Dystonia: dystonia movement disorder is abnormal postures and repetitive movements due to sustained involunmuscle contractions. Movements like tremor, or jerky twisting.

Myoclonus: it isshoclike involuntary contraction of muscles leading to jerky and twitching movements.

Spasticity: this causes stiffness and contraction of muscles when you move or rest. It affects your mobility, and speech too.

Tics: these are nonrhytmic, brief and repetitive movements. Most patients feel an urge to make these movements and feel relaxed after. For example, blinking, shrugging, swinging arm, or clearing throat.

Tremor: this is involuntary trembling and shaking. It is most commonly a symptom.

Hypokinetic movements:

Hypokinetic movements cause slow or decreased movement. It affects voluntary movements causing rigidity, tremor or impaired balance. This includes bradykinesia and degenrative parkinsonism.

Movement disorders:

The most common movement disorders are parkinsonism and tremor. Some of the other disorders are following

Essential tremor: This causes involuntary shaking and trembling of hands and arms.

Huntington’s disease: A generic condition causing involuntary jerky movements like chorea and develops gradually with worsening symptoms.

Multiple system atrophy: As the name suggests, it affects multiple brain systems leading to movement disorders like ataxia or parkinsonism.

Parkinson’s disease: A slow degenerative condition causing rigidity and spasms with slow movements.

Progressive supranuclear palsy: A type of rare neurological conditon affecting your eye movements, gait, and balance.

Restless leg syndrome: Your legs become restless and there’s a persitent urge to move them. There are weird sensations like pulling, and itching felt and can be relieved by movement.

Tardive dyskinesia: This occurs due to chronically taking drugs like neuroleptics for neurological condition. It causes repetitive involuntary movements of face like grimacing, or abnormal eye movements.

Rett syndrome: This genetic conditon affecting in childhood causes speech impairment and incoordinated hand movements.

Wilson disease: A condition wherein there’s accumulation of excessive copper in the body. This leads to complications like tremors, ataxia or dystonia.

Symptoms of movement disorders:

The movement disorder symptoms can be varied.

Along with movement impairment, some disorders can have mood swings and thought disorders too. The symptoms are

Phases of involuntary movements like jerking, spasms, twitches, swinging of hands, tremors or shaking
Difficulty performing tasks like walking, feeding, or swallowing
Issues with coordination and balance

These disorders affect can affect any and every part of your body like face, proximal and distal extremities, trunk, and soeech.

Diagnosing movement disorder:

Due to the apparent clincal symptoms, it’s easier

To disgnose movement disorder. But, still yet your physician might need to order some tests to confirm the diagnosis of any movement disorder.

CBC
CT scan
MRI
Electromyography
Electroencephalogram

Treating the disorder:

Most movement disorder treatment is based on various factors. But, in general the treatment focuses on improving the involuntary movements and helping live your life without any hindrance.

Medications aiming at the condition and symptoms can be prescribed. For example, dopaminergics for oarkinson, muscle relaxers, or antidepressants.

Occupational therapy deals with enhancing your ability to perform daily tasks efficiently and independently

Phhsical therapy targets the movement impairment. It helps with your pain associated with stiff and rigid muscles.

Speech therapy aids with slurred speech, also discomfort and pain during swallowing.

The movement disorders affecting your child can have severe consequences in their life. Dealing from depression to a social outcast they suffer a lot. If you want to help improve your child’s life, visit Psychiatrist Doctor in Patna, Dr. Vivek Pratap Singh.

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