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Showing posts from June, 2018

Stroke Treatment

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Stroke treatment may vary depending on whether the stroke is caused by a blood clot (ischemic stroke) or a brain bleed (hemorrhagic stroke). It involves drugs, surgery, or other therapies. Treatments for stroke will give to the patient as quickly as possible to reduce the risk of permanent brain damage . Treatment for Ischemic Stroke Ischemic strokes happen when a blood clot in an artery blocks the flow of blood and oxygen to a portion of the brain. With this type of stroke, the goal is to restore blood flow to the brain as quickly as possible. A number of medications may be given at the hospital to help break up the clot and prevent the formation of new clots. These medications may include: Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA, alteplase): Alteplase or tPA is a thrombolytic medication, often referred to as a clot buster. These drugs must be started within a few hours after stroke symptoms first appear. They will quickly break up or dissolve blood clots that a...

What is Nontraumatic Spinal Cord Injury?

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Any damage to the spinal cord that has not been caused by a major trauma may led to Nontraumatic Spinal Cord Injury . It occurs when spinal cord has been damaged in other ways such as infection, loss of blood supply, compression by a cancer or through slow degeneration of the spinal bones (vertebrae) such as in osteoarthritis. The spinal cord acts as a connector between the brain and the body; the brain sends signals out through nerves that run down the spinal cord, and from there other nerves go out into the body. These control things like movement of muscles, but also other functions such as sweating, urination and defecation. The body also sends signals up through the spinal cord to the brain via other nerves giving information about touch, temperature, position and pain. The brain can no longer send or receive information to or from the parts of the body if spinal cord gets injured. In a nontraumatic spinal injury, something has happened that has stopped the connection b...

Guillain barre syndrome

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Guillain-BarrĂ© syndrome (GBS) is a disease affected the nervous system. It is thought to be caused by an autoimmune reaction. This means it cause body's immune system to attack its own tissues. This disease starts when the immune system attacks and damages something called myelin . That’s a layer of insulation that surrounds nerves. It also helps nerves transmit their messages. Usually, weakness begins in both legs and moves up the body. GBS damages the peripheral nervous system . That’s the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord. They help the central nervous system communicate with the rest of your body, including the skin, heart, and muscles. GBS often starts a few days or weeks after an infection like the cold or flu. People with this syndrome are hospitalized immediately because symptoms can worsen rapidly. Immune globulin given intravenously or plasma exchange speeds recovery. Signs and symptoms Guillain-Barre syndrome often begins with tingling a...

Role of a Physical Therapist

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Physical therapy can help a patient regain movement or strength after an injury or illness. A physical therapist is a trained and licensed medical professional with experience in diagnosing physical abnormalities, restoring physical function and mobility, maintaining physical function, and promoting physical activity and proper function. They take care of patients in all phases of healing, from initial diagnosis through the restorative and preventive stages of recovery. They can treat a wide variety of medical conditions, depending on their specialty. Some conditions that can benefit from physical therapy treatment are: Cardiopulmonary conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis (CF) and post-myocardial infarction (MI). Hand therapy for conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome and trigger finger. Musculoskeletal dysfunction such as back pain, rotator cuff tears, and temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ). Neurological...