Asthma & Allergy
Spasticity – Types, symptoms, and treatments
Spasticity is a condition that affects around 10 million people across the globe. It is a condition in which some muscles of the body are continuously contracted. Spasticity causes tightness or stiffness of the muscles which can interfere with the speech, gait, and even regular movement of a patient. Spasticity usually occurs due to damage to a portion of the spinal cord and brain. It negatively affects muscle movements which can adversely affect a child’s growth. A recent survey revealed that at least 400,000 out of 500,000 citizens from the country suffered from spasticity due to cerebral spasticity. There are three main types of spasticity: Spasticity in multiple sclerosis A common symptom of multiple sclerosis, spasticity, in this case, can be of two types — flexor or extensor. Flexor spasticity involves bending of the hips and knees towards the chest, whereas extensor spasticity is the involuntary straightening of legs. Spasticity in multiple sclerosis may worsen due to muscle tightness, infections, extreme temperatures, and even humidity. Spasticity in traumatic brain injury This type of damage affects the reflex centers of the brain, thus interrupting the flow of messages along different nerve pathways. The location of the traumatic brain injury determines the area of the body affected and the occurrence of motor deficits.
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