Other Conditions

Below is information about some of the other conditions we treat apart from strokes, Parkinson's Disease, multiple sclerois and head injury.

If you would like to find out more about how we approach the conditions below or any other neurological condition, please contact Sally Watt, our Practice Manager, on (01306) 888171 or email her.

Unfortunately, we are unable to give specific advice to anyone about their condition without first assessing them, as everyone has different clinical needs and goals.

Ataxia

Balance and vestibular problems

Cerebral palsy

Dystonia

Facial palsy

Motor neurone disease and other degenerative diseases

Polyneuritis and other polyneuropathies

Spinal cord injury

Ataxia is a term for disturbance in the co-ordination of movement which affects balance and the ability to perform everyday activities. Movements become clumsy and walking is unsteady with a wide base making a person feel very unstable.

Treatment is aimed at improving balance and co-ordination, and allowing the person to experience movement in a way which is not possible outside the safe treatment environment. This is done by working on the middle of the body, pelvis and shoulder girdle to restore some stability.

Treatment can:

• aid rehabilitation through re-training the body’s balance mechanisms to compensate for damage
• improve body awareness to minimize vestibular symptoms
• treat secondary problems such as visual fixation and neck and thoracic stiffness
• restore confidence in the ability to go outside and resume everyday activities which may have become difficult, for example shopping

Balance and vestibular problems

Balance and vestibular problems are particularly distressing for the individual suffering them.

It is not just the effect of the symptoms themselves (eg. dizziness). Worrying about when the symptoms may appear can drastically affect someone’s confidence in their ability to carry out their daily activities.

Skilled neuro-physiotherapy treatment can often dramatically relieve symptoms and improve confidence.

Treatment can:

• aid rehabilitation through training normal mobility and balance
• improve body awareness to minimise vestibular symptoms
• treat secondary problems such as visual fixation, and neck and thoracic stiffness

During your treatment, your therapist can also give you advice on helping you resume your normal daily activities, which have been avoided due to anxiety about dizziness.

Cerebral palsy

Cerebral palsy affects every person differently. Often treatment is available throughout childhood and adolescence, but once in adulthood it is greatly reduced or absent altogether. Neurological physiotherapy can be useful when movement is affected and gives rise to limitations in work or leisure activities.

Progress with treatment will vary greatly depending on the initial problem and degree of difficulty experienced by an individual. Regular exercise and gentle stretches may reduce stiffness and improve muscle length and strength and control.

We start off with an assessment to analyse the particular difficulties and how they are caused.

Then treatment aims to:

• improve or maintain muscle control
• minimise abnormal patterns of movement
• minimise postural asymmetries
• maintain mobility by providing appropriate stretching exercises
• re-align and activate appropriate muscles to perform functional activities
• provide a safe and encouraging atmosphere to explore and enhance the person’s movement skills
• assess the requirement for and source appropriate therapy equipment, as necessary
• treat secondary problems such as lower back pain, osteoarthritis etc.

During your treatment, your therapist can also give you advice on appropriate exercise programmes to improve or maintain movement abilities.

Dystonia is a term for contractions of muscle which are not under an individual’s voluntary control. This means that muscles twitch or contract, even when the person doesn’t want or need them to do so - therefore making the body twist into abnormal postures.

This may lead to a type of involuntary or writhing movement which is embarrassing and impossible to control, and makes doing the things we normally take for granted, such as eating and drinking and dressing, extremely difficult.

Dystonias are often treated with drugs, or sometimes surgery. Neuro-physiotherapy treatment focuses on helping the person to regain appropriate control of their muscles, and work on improving movement and co-ordination.

This can affect the face and muscles which control the mouth, therefore leading to difficulties with eating and drinking. This condition is very distressing and often very isolating for the person affected.

Treatment will be aimed at:

• regaining control of the muscles affected
• minimising the effect of the paralysis on the whole face
• teaching the person affected appropriate facial exercises, and face and mouth care to deal with the difficulties experienced.

Electrical stimulation may also be helpful and we will devise an individual treatment plan using a facial stimulator, if this is appropriate.

The diagnosis of a degenerative and possibly life-threatening neurological disease is devastating for the person involved and their whole family.

Neuro-physiotherapy can help to manage the deterioration in a positive and pro-active way – predicting problems just before they become a real difficulty and then putting strategies in place to deal with them.

Treatment includes:

• improving posture and maximising trunk mobility to minimise breathing complications
• providing respiratory exercises and techniques to maintain clear lung volumes.

During treatment, advice can be given on:

• strategies, equipment and aids to maximise mobility at each stage of deterioration
• seating
• how carers can help with stretches, exercise and manual handling.

There are many different types of polyneuropathies affecting the peripheral nerves and producing a variety of sensory and motor symptoms.

An individual assessment will direct the therapist to the appropriate treatment plan for the person who has difficulties with movement and altered sensation after nerve damage.

When a part of the body has difficulty moving and becomes weak, typically other parts take over and do more work than they should do. This leads to an imbalance which needs to be corrected so that the weak muscles can regain their strength in order to get the best possible recovery.

Gentle stretching to prevent muscles contracting is helpful and movement will relieve stiffness and may help with pain due to immobility.

Spinal cord injury

Recovery from an incomplete spinal cord injury can continue for years. Ongoing skilled neuro-physiotherapy can maximize the person’s recovery and help them achieve optimal functioning.

Treatment can help with walking, balance and posture. During treatment, we can also give advice on a home exercise programme and on the most effective equipment and aids.

A complete spinal cord injury can often be successfully managed by the person affected alone, but the continuing occasional input of a skilled neuro-physiotherapist can help progress towards movement goals (eg. sports, stairs and transfers).

Treatment helps:

• maintain leg flexibility and prevents contractures
• prevent osteoporosis and contractures through the use of standing programs
• prevent postural problems in wheelchair.

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