Paralysis
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| Paralysis Classification and external resources |
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Paralysis is the complete loss of muscle function for one or more muscle groups. Paralysis often includes loss of feeling in the affected area.
Pathophysiology
Paralysis is most often caused by damage to the nervous system or brain, especially the spinal cord. Partial paralysis can also occur in the REM stage of sleep.
Differential diagnosis of causes of paralysis
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
- Botulism
- Guillain-Barré syndrome
- Multiple sclerosis
- Poisons that interfere with nerve function, such as curare
- Poliomyelitis
- Spina bifida
- Stroke
- trauma
Variations
Paralysis may be localized, or generalized, or it may follow a certain pattern. For example, localized paralysis occurs in Bell's palsy where one side of the face may be paralyzed due to inflammation of the facial nerve on that side. Patients with stroke may be weak throughout their body (global paralysis) or have hemiplegia (weakness on one side of the body) or other patterns of paralysis depending on the area of damage in the brain.
Other patterns of paralysis arise due to different lesions and their sequelae. For example, lower spinal cord damage from a severe back injury may result in paraplegia, while an injury higher up on the spinal cord, such as a neck injury, can cause quadriplegia. Patients with paraplegia or quadriplegia often use equipment such as a wheelchair or standing frame for mobility and to regain some independence.
Most paralyses caused by nervous system damage are constant in nature; however, there are forms of periodic paralysis, including sleep paralysis, which are caused by other factors.
See also
- Spinal cord injury
- Paraplegia
- Quadriplegia
- Muscle relaxant
- Ptosis
- Sleep paralysis
- Hemiparesis
- Beriberi
- Neuroprosthetics
- Brain-computer interface
- Tonic immobility
- Cerebral palsy
- Cobra Toxin
Cerebral palsy and other paralytic syndromes (G80-G83, 342-344) | |
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| Paresis and plegia NOS | Paralysis - Quadriplegia - Triplegia - Hemiplegia/Hemiparesis - Paraplegia/Diplegia - Monoplegia |
| Flaccid vs. spastic | Flaccid paralysis - Spastic diplegia - Spastic paraplegia |
| Specific types | Cerebral palsy - Cauda equina syndrome - Locked-In syndrome |
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Acknowledgement and Attribution Regarding Sources of Content
Some of the initial content on this page may be incorporated in part from copyleft sources in the public domain including wikis such as Wikipedia and AskDrWiki. Drug information for patients came from the The National Library of Medicine. Infectious disease information may have come from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Differential Diagnoses are drawn from clinicians as well as an amalgamation of 3 sources: 1.The Disease Database; 2. Kahan, Scott, Smith, Ellen G. In A Page: Signs and Symptoms. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2004:3; 3. Sailer, Christian, Wasner, Susanne. Differential Diagnosis Pocket. Hermosa Beach, CA: Borm Bruckmeir Publishing LLC, 2002:7 .
