What is paralysis?
Paralysis is a loss of muscle power and function of any part of the body. It is seen in the form of weakness of body parts, loss of sensation, and loss of movement of that part.

What is physiotherapy and why it is used?
Physiotherapy includes massage, therapeutic physical activities, scientific procedures, and education. Physiotherapy should be started as soon as possible, and it needs to be regularly followed, on a daily basis to see its best results. If it is not done under the proper guidance, it may worsen the condition of the patients. It is helpful in the following ways:

Helps to improve blood circulation and relax muscles
Slows down the progress of paralysis
Improves muscle tone
Maintains the respiratory function
Prevents pressure sores and contracture in the bedridden patients
Helps to build up strength in the affected muscles which helps to prevent the limbs from becoming deformed
Helps in building up the motivation and morale of the patient
Helps improve balance and coordination of the muscles
What therapies are included in it?
It includes the following therapies:

Aerobic exercises: It encourages a rapid exchange of oxygen to muscle tissues which increases sensory and motor function.
Method of physical conditioning: It is conducted via active or passive ranges of motion which help improve the muscle strength and also help the patient to adapt or learn how to use the paralyzed limb.
Exercises: Exercises, such as hip rotation exercise and its variation, ankle rotation exercises, and toe rotation exercises are advised in lower limb paralysis.
Electric stimulation therapy: It helps restore the motor function in paralyzed patients where electrical stimulation is done via a low-frequency device.
Mobility aids: Mobility aids, such as a wheelchair, help to move from one place to another place.
Hydrotherapy pool: It helps assist patients to overcome conditions where movement is limited because of paralysis and where muscles are weakened.
Massage therapy: Massage therapy helps regain control of muscles and boost the range of motion by improving blood circulation to the affected part.
Hand muscle exercises: It includes exercise with the balls or any other toy to improve hand grip and muscle power.
Speech therapy: In patients with aphasia, speech therapy is given to improve the speech.
Parallel bars: It helps practice walking and balancing when there is impairment.
Physical training: In physical training, various exercises are taught to improve the muscle strength of the affected part.
Use of teaching transformers (wheelchairs, bed, car, or toilet): It helps improve safety and also promotes independence.

Role Of Physiotherapy In Patients With Paralysis!

There are various forms of Paralysis. Paralysis of the lower limbs is one of the most severe forms of Paralysis. It is also known as Paraplegia. People suffering from such Paralysis lose all sense below the waist. They cannot move their legs or hips, cannot void without help, and cannot have intercourse. They barely feel anything below their waist. However, the degree of inability may vary from one person to another.

In people suffering from such Paralysis, there is usually substantial impairment in movement. Though such inability is not necessarily permanent, rarely do people recover from such inability. Lower Limb Paralysis may put people at risk of deep Vein Thrombosis.

Causes of Lower Limbs Paralysis:

Paralysis of the lower limbs usually results from injury to the spinal cord or the brain. However, spinal cord injury is the most common cause of such Paralysis. Such injuries inhibit the ability of the brain to receive and send signals from lower limbs. Causes of such inability may include:

Infections in the spinal cord

Lesions of the spinal cord

Tumors in the brain

Infections in the brain  

Nerve damage at the hip or waist.

Oxygen deprivation in the brain or spinal cord due to choking, violence, or surgical accidents.

Stroke

Congenital spinal cord deformities such as Spina Bifida etc.

However, the most common cause of Lower Limb Paralysis is congenital spinal deformity, such as Spina Bifida. The degree of Paralysis depends on the location of the spinal lesion and the extent of spinal cord or nerve damage. Some people with spinal lesions may even walk independently if the lesion is lower down the spine. However, people with upper spinal lesions are usually not able to do that. They may require ortho shoes as well as walking aids in order to ambulate. If these don t work, they may need wheelchairs for mobility. Usually these people learn to ambulate with the aid of ankle foot orthoses.

Treatment of Lower Limbs Paralysis:

There is no treatment for Paralysis. However, in some cases, people suffering from Lower Limb Paralysis are able to regain some of their ability with the help of physical therapy. What physiotherapy does is that it retains the spinal cord and the brain to strengthen nerve connections and muscles so that patients can work around their limitations. If paralysis is due to some underlying cause, removal of the cause can treat the patient.

If an infant is found to be suffering from Spina Bifida, doctors can operate on his spinal cord and bring down the severity of the problem. Such children are less likely than others to use walking devices.

Bowel and Bladder Management:

This is a serious aspect of Lower Limb Paralysis. Patients need to undergo routine bladder and bowel evaluation and device management plans to reduce the risk of organ damage.

Conclusion:

There is hardly any treatment for Lower Limb Paralysis. However, physical therapy may solve some of the problems. If it does not, management of bowel and bladder and watching out for deep Vein Thrombosis should be done on a regular basis.

One can also use alternative methods like Acupuncture, Chiropractic, Massage, and other holistic treatments. However, it is always recommended to consult an orthopedic doctor before opting for any methods.

Paralysis Of Lower Limbs!

CEREBRAL PALSY (CP) Group of disorder of movement and posture because of defects and disease of brain, the damage may occur in Uterus during gestation, during birth process, or during he first few years of life. Cerebral Palsy is most common motor disorder in infants and children and is the commonest cause of physical disabilities in childhood.

The word cerebral means having to do with the brain The word palsy means a weakness or problem in the way a person moves or how he positions his body. A Child with CP might have trouble controlling the muscles in his body. Normally, the brain tells the rest of the body exactly what to do and when to do it. But because CP affects the brain, depending on what part of the brain is affected, a child might not be able to walk, talk, eat, or play the same way most children do.

Classification of Cerebral Palsy:

There are five types of cerebral palsy: spastic, athetoid, ataxic, Hypotonic and mixed (combination of any), and further catagorised according to topographic distribution: Quadriplegia, Diplegia and Hemiplegia

Signs and Symptoms: 

The most common type of CP is spastic. A kid with spasticity can't relax his muscles or his muscles may be stiff. Athetoid CP affects a kid's ability to control his muscles. This means that the arms or legs that are affected by athetoid CP may flutter and move suddenly. A kid with ataxic CP has problems with balance and coordination. Some kids with CP use wheelchairs and others walk with the help of crutches or braces. In some cases, a kid's speech may be affected or he might not be able to speak at all. To learn more about CP, what causes it, and what living with CP is like, keep reading.

Cerebral palsy is very difficult and challenging to all sciences of healing. Allopathic system has no effective medicine to help except physiotherapy, surgical corrections, Botox or Botulinum Toxins and many psychological aids. But it has helped very little. In cerebral palsy, the motor area of cerebral cortex is damaged along with other areas of brain.

The commonest causes are birth injuries, obstetrical complications, high-grade fevers, and prolonged jaundice at birth, head injury, Chronic Infections to mother and genetically aberrations. So, the doctor's job is to repair the damaged area maximum possible. The exact extent of damage caused is difficult to assess, but CAT scan, MRI, PET, Psychological tests, I.Q. tests, clinical sensory motor developmental milestones and other tests can give rough idea about the damage.

The brain development normally completes within 5 years of age. CP child has damaged brain, so it develops very slowly. It is mostly; motor area damaged, so motor mile stone comes alter. Depending upon the severity of damage, the development will occur. Apart from the brain damage, the poor management and spasticity adds to orthopedic disabilities. These children have low resistant power, so gets frequent infections of URI (cold, cough and fever), diarrhea, malaria etc.

Now, How homeopathy can help these children?

Homeopathy helps these children in many ways. Firstly, it improves I.Q., which no other system can do. It improves neuromuscular abilities, so motor milestones start appearing faster. It improves in swallowing, neck handling, sitting, standing and walking. It improves in understanding of the child and calculating capacity, schooling capacity. 

Secondly, it completely stops recurrent infections. So deterioration of the child stops and regains immunity to fight diseases.

Thirdly it improves cognitive ability of children also helps to improve associate psychiatric disorders such as anxiety, depression, conduct disorders and hyperkinesis.

It helps in improving flaccidity, spasticity of limb muscles, squint deglutition. (Hence, food taking) Fortunately, severely damaged children are statistically less. So, mostly children with mild and moderate damage are the best helped by homeopathy.

Cerebral Palsy - Types, Symptoms & Homeopathic Treatment Of It!

Physiotherapy can greatly help a patient of paralysis by making him/her independent to the maximum extent. Physiotherapy also plays an important role in negating potential complications after a paralysis. Although the process of rehabilitation can take time, it produces significantly encouraging result for a patient to continue with it until full recovery. The recovery depends on the type of paralysis a person has undergone. Notably, there are four types of paralysis:

Hemiplegia

Quadriplegia

Paraplegia

Monoplegia

Role of Physiotherapy-

The process of physiotherapy should resume as soon as the patient is stabilized. It not only helps in relaxing muscles, but also helps in smooth blood circulation. Long-term therapy can ensure muscle tone and overall well-being of an individual.

In the case of an external injury related to the brain, physiotherapy can speed up the recovery and reduce swelling to a significant extent. Some of the benefits are-

Physiotherapy can help a person regain the highest possible mobility.

Physiotherapy can increase the respiratory function of a person.

It helps the person in bringing down blood pressure and contracture.

A physiotherapist also focuses on unaffected area and works on them to ensure that the unaffected part of the body, in no way, loses mobility and retains the natural strength.

Physiotherapy also helps to manage a paralyzed bladder.

A physiotherapist suggests proper wheelchair, splint, braces, orthosis etc. These help a person to reintegrate quickly after the paralysis.

Physiotherapy lifts the morale and motivation of a patient by addressing post-traumatic experiences such as denial, anxiety, hostility, depression and anger.

It also serves as a perfect guide for the family of the patient.

Exercises that a Physiotherapist Suggests-

Aerobic Exercise: This is a set of physical exercises that lets the muscle tissues exchange oxygen at a rapid rate. The goal is to enhance the function of the motor neuron and the aerobic capacity of a patient. Support straps and gain belts might be required for a patient to stand on feet. A handrail helps to walk during this phase.

Physical Conditioning: Balance, stability, and coordination is the motive of any physical program for a paralyzed individual. Passive or active motion exercises help an individual to regain function of the limbs. Passive exercise also helps to regain strength. A physiotherapist rotates the thumb of a patient in such a way that the back of his hand faces forward.

Leg Rotations: One common exercise that is tried by a physiotherapist is to make the patient lie down on a mat with his/her legs straightened. Supporting the knee joint and the ankle, the right leg is moved outward and pulled backward. This is again repeated with the other leg.

Physiotherapy For Paralysis

A stroke or paralysis can occur when the blood supply to that part of your brain is curtailed or drastically reduced. Due to this, the brain is deprived of the essential oxygen and the nutrients, and within a few minutes the brain cells can undergo severe damage and die. It is often treated as a medical emergency and can cause complications for life if left unattended.

Symptoms:
With regards to a stroke, a quick and an immediate treatment can be the difference between life and death. It is very much mandatory to note the symptoms of stroke and to impart the treatment accordingly. Some of them can include:

Trouble with speaking: Your speech pattern gets affected, and you may have trouble talking.
Paralysis: When the oxygen is cut off, a part of the body can become numb thus rendering it lifeless.
Headache: A severe headache may occur that can make the body go into spasm. Dizziness and unconsciousness can follow it.
Walking and mobility: You would be unable to walk on your own, or there can be a huge difference in your walk pattern. Most of the times, you might not be having any control over your legs.
Risk Factors
There are many risk factors associated with stroke and paralysis. The most common one is undoubtedly overweight. Physical inactivity, alcohol abuse, and drug abuse can contribute equally to the occurrence of stroke. Cholesterol levels, high blood pressure and old age may also be risk factors. Paralysis can be the biggest drawback of stroke where one part of your body can be lost to movements. You might also lose control of your face or arm, and this can affect your walking steps. This can be a life changing factor and more than medication sometimes physical therapy heals the person to an extent.

Physiotherapy for Paralysis:
You can feel helpless and frustrated, and this can lead to depression. There are many ways by which physiotherapy can help you. The therapies are made in such a way that you can try to lead a normal life without any hindrance, and this depends on the nature of the paralysis you are undergoing. In most of the cases, a person can get back at least 60% to 70% of his/her mobility back though not completely. Also, current medicines have advanced that there is a possibility to get back the movement in the paralyzed areas.

One of the major challenges you will face is to relax as the physical feeling of helplessness can hamper your thoughts in the long run. Stay relaxed and always remember that you are not alone. Take the help of a family member or a friend. Be relaxed all the time and make a determined effort with physiotherapy exercises. Avoid the lifestyle which you had before and embark on a healthier lifestyle and make sure you watch your diet at all times. Try to indulge in your favorite pass time and over a period start your daily chores without the help of an aid. You can undergo the physiotherapy exercises for life as they can be positive even after the condition subsidies.

Paralysis & Stroke - How Physiotherapy Can Help?

Polio is a virus that has the potential to infect any parts of the body including, but not limited to nerves and muscles. Primarily there are 3 types of polio namely, non-paralytic, spinal paralytic and bulbar. This disease shows minimal to no symptoms in more than 90 percent of the cases. 5 percent of the cases can show symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, sore throat and abdominal pain. Polio is a communicable disease and can cause massive damage if a proper dosage is not taken. It can spread through air, physical contact with an infected person, coughs etc.

Polio can cause paralysis: Polio has a far-reaching permanent effect on the body. It can cause paralysis on any of the limbs leading to permanent disability. This severely alters a child s life. The far-reaching consequences of the virus can only be negated through vaccination.
Weak muscle: Polio can result in weak muscles, respiratory problems and loss of reflex. If the breathing muscle collapses, it can result in the death of a person. Any of the above-mentioned symptoms can lead to weak body development altering the fate of a child.
It can spread fast and quick: Polio spreads very fast through the air, physical contact, saliva and water. It not only affects a single life but put millions at risk of the disease. A 1916 outbreak of the disease killed 6000 people in the United States and left several thousands of people disabled.
It reduces the risk of infection: 3 dosages Polio vaccination under the age of 6 can save a baby from getting polio in future. The body successfully creates polio antibodies from the vaccines and gets enough ammunition to fight it if the virus attacks it in future.
Social responsibility: Massive amount of awareness campaigns have been run by countries all over the world to permanently eradicate polio from the face of the earth. As per the latest reports, only 3 countries are reported to have babies affected with polio; Afghanistan, Pakistan and Congo. It is, therefore, a social responsibility to take part in the mission of removing polio from the face of the earth once and for all.
Save future generation: Although polio is not known to be a disease which passes through heredity, there still lies a chance for the future generation to get this disease. In order to negate that from happening, it makes sense to get the vaccines on time.
Give your kid a head start: Every kid deserves to have an equal amount of privileges like others. One small mistake on part of the parents can heavily cost a child s future. In order to make sure your kids grow up with any apprehension of polio, it is very important to treat them with polio vaccines.

Polio Vaccination - Why Is It so Important?

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