NEUROLOGICAL CONDITIONS

The primary goal of treating the aftermath of neurological disorders is to restore function. This can be challenging.  One of the consequences of strokes and brain injury is spasticity.

Spasticity is an increase in  the  tone or  tightness of a muscle. Spasticity may occur following  traumatic brain injury, stroke, and spinal cord injury. It may also occur with  neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis.

Spasticity  may affect  the use of an arm, leg or both, making activities such as dressing, eating, bathing and walking extremely difficult. Speech and head and trunk movements may also be affected.

There are several ways of managing spasticity. Physical therapy may help the patient adapt to the condition and may help reduce some of the tone. Therapy targeting  ambulation and activities of daily living is essential.

Muscle relaxers are medications that decrease muscle tone by acting directly on the muscles or nervous system.  These include BACLOFEN, TIZANIDINE, FLEXERIL, METHOCARBABOL, etc.

Medications such as BOTOX and Xeomin are  muscle relaxers that are  injected directly into the affected muscle.  Muscle relaxation from  these injections may last up to three months at a time.  A reduction in muscle tone  may result in  improved function.

Baclofen is a muscle-relaxing medication that can be  taken by mouth or by   continuous  administration into the spine (intrathecal administration) through an internal pump.

Our physicians at Mission Pain and Spine use a multi-discipline approach to best help deal with spasticity. Ask your physician about which one of these therapies  might be best to treat  your condition.