What is a paralysis attack?
Paralysis is a medical issue where the muscles of a certain body part lose sensation and its functions. It is a temporary or permanent loss of voluntary muscle movement in a body part or region. However, it is often a side effect of a stroke or a cancerous tumor pressing against the brain or spinal cord. In many cases, paralysis is also when the body sustains serious injuries to the back of the brain.
Types of paralysis attack
Moreover, health consultant may classify paralysis based on the following characteristics:-
Severity
Partial paralysis, or paresis, may cause significant muscle weakness and impaired movement. However, many people with paresis retain a small degree of control over the affected muscles. However, a complete case of paralysis occurs when a person cannot move the affected body part.
Duration
it refers to how long the paralysis lasts. However, some medical issues, such as sleep paralysis, stroke, and Bell’s palsy, can cause temporary paralysis. Over time, most people can regain partial or complete control over the affected muscles. Some other possible conditions that can cause the problem temporarily include hyperkalemic or hypokalemic periodic paralysis. Hypokalemic periodic paralysis may occur as a result of mutations that affect the CACNA1S or SCN4A genes. Meanwhile, various head or neck injuries and neuromuscular problems can lead to permanent paralysis.
Location
Localized paralysis affects a small area of the body, like the face, hands, or feet. And, generalized paralysis affects a larger area of the body, including multiple parts of the body. Some types of paralysis may include:-
- Monoplegia: Monoplegia affects one specific area, such as one arm or leg.
- Hemiplegia: Hemiplegia affects one arm and one leg on the same side of the body.
- Paraplegia: It is also called lower-body paralysis, this affects both legs and sometimes the hips and organs in the lower abdomen.
- Quadriplegia: Quadriplegia affects both arms and legs, and sometimes muscles in the trunk, the functions of internal organs, or both.
Muscle tension
However, flaccid paralysis is a common complication that damages the lower motor neurons that stimulate skeletal muscle movement. Over time, the skeletal muscles shrink or deteriorate. Other possible causes may include inflammation of the spinal cord, also called myelitis, and Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks the PNS.
Causes
Muscle weakness and paralysis result from damage to the healthy nervous system, which any of the health issues above can cause. However, a healthy nervous system provides information back and forth between the brain and the rest of the body. Some signals from the brain travel down the spinal cord and into the peripheral nerves throughout the body system. The peripheral nerves system regulates numerous functions, including:-
- Automatic functions, like breathing and digestion
- Voluntary muscle functions, like walking and chewing
- Sensory functions, like pain, temperature, and pressure detection
However, other most common causes of nervous system damage and resulting muscle weakness or paralysis include:-
- Brain or spinal cord tumors
- Some infections, such as meningitis, encephalitis, and polio
- Motor neurons problems, such as ALS and primary lateral sclerosis
- Autoimmune problems, including Guillain-Barré syndrome and lupus
- Inherited disorders, such as spinal muscular atrophy and hypo- or hyperkalemic partial paralysis
Symptoms
Symptoms of paralysis attack depending on the type and cause of the issue. However, the most common paralysis symptom is the loss of muscle function in one or more parts of the body. Some other possible symptoms that may accompany paralysis include:-
- Numbness or pain in the affected body parts
- Muscle weakness
- visible signs of muscle loss (muscle atrophy)
- stiffness
- involuntary spasms or twitches
Treatments
However, treatments depending on the cause and type of the issue, some people experience a partial or complete recovery. In the case of temporary paralysis, it may be caused by Bell’s palsy or stroke, may resolve on its own without medical treatment. Some other available may include:-
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Mobility devices like braces, walkers, and wheelchairs
- Medications
- Surgical amputation
- Nerve transfer surgery etc.
