Neurological Diseases/Injuries/Disorders
What can you do to protect your nervous system?
EpilepsyMost common neurological disorder in USSeizure disorder(must have 2 or more)—
electrical impulses causing sometimes severe muscle contractionsGrand Mal—large and obviousPetite Mal—small, sometimes unnoticable
Can be caused by injuries, illness, abnormal brain wiring, imbalance of chemicals
MeningitisAffects the meninges and
cerebrospinal fluid (shock absorber in brain)
Caused by either bacteria or virus—which is worse??
Can lead to brain damage, hearing loss, learning disability
Accompanied by high fever, headache, stiff neck; also possibly nausea, vomiting, difficulty seeing in bright light, confusion, lethargy
The worst cases can cause death
Stroke aka Brain Attack Caused by heart problems,
high BP, build up of plaque in arteries that supply oxygenated blood to the brain Specific cause—blood clot in
brain or blood vessel bursts in brain
May experience numbness in face, arm, and/or leg usually focused on one side; sudden confusion, trouble talking or seeing, loss of balance, severe headache; paralysis which can be permanent; death
Treat with blood thinners and clot dissolving meds
FAST???
Alzheimer’sMost common form of dementiaChanges in brain tissue; loss of nerve cells,
chemical levels, not fully understood; age and family history
Causes forget- fullness and memory loss
No cure but meds to slow progression; keep brain active
Usually occurs 65+
Brain TumorBenign?Malignant?
Which is worse? Can they both be bad??
Primary—start within the brainMetastatic—start elsewhere in the body and spread to the brainCancer comes from changes that occur in genetic material,
previous radiation exposure, exposure to chemicals, family history
May cause headaches, seizures, speech problems, impaired vision, weakness in parts of the body, problems with understanding, thinking, and memory
Treated by radiation, chemo, surgical removal when possibleBenign is more common in women
PoliomyelitisNo longer common in the
US—epidemic in the 40s and 50s.
Caused by a virus spread through human waste—contaminated food and water
Causes fever, tiredness, vomiting, neck stiffness, leg and arm pain, and sometimes paralysis
Prevented with vaccine, no cure, treat symptoms
FDR
Parkinson’sUsually an elderly diseaseUnknown cause—thought to have something to
do with the chemical dopamine and acetylcholine in the brain
Causes shaking or tremors in hands and arms, but can also occur in legs, feet or jaw (more prevalent at rest); muscle aches and stiffness, balance problems, “poker face,” and drooling
Surgery may help symptoms, meds to balance the chemicals within the brain, no cure
Michael J. Fox and Mohammed Ali
Multiple SclerosisAffects the myelin sheath that covers nerve cellsRemitting—comes and goesProgressive—keeps getting worseUnknown cause of the myelin being scarred (sclerosis), but
does not allow the nerves to communicate effectivelyCan cause numbness, tingling, weaknesses, fatigue, dizziness,
double or blurry vision, blindness; most severe cases cause muscle spasms, bowel and bladder problems, slurred speech, sexual problems, paralysis, confusion, memory loss
No cure but meds help control (steroids and adapting lifestyle)400000 affected in US; affects women more than men; usually
between the ages of 20 and 40
ParalysisCaused by injury to brain or spinal cord;
injury or illness in nerves; stroke; polioCauses loss of muscle function in part of the
bodyHemiplegiaParaplegiaQuadraplegia
Treatments include stem cells, retraining body, and physical therapy—often irreversible
What can you do to protect yourself??????????
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