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Spasticity is in a condition characterized by an involuntary increase in muscle contraction, which can arise in any muscle, which can make it difficult for the person to do day-to-day activities, such as talking, moving and eating, for example.
This condition occurs because of some damage to the part of the brain or spinal cord that controls voluntary muscle movements, which may be due to a stroke or be the result of cerebral palsy. However, depending on the brain disorder, spasticity may be milder, affecting a small set of muscles, or be more extensive and lead to paralysis on one side of the body.
Spasticity is a chronic condition, that is, it cannot be cured, but it is possible to reduce symptoms through physiotherapy, the use of drugs indicated by the neurologist, such as muscle relaxants, or through localized applications of botox.
Causes of spasticity
Spasticity can arise in a person with cerebral palsy, because the damage to the brain that happens in these cases affects muscle tone, which is the force that the muscle makes to move, impairing the movements of the arms and legs, for example.
People who have suffered a traumatic brain injury, due to an accident, can develop spasticity, which appears due to injuries to the brain or cerebellum, and this makes the nerve endings unable to send a message for movement of the muscles.
Spasticity is also very common in people with multiple sclerosis, as this autoimmune disease causes an impairment of the nervous system affecting muscle movements. Check out what is multiple sclerosis, symptoms and treatment.
In addition, other conditions that can cause spasticity are encephalitis, severe meningitis, stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, phenylketonuria and adrenoleukodystrophy, also known as Lorenzo's disease.
Main symptoms
Symptoms of spasticity depend on the severity of the lesions in the brain or spinal cord, but they can appear:
- Involuntary muscle contraction;
- Difficulty bending legs or arms;
- Pain in the affected muscles;
- Involuntary crossing of the legs;
- Joint deformities;
- Muscle spasms.
Because of muscle changes, the person with spasticity may have an incorrect posture, with arms bent, legs and feet stretched and head tilted to one side.
The symptoms of spasticity presented by the person are important for the doctor to be able to check the severity of the change and, thus, indicate the most appropriate treatment. Thus, severity is assessed according to the Ashworth rating scale at:
- Grade 0: the patient does not present muscle contraction;
- Grade 1: slight muscle contraction;
- Grade 2: increased muscle contraction, with some resistance to movement;
- Grade 3: great increase in muscle concentration, with difficulty in bending the limbs;
- Grade 4: muscle is rigid and unable to move.
Thus, according to the severity, it is possible to start the most appropriate treatment, so that the degree of spasticity decreases over time and the person's quality of life is promoted.
How the treatment is done
The treatment for spasticity should be guided by a neurologist, as it is necessary to assess the neurological cause that is causing the problem to arise, as well as the severity of the change. Options include:
1. Remedies
Usually spasticity drugs are used, such as baclofen or diazepam, which help muscles to relax and relieve pain symptoms, for example. Other remedies that can also be indicated are benzodiazepines, clonidine or tizanidine, which reduce the transmission of stimuli and facilitate muscle relaxation.
2. Physiotherapy
To improve the symptoms of spasticity it is also recommended to do physical therapy to maintain the amplitude of the joints and avoid other complications, such as joint stiffness, due to the lack of use of the affected limb joint. Physiotherapy in spasticity can be done with the use of:
- Cryotherapy: application of cold to the affected muscles to temporarily reduce the reflex signal that causes the muscle to contract;
- Heat application: allows temporary relaxation of the muscle, reducing pain;
- Kinesiotherapy: technique to teach the person to live with spasticity, through exercises or the use of orthoses;
- Electrical stimulation: stimulation with small electric shocks that help to control muscle contraction.
Physical therapy exercises should be done at least twice a week with a physical therapist and you can do the exercises taught every day at home. This treatment serves to reduce the symptoms of spasticity and facilitate the performance of daily activities.
3. Applications of botox
Injections of botox, also called botulinum toxin, can be used to decrease muscle stiffness and facilitate joint movement, helping the person to perform daily activities and even physiotherapy sessions.
These injections must be indicated by the doctor and act by reducing involuntary muscle contractions, but their action has a determined time, between 4 months to 1 year, being more common to have to resort to a new dose of this substance after 6 months of the first application. O botox it can also be indicated to treat spasticity in children. See more other botox applications.