Spasticity
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Spasticity Treatment
Spasticity is a form of muscle overactivity that occurs when communication between your brain and spinal cord is disrupted by a spinal cord injury, other injury, or illness. Spasticity has some benefits, such as helping tone muscles. However, spasticity may cause pain, fatigue, and other problems. Also, spasticity can become a barrier to your daily activities, walking, sitting, positioning, and sleep
- Treatment
- Exercises: You may participate in stretching, positioning, and exercise activities taught by physical and occupational therapists.
- Oral medications: Your doctor may prescribe medications given by mouth (orally) that may help reduce your muscle spasticity.
- Intrathecal therapy: You may have medications administered 24 hours a day into the fluid surrounding your spinal cord through an implantable pump and catheter system. Doctors and staff perform a test dose to determine the effect and benefits of this therapy for each person.
- Injections: Special drugs and injections into affected muscles may decrease the muscle signals that cause spasticity. The injections provide temporary relief, allowing you to move and strengthen your muscles. You may have injections every three months. Phenol or alcohol injections into your peripheral nerve near the spastic muscles may reduce your muscle spasms.
- Neurosurgery and orthopedic surgery procedures: Surgical procedures to destroy (ablate) motor nerves of sensory spinal roots may stop the spasticity.