MEDLINEplus Health Information: Return to home page   A service of the National Library of Medicine: Go to NLM home page
Search     Advanced Search    Site Map    About MEDLINEplus    Home
Health Topics: conditions, diseases and wellness Drug Information: generic and brand name drugs Dictionaries: spellings and definitions of medical terms Directories: doctors, dentists and hospitals Other Resources: organizations, libraries, publications, MEDLINE

Medical Encyclopedia

Disease     Injury     Nutrition     Poison     Special     Surgery     Symptoms     Tests

 
Overview   Treatment   

Muscle function loss

Alternative names:

loss of movement; paralysis

Home care:

If cranial nerves are damaged, there may be difficulty with chewing and swallowing. In these cases, a soft diet is recommended.

Prolonged immobility can cause serious complications; therefore, frequent position changes and good skin care are very important. Passive range-of-motion exercises may help to maintain some muscle tone and are encouraged.

The use of splints may help prevent muscle contractures.

In all cases, follow prescribed therapy.

Call your health care provider if:

  • there is any paralysis.

What to expect at your health care provider's office:

The medical history will be obtained and a physical examination performed.

Medical history questions documenting paralysis in detail may include:

  • location
    • What part(s) of the body are affected?
    • Is the loss all over?
    • Is it on only one side of the body (hemiplegia)?
    • Is it from the waist down?
    • Is it from the neck down?
    • Did it develop in a top-to-bottom pattern (descending paralysis)?
    • Does it occur on both sides equally (symmetrical)?
    • Is it only one specific part of the body?
      • Is it the hips, legs, or feet (lower extremities)?
      • Is there difficulty getting out of a chair or climbing stairs (hip or pelvis)?
      • Is it the lower leg?
      • Is it the thigh?
      • Is it the knee?
      • Is it the ankle?
      • Does the foot drag or point towards the floor (footdrop)?
      • Is it the shoulders, arms, or hands (upper extremities)?
      • Is it the shoulder, upper chest, and upper arm (shoulder girdle)?
      • Is it the arm?
      • Is there difficulty lifting arm above head?
      • Does it cause inability to extend or lift the wrist (wrist drop)?
      • Is it the hand?
      • Is there difficulty gripping (grasping)?

  • quality

  • time pattern
    • Has there been a spontaneous recovery?
    • Did it just develop recently?
    • Are episodes occurring repeatedly (recurrent)?
    • How long do episodes last?
    • Is it getting worse (progressive)?
    • Is it progressing slowly or rapidly?
    • Does it become worse over the course of the day?
    • At what age did this begin?

  • aggravating factors
    • Is it worse after exertion or use?
    • Is it worse during a period of rest after exercise?
    • Is it worse after taking potassium supplements - oral?

  • relieving factors
    • Is it better after you rest?

  • other
    • What other symptoms are also present?

The physical examination may include detailed examination of the nervous and muscular systems.

Diagnostic tests that may be performed include:

Intravenous feeding or feeding tubes may be required in severe cases. Physical therapy, occupational therapy, or speech therapy may be recommended.

After seeing your health care provider:
You may want to add a note related to paralysis to your personal medical record.


Adam

The information provided herein should not be used for diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Copyright 2000 adam.com, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

Health Topics | Drug Information | Dictionaries | Directories | Other Resources