Spastic colon is a former name for what doctors now call irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS. The original name refers to frequent, disorganized "spastic" contractions of the muscles in the colon that occur in response to a meal or other stimuli,...
Your nerves and muscles are always working together to control your limbs' movements. Commonly referred to as neuromuscular control, this coordination includes your neural network's ability to protect your muscles from being injured by being...
Erectile dysfunction is also fairly common and has both physical and psychological causes. With erectile dysfunction, a man may experience difficulty achieving or maintaining an erection sufficient for intercourse. Every man may, at some point,...
Unfortunately, most spinal cord injuries result in lifelong disability. Continued research, development of newer therapies and treatment techniques do offer hope. In 1995, Christopher Reeve fell from a horse and suffered a spinal cord injury. His...
Deep tendon reflexes are reactions that occur when a muscle tendon is struck and the muscle immediately contracts. The major deep tendon reflexes include the biceps, brachioradialis, triceps, knee, and ankle reflexes. Deep tendon reflexes are...
Alzheimer's disease is a form of dementia, where patients exhibit deficits in behavior, thinking and memory. The symptoms of Alzheimer's disease become progressively worse, resulting in severe impairment in the late stage of the disease.
Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders affecting muscle and movement; it is caused by damage to the brain during pregnancy, at birth or in early childhood. The effects of cerebral palsy vary, depending on the degree of damage and on the area of...
If you haven't experienced it in person, you have likely seen it on television: The doctor in the examining room taps the area just below your kneecap with a small rubber mallet, and your lower leg responds with a "knee-jerk" reaction. Assessing...
Cerebral palsy is a term used to describe a set of chronic medical disorders that cause significant motor coordination and body movement issues in infants and children. The United Cerebral Palsy Foundation estimates that at least 8,000 infants are...
Thiamine, also called vitamin B-1, is an essential water-soluble vitamin. You need to consume small amounts of thiamine each day so you can turn your food into energy, have a healthy immune system and keep your nervous system functioning properly...
Neurosyphilis is a neurological condition that affects the nerve endings in the brain and spinal cord. You may develop neurosyphilis if you have a syphilis infection that is left untreated for 10 to 20 years. In the early stages, symptoms include...
Cerebral palsy causes abnormal motor development that makes it challenging to achieve motor milestones such as lifting the head, rolling over, sitting and walking. Children may be afflicted to varying degrees of severity and are also diagnosed...
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a condition that occurs due to damage to the brain. The areas of the brain involved are the ones that are responsible for controlling movement and posture. There are different types of CP and in most cases the cause is...
Multiple sclerosis is a physically debilitating disease that is still not fully understood by doctors. The most likely cause is the accidental destruction of nerves in the brain and spinal cord by the patient's own immune system. This damage to...
Alcoholic dementia is caused by excessive and long-term use of alcohol. Symptoms---as with other forms of dementia---include memory loss, poor judgment and confusion. In addition, people suffering from alcohol abuse often develop physical ailments...
A variety of medications are available for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), with Focalin being one of them. It is a stimulant that works on the central nervous system to help manage hyperactivity, impulsiveness and...
Neuropathy is a medical term meaning "nerve damage." Nerves travel throughout the body, allowing the brain to communicate with organs, glands and muscles as well as allowing sensory input from those same anatomical structures to travel back to the...
U.S. children with disabilities are guaranteed the right to appropriate physical education services by the Education for All Handicapped Children Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Once they reach age 21, however, many...
Taking too many laxatives can put your health at risk. If you're taking excess laxatives for any reason, including chronic constipation or in misguided efforts to purge, cleanse your body or lose weight, serious complications are possible. Consult...
Children with cerebral palsy have abnormal movements and muscle tone that make it challenging for parents to pull apart the thighs in order to change a diaper. Muscle tone refers to the amount of resistance felt when bending a joint such as the...
Asperger's syndrome, considered by some researchers to be a mild form of autism, according to MayoClinic.com, consists of problems with socializing and communication with other people. The "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders"...
A disorder characterized by compressed spinal discs is called cervical spondylosis. As a person ages, the bones and cartilage in the spine begin to degenerate and form bone spurs. The degeneration of the cervical disks and joints can cause the...
If you are experiencing weak leg muscles, contact your doctor to determine the cause. Weak leg muscles can be from over-activity, serious illness, pain or vitamin deficiency. Muscles require nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates,...
Numbness in the hands and arms is usually caused by some type of peripheral neuropathy, which is a problem with the peripheral nerves that affects the way sensory information is carried from the central nervous system. Peripheral neuropathy can be...
Stroke affects any one of three areas in your brain -- your cerebrum, brain stem and cerebellum. The cerebrum is the large mass that occupies the top and front portions of your skull. Your cerebellum is located beneath and behind your cerebrum....
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, flu can be especially serious in children younger than 2. Therefore, parents are urged to have their children vaccinated. Although no vaccine is available for infants younger than...
Thiamine is a water soluble, B-complex vitamin also known as vitamin B-1, which is essential in carbohydrate metabolism and neural function. Deficiency of thiamine results in nerve and heart disease 'Beriberi,' termed as dry, wet or cerebral...
Vitamin B-12, or cobalamin, is a member of the B-complex family. Even though it is water soluble -- excess intake is easily eliminated in your urine -- your liver stores enough vitamin B-12 to last for up to six years, according to "The Merck...
Because the visual system of a child develops throughout childhood, parents should be aware of some of the common eye disorders that may affect that development. The parents also have to be proactive since the child may not inform the parents of...
