Cerebral palsy is a neurological condition that affects a person's ability to control their body movements and muscles. Cerebral palsy does not get worse with time, and typically develops within the first few years of a person's life. A...
The two major nervous systems of the body are the central and peripheral systems. Disorders of the peripheral nervous system include all nerve pathways outside the brain and spinal cord. Disease symptoms include muscle weakness, paralysis and...
A disease that affects one in 100,000 people, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, results from damage to the motor neurons. These neurons send information from the brain to the muscles, resulting in voluntary movements. The destruction of the...
Cerebral palsy, or CP, is a disease characterized by motor dysfunction or uncoordinated muscle movement. The condition stems from abnormalities in the area of the brain that controls a child's movement and posture.
The New York Times Health Guide reports that multiple sclerosis is caused by damage to the myelin sheath, the covering that protects nerve cells. This causes nerve impulses to slow down or stop, resulting in central nervous system symptoms. This...
A cramp occurs when a muscle is forcibly and involuntarily contracted. The muscle will not relax. The calf muscle is one of the most commonly affected muscles, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Just about everyone will...
Arthritis is a collective term used to describe more than 100 disorders that can trigger significant inflammation in joints throughout your body. In addition to pain, this inflammation can cause limited joint mobility, stiffness and swelling....
Cerebral palsy is a broad term that covers disorders resulting from brain damage occurring during birth or soon after. Causes include birth trauma, infection and genetic conditions. All disorders in this category manifest through some difficulty...
Cerebral palsy is a condition in which movement is impaired because the brain is unable to send proper signals to the muscles. In spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy, movement on one side of the body is affected.
Demyelinating diseases are medical conditions that damage the myelin sheath that protects the brain, spinal cord and other parts of the central and peripheral nervous systems. These diseases can cause progressive neurological difficulties, which...
There were 23.3 million males and 27.3 females living in the U.S. with some type of disability in 2008, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A disability or handicap can affect a person's cognitive ability or physical ability....
The American Heart Association notes that in 2006, 137,119 people died of a stroke, the third-leading cause of death in the U.S. When a person has a stroke, blood supply in the her brain becomes interrupted, preventing adequate oxygen from...
Physiotherapy helps to improve the motor skills of children suffering from conditions that limit their movement and coordination. This form of therapy is also for individuals that have irregularities in areas of their brain that control muscle...
Many forms of arthritis exist; however, rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most serious and disabling types, as the Arthritis Foundation explains. The Mayo Clinic defines it as a chronic inflammatory disorder that tends to affect the small joints...
Rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic disorder that typically affects small joints, like those in the hands and feet, is an inflammatory condition caused by an autoimmune reaction, in which the lining of the joint is attacked by the body's immune system...
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke notes that in the United States, doctors diagnose about 5,000 people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis each year. The neurons in the brains of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients die,...
Cerebral palsy (CP), caused by damage or abnormal development of the brain, results in difficulties coordinating and controlling muscles. Symptoms of CP generally appear in early childhood or infancy. While the symptoms vary from person to person,...
Demyelinating disorders are degenerative in nature and originate in the brain. The demyelinating process is the eventual wearing-away of the myelin sheath, a vital protective covering for nerves. Within this process, the body begins disconnecting...
Sleep apnea is a disorder characterized by intermittent breathing lapses during the sleep cycle. Sleep apnea often goes undiagnosed and affects an estimated 10 million people in the U.S., according to "Sleep Disorders Sourcebook." Apnea...