ATAXIA
Ataxia is a neurological sign which includes lack of control and coordination over voluntary muscles which may affect speech, eye movements, the ability to swallow, walking, picking up objects, and other voluntary movements. Persistent ataxia may occur due to damage to the part of brain that controls voluntary movements.
CAUSE: alcohol abuse, bad effects of certain medications, stroke, tumor, cerebral palsy, brain degeneration, multiple sclerosis and inherited defective genes can cause ataxia.
TYPES: 1. CEREBELLAR ATAXIA: This is ataxia caused by a dysfunction of the cerebellum – part of the brain involved in the assimilation of sensory perception, coordination, and motor control.
- VESTIBULAR ATAXIA: when vestibular system is affected. In acute -sudden unilateral cases, the patient may experience vertigo, nausea, and vomiting. In slow-onset chronic bilateral cases, the patient may only experience unsteadiness.
- SENSORY ATAXIA: This is ataxia due toloss of proprioception, which is the sense of the relative position of neighboring parts of the body. It is a sense that indicates whether the body is moving with the required effort and gives feedback on the position of body parts relative to each other.
SYMPTOMS: its symptoms include:
- Poor coordination
- Unsteady walk and a tendency to stumble
- Difficulty with fine motor tasks, such as eating, writing or buttoning a shirt
- Change in speech
- Involuntary back-and-forth eye movements (nystagmus)
- Difficulty swallowing
HOMEOPATHIC TREATMENT for ataxia is safe, natural and free from any side-effects. Homeopathic medicine, if prescribed after a complete and thorough case taking, effectively helps in treating cases suffering from ataxia.
Alumina is indicated when there is staggering gait with heaviness and numbness in legs. There is great exhaustion, fatigue and lack of strength. There are chances that patient may fall while walking esp during night.
Argentums nitricum is indicated for locomotor ataxia. There is unsteady gait. There is weak and bruised feeling in legs and calves. There is trembling of legs while walking due to lack of control over muscles.
Secale cor works well in locomotor ataxia with knee jerks, fulgurating pains, and very little or no muscular control. There is staggering gait or even complete inability to walk on account of a peculiar unfitness to perform light movement with the hands and limbs. There is numbness and formication of hands and feet.
Silicea is indicated when there is weakness of lower limbs with ulceration of feet and about the toe nails. There is great nervous irritability and debility.
Plumbum works well when there is paralysis with atrophy, loss of coordination. Symptoms are accompanied with impotence.
Causticum works well when there is unsteady gait with tendency to fall easily. Patient falls frequently. There is also speech difficulty.
Gelsemium works well when there is excessive weakness of muscles with dullness of mind. There is characteristic 3D symptom i.e. dullness, dizziness and drowsiness. Theer is speech problem with trembling of tongue. Patient gets easily tired on least work.
Heloderma works well when patient lift the feet higher than required while walking and bring them to the ground very hard.
Lathyrus sativus is indicated for emaciation of lower limbs with jerking and trembling of legs while walking.
Phosphorus works well when there is ataxia with eye troubles like dim or blurred vision. Also there is diplopia.