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Other conditions (24 articles)
- Cerebral palsy - causes and implications.
Cerebral palsy describes a range of disabilities associated with movement and posture. 'Cerebral' refers to the brain and 'palsy' means weakness or lack of muscle control. Cerebral palsy affects about 7,500 Victorians and more than 20,000 people Australia-wide. - Charcot-Marie-Tooth disorder.
The nerves of the limbs gradually stop working properly and this leads to wasting of the muscles that are served by those nerves. The muscles of the ankles, feet and hands are often most affected. Over time, they become weaker and harder to control. - Diabetic neuropathy.
Neuropathy means nerve damage. Diabetic neuropathy is nerve damage caused by high blood glucose levels. The nerves of the legs, arms, chest and stomach can be affected. There is no cure. Treatment aims to ease symptoms and reduce the risk of further complications. - Essential tremor.
Essential tremor is a neurological disorder which causes involuntary shaking of particular parts of the body, usually the head and hands. The cause is unknown, although a genetic link is strongly suspected. There is no cure. - Essential tremor.
Essential tremor is a neurological disorder which causes involuntary shaking of particular parts of the body, usually the head and hands. The cause is unknown, although a genetic link is strongly suspected. Essential tremor is not a form of Parkinson's disease. Triggers may include emotional stress, caffeinated drinks, alcohol or insufficient sleep. There is no cure. - Fibromyalgia.
Fibromyalgia syndrome is a condition where pain occurs in muscles and surrounding structures without any obvious tissue damage. The pain is usually widespread and people often experience fatigue. symptoms of fibromyalgia can vary widely from mild to severe. Symptoms may include fatigue and exhaustion, pain, sleep disturbance, headaches, slowed mental processing and stiffness. - Friedreich's ataxia.
Friedreich's ataxia is a relatively rare inherited disease of the nervous system characterised by the gradual loss of balance, coordination and muscular control. There is no cure but the symptoms can be managed with medication and physical therapy. - Guillain-Barre syndrome.
Guillain-Barrč syndrome is a form of nerve inflammation resulting in a spreading paralysis. The cause is unknown, but the trigger seems to be certain acute viral or bacterial infections. Most people recover, but it may take two years or more. There is no cure. However, treatments such as plasmapheresis and gammaglobulin infusions greatly enhance recovery. - Huntington's disease - behavioural problems.
Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited disease of the brain. As the disease progresses, damage to the brain can cause a wide range of behavioural problems including depression, irritability and the inability to concentrate on two things at once. - Huntington's disease - behavioural problems.
Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited disease of the brain. As the disease progresses, damage to the brain can cause a wide range of behavioural problems including depression, irritability and the inability to concentrate on two things at once. - Huntington's disease - diet issues.
Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited disease of the brain that affects the nervous system. Common complications include problems with eating and swallowing (dysphagia), particularly as the disease progresses. Weight loss is often associated with HD. - Huntington's disease - genetics.
Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited disease of the brain that affects the nervous system. The faulty gene interferes with the functioning of a particular protein, called 'huntingtin', inside brain cells. - Huntington's disease - genetics.
Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited disease of the brain that affects the nervous system. The faulty gene interferes with the functioning of a particular protein, called 'huntingtin', inside brain cells. - Huntington's disease explained.
Huntington's disease (HD) is a disease of the brain that affects the nervous system. It is an inherited condition caused by a defective gene. Symptoms don't appear at birth, but tend to first become obvious when the person is in their thirties or forties. - Infantile spinal muscular atrophy.
Infantile spinal muscular atrophy is an inherited condition. The nerve cells that service the muscles don't work properly, causing muscle weakness and withering. There is no cure. A child with this disorder rarely lives beyond three years. - Kennedy's disease.
Kennedy's disease is a rare inherited neuromuscular disorder that causes progressive weakening and wasting of the muscles, particularly the arms and legs. There is no cure, and treatment can only ease some of the symptoms. - Lou Gehrig's disease.
Lou Gehrig's disease is a progressive disease of the nervous system. - Myasthenia gravis.
Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune disease characterised by muscular weakness. The symptoms are caused by the immune system interfering with the transmission of messages from the nerves to the muscles. The cause is not known and there is no cure. - Paraplegia (spinal cord injury).
Paraplegia and quadriplegia are conditions which result from damage to the spinal cord. Individuals experience a wide variety of effects, according to the level of damage that has occurred. Support services are available. - Parkinson's disease - treatment.
Parkinson's disease is currently an incurable condition; however, it is manageable. A range of different medications are used to treat the symptoms. Support, when used in conjunction with medication, is the best form of management of Parkinson's. Neurosurgery to alleviate symptoms is also an option for some people. - Parkinson's disease - treatment.
Parkinson's disease is currently an incurable condition, but symptoms can be treated with a range of medications. Support is the best form of management, when used in conjunction with medication. Neurosurgery to alleviate symptoms is also an option for some people. - Parkinson's disease and constipation.
Constipation is a common complication of Parkinson's disease. Nerve degeneration can slow bowel muscles. Incontinence can be managed with medical treatment, extra fibre in the diet, drinking extra fluids and lifestyle changes. - Parkinson's disease and exercise.
Regular exercise can improve some of the symptoms of Parkinson's disease, such as tremor, rigidity, slowness and impaired movement. Consult with your doctor, physiotherapist or health care professional when devising an exercise program. - Parkinson's disease and going to hospital.
A person with Parkinson's disease who is going into hospital may worry about managing their condition throughout their stay. There are practical things you can do to prepare for a pre-planned or elective hospital admission. - Parkinson's disease and sexual issues.
Parkinson's disease can affect a person's sexuality through loss of neurological control of body movements or medication side effects. A person may experience reduced sexual feeling and function or an increase in desire (hypersexuality). Communication and professional counselling or medical treatment can help. - Parkinson's disease explained.
Parkinson's affects one in 100 people over the age of 60. That's 40,000 people Australia-wide. Symptoms range from tremor, rigidity and slow movements to lethargy, masked face and sleep disturbance. Although the cause is unknown, there are treatments available including medication, surgery and multidisciplinary therapy. - Parkinson's disease explained.
Parkinson's affects one in 100 people over the age of 60. That's 40,000 people Australia-wide. Symptoms range from tremor, rigidity and slow movements to lethargy, masked face and sleep disturbance. Although the cause is unknown, there are treatments available including medication, surgery and multidisciplinary therapy. - Polio - symptoms in later years.
Symptoms of weakness, joint and muscle pain and fatigue can occur years after an initial bout of poliomyelitis. These symptoms are known as 'late effects of polio' or 'post polio syndrome'. There is no effective treatment for the late effects of polio, but symptoms can be controlled or managed. - Polio - symptoms in later years.
Symptoms of new weakness, joint and muscle pain and fatigue can occur years after an initial bout of poliomyelitis. These symptoms are known as 'late effects of polio' or 'post polio syndrome'. There is no cure for the late effects of polio, but symptoms can be controlled or managed. - Polio explained.
Poliomyelitis (polio) is a serious infectious disease that can be fatal or cause permanent disability. Polio can be prevented with immunisation. All children and adults should be immunised. In 2005, the inactivated polio vaccine replaced the oral polio vaccine under the National Immunisation Schedule. - Polio immunisation.
Poliomyelitis (polio) is caused by a virus. Polio affects the nerves, resulting in permanent crippling and possibly death. If you are not immunised, you could contract polio if your food, water or hands are contaminated with the faeces of an infected person. - Quadriplegics - hand surgery.
Tendon transfer surgery can restore movement to a quadriplegic person's hands. Muscle function from the shoulder can be transferred to the elbow. Forearm muscles can be re-routed to act on the wrist and on the fingers. - Reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome.
Reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome (RSDS) is thought to be caused by damage to the sympathetic nervous system. Symptoms include chronic burning pain that worsens with time and reduced movement of the affected body part. - Rett syndrome .
Rett syndrome is a severe disorder of the nervous system. It is usually only seen in girls and affects all body movement. It causes loss of speech and hand use. Girls with Rett syndrome need therapy to help them with movement and communication.
