What is Bradykinesia?

This is a medical condition/term that means slow movement and is sometimes a symptom of other diseases. When a person has Bradykinesia they usually have a decrease in mobility and slow motion of all muscle movements. It is often confused with the medical condition/term called Hypokinesia, which means that a person has decreased bodily movement. Basically when a person has Bradykinesia it has to do with the speed of the movement and Hypokinesia is having trouble initiating the movement. It is possible for a person to have both of these conditions/symptoms. When a person has Bradykinesia it comes on suddenly and is usually very stressful for that person because it is the beginning of a loss of their individual independence. In the United States there are approximately one million people who have some level of Bradykinesia and for many of them it does not become a serious condition.

Bradykinesia Symptoms

The main symptom is slow movement, as this is what the terminology means. When a person has this symptom they may have a hard time to in completing the movement once the attempt has been initiated because of the impact on the function of their basal ganglia, which is the part of the brain that is responsible for motor learning and control.

Other symptoms a person may have include

• Tremors
• Weakness
• Rigidity
• Atkinesia which means slow to initiate
• Hypokinesia
• Inaccuracy in your movements

Bradykinesia Causes

Normally when a person has been diagnosed with Bradykinesia this usually means that they have been identified as having one of many different diseases with in which it is a symptom. The most common disease this symptom is associated with is Parkinson’s disease.

Bradykinesia can also happen because of:

• The use of anti-psychotic medications. This is because when a patient is on this type of medication they are in a state of calm where their movements are considerably slowed. This medication does not cause Bradykinesia in everyone who takes it.
• It can be a symptom of a central nervous system disorder

It starts within your central nervous system where your brain and your basal ganglia are not appropriately communicating with each other to adequately produce the desired movement. What this means is that your basal ganglia is hyperactive and is not able to deliver the right messages to your muscles in the typical and timely fashion.

Bradykinesia Treatment

Overtime the conditions that have caused a person to have Bradykinesia progressively become worse. Many times people will choose to treat it without using chemical prescriptions. Some things that can help a person who has Bradykinesia may include:

• Using some type of walking stick, walker, or cane to help them from falling.
• Minimize multi-tasking to help reduce the mixed messages that are being sent to your basal ganglia.
• Focus on just one task at a time.
• If you need medical help, ask for it.

There are also two different therapies that a person can try.

Neuro-protective therapy

With this therapy, the goal is to slow down the progression of the condition by interfering with nerve cell degeneration.

Restorative therapy

With this therapy it is intended to replace the neurons that have been lost. They can do this by transplanting embryonic cells which may be able to perform normal function of your nervous system pathways. They may also be able to use genetic modification of the cells to help restore normal function.

To help alleviate some of the symptoms the physician may prescribe certain medications like Amantadine, Sinemet, Cardidopa, and others. If it is a severe case of Bradykinesia they may opt to use surgical intervention but this in not a preferred choice. Today they prefer to use deep brain stimulation over the more invasive surgical procedures that surgeons used in the past. If the cause is anti-psychotic medications the physician can adjust the dosage of the medication or switch to another medication.

Another common form of treatment is to use the medication L-DOPA which is usually given orally and is a precursor that once it has dissolved in your body will convert into dopamine.

What is Paralytic ileus?

This is the stoppage or slowdown of intestinal movement and can lead to bowel obstruction, which is an intestinal blockage that impairs the passage of your digestive contents which includes fluids and feces. It is not an actual physical obstruction. Basically it is a paralysis of your small or large intestines and it does not have to be a complete paralysis for this to occur. Although it can hit anyone regardless of age, gender, or race, there are some people who are more at risk for developing paralytic ileus who are people who have or who have had the following:

• Abdominal cancers
• Conditions that affect your nerve and muscle functions like Parkinson’s disease
• Infections
• Use medications such as narcotics, sedatives, or opioids that slow the contractions that move your food through your digestive tract.

Symptoms of Paralytic ileus

The symptoms of this medical condition will primarily affect your gastrointestinal system.

Some of the common symptoms can include:

• Abdominal bloating, swelling, or distension.
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Foul smelling breath
• Gs
• Having no bowel sounds
• Nausea that may or may not include vomiting.
• Stomach spasms or pain
• Excessive belching
• Rapid rate of breathing

Symptoms that could be an indicator of a serious condition and require immediate attention include:

• Having severe abdominal swelling, spasms and pain.
• Having the inability to pass gas or eliminate feces.

In addition, because there is lack of movement in the intestines, you may also develop adhesions because of the intestines rub against each other.

Paralytic Ileus Causes

There are many different reasons that a person might have paralytic ileus which can include:

• Injuries or trauma to their spinal cord
• Imbalances in their electrolytes
• Certain medications such as Discase, Chymopapain, and Chymodiatin.
• Inflammation or infection of the intestines or stomach called gastroenteritis.
• A side effect of having abdominal surgery when there is an obstruction of the mesenteric artery which is the artery that supplies blood to your abdomen.
• Chemotherapy medication such as Vincristine and Vinblastine.
• Bowel obstruction that can be total or partial obstruction.
• A malfunction of the muscles and nerves in the intestines that impairs the digestion and movement.
• Appendicitis
• Inflammation of the pancreas called pancreatitis.
• Botulism
• Diabetic ketoacidosis which is a life threatening complication of diabetes.
• Neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis, which is the disease that causes the death of the intestinal tissue of newborns.
• Metabolic disorder called porphynia.

Paralytic Ileus Treatment

Most of the time when you go see your physician for paralytic ileus they will admit you to the hospital for treatment. This treatment will usually involve placing a tube through your stomach or nose to help alleviate the symptoms. The tube will help to release the air and drain the fluid from your stomach. They may also put you in the hospital for monitoring. One thing to note is that with any treatment for paralytic ileus, nothing is given by mouth to avoid making the problem worse.

Some of the treatments that can be used to help relieve the distension and swelling of your stomach can include:

• In order to allow the obstruction to pass the physician may put you on certain dietary restrictions.
• Replace your electrolytes
• Use intravenous fluids to help provide nutrients to your body.
• Medications to help promote the contractions that will move the food through your digestive tract.
• Changing medications if that is the cause.

Sometimes it is necessary to have surgery done to help prevent the death of tissue with some of the obstructions in which the surgeon will remove a section of your bowel. You may also need surgery to treat any problems such as treating adhesions that a person might develop because of an obstruction that has been there awhile. If because of a spinal injury the bowels are permanently paralyzed you will need to discuss with your physician which treatment would be best for managing the problem for the rest of their lives.

What is Granulocytopenia?

This medical condition is when there is a decrease in the number of white blood cells, also referred to as granulocytes, which appear covered with granules when you look at them under a microscope. It is referred to as agranulocytosis it means that there are no granulocytes in your white blood cells.

In the white blood cell group there are three different types, which are:

• Basophiles – this is an extremely rare white blood cell and makes up less than one percent of all the white blood cells in your body. These initiate inflammatory responses.
• Neutrophils – this is one of the most common types of white blood cells and is used for fighting disease by consuming foreign cells the body perceives as a threat.
• Eosinophils – this is the type of white blood cell that is involve in immune system responses and increase when you have an allergic reaction.

Granulocytopenia can happen to anyone of any age, race, or gender but seems to affect Yemenite Jews and African-Americans the most.

Symptoms of Granulocytopenia

Because granulocytopenia affects your white blood cells persons who have this medical condition will usually have a higher risk of infections. Some of the symptoms can include:

• Having recurring or chronic infections that can be viral, bacterial, or fungal in nature. These infections can affect your lungs, throat, skin, etc.
• Running a low-grade fever
• Gum pain that is persistent
• Redness
• Swelling
• Skin abscesses
• Swollen cervical glands
• Ear and sinus infections
• Pneumonia or bronchitis

If it is a severe case of granulocytopenia a person may have the following symptoms.

• Spleens that are enlarged.
• Exhibit reddish-purple spots on your body which is called petechial bleeding.

Granulocytopenia Causes

There are many different reasons that can affect this group of white blood cells from existing or developing. Some of the reasons or causes of granulocytopenia can include:

• Certain medical conditions such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and Crohn’s disease.
• Infections or autoimmune disorders that affect the granulocyte count as the white blood cells migrate to the tissues after leaving the circulating blood and are invaded by microbes or disturbance.
• Medical treatment and medications such as steroidal and non-steroidal medications and anti-inflammatory medications.
• Certain medications may diminish granulocyte counts such as certain antihypertensive, cardiac, or antibiotic medications.
• It may inherited
• Any medical disease that causes failure of your bone marrow to produce new cells to replace old cells because white blood cells have a certain lifespan. Some of these diseases include diseases that produce bone marrow tumors or fibrosis, or leukemia.
• Having a severe injury that causes a hemorrhage and shock, which will naturally decrease the granulocyte count.
• Chemotherapy and radiation which could interfere with new formation of white blood cells or destroy mature healthy white blood cells.

Granulocytopenia Diagnosis

Granulocytopenia is diagnosed by the physician doing a patient history to see if there are precipitating factors that could cause this disorder and looking at your symptoms. The physician will also do a physical examination to see if there are any underlying disorders. The physician will also order blood tests to check for the white blood cell count and may even need to do a bone marrow test. The physician may also do a genetic test to see if the disease is inherited.

Granulocytopenia Treatment

Before any treatment can be started the physician will need to find out the underlying cause of granulocytopenia and treat that cause. If it is being caused by an infection the physician will usually prescribe anti-microbial medications. If the cause is a medication you are taking all it may take is for the physician to make a dosage adjustment. It is very important for the physician to identify and eliminate whatever is causing granulocytopenia because if not you will still have granulocytopenia. The physician may have to stop any radiation or chemotherapy you are undergoing and immediately start antibiotic treatment.

The physician may use a treatment to help stimulate your bone marrow to start producing neutrophils by giving you granulocytemacrophage colony or granulocyte stimulating factors. In cases of untreated severe granulocytopenia you could die within three to six days so it is very important to be checked out by your physician if you think you have this disorder.

What is Babinski Reflex?

This is a reflex that happens in infants with you firmly stroke the sole of their foot. It is an uncontrollable response. It is also called plantar reflex. By the age of two this reflex should have disappeared but if it presence in children older than two years of age and adults it could be a sign of a neurological disorder that could be affecting their spinal cord or brain. This reflex is named after French neurologist Joseph Babinski and is now a very useful diagnostic tool. When this reflex test is done the infants big toe will move upward and the other toes will fan out. The reflex can occur on one or both sides of the body. If the infant has an abnormal reflex it can be permanent or temporary.

Babinski Reflex Causes

As mentioned it is a normal reflex in a child under the age of two but if it is presence past this age some of the neurological or brain disorders that could be causing it may include:

• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig disease.  This is a disease of the nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain that control muscle movement that is voluntary.
• Having an injury to the brain.
• Having a tumor in the brain.
• Meningitis which is a bacterial infections of the membranes that cover your spinal cord and brain.
• Multiple sclerosis which is an autoimmune disease that affects their spinal cord and brain.
• Having a spinal cord defect or injury or tumor on the spinal cord.
• Stroke
• Friedreich’s Ataxia which is a rare disease that affects the heart and muscles and is inherited.
• Hepatic encephalopathy which is when their brain functions gets worse because the liver is no longer able to remove the toxic substances in their blood.
• Pernicious anemia which is when there is a decrease in your red blood cells that happens when vitamin B12 cannot be absorbed properly by your intestines.
• Rabies
• Syringomyelia which is damage to their spinal cord because of hole that is fluid-filled that forms in the spinal cord.

Babinski Reflex Treatment

When an older person has Babinski reflex they will often have difficulty with muscle control, be uncoordinated, and have weakness so it is very important to make sure they are safe and do not have any injuries. The only treatment is to make sure that their home environment is hazarded free. The physician will also treat the underlying cause of Babinski reflex in children past the age of two and adults.

Babinski Reflex Pictures