Apple Valley, CA
760-242-1234

Any condition that involves paralysis is referred to as palsy. In most instances, the paralysis is partial, involving a specific part of the body. It is always an indication to seek prompt medical attention.

Causes of palsy

Bell's palsy
In this disorder, the facial (trigeminal) nerve becomes swollen, resulting in facial pain and paralysis. The paralysis is usually temporary, but it can produce pain and related problems such as a dry eye and difficulty in eating. Prompt treatment with corticosteroids usually reduces the nerve swelling, thus alleviating the paralysis. In cases that do not readily respond to drug treatment, however, surgery may be needed.

Cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy is characterized by a constellation of symptoms that are related to damage to the central nervous system. These include varying degrees of paralysis, coordination abnormalities, and learning problems. In most cases, the damage occurs before birth.

Huntington's chorea
This is a progressive genetic disorder that affects the brain and nerves. Typically, the initial symptoms of tics and twitches show up between the ages of 35 and 45. These symptoms are followed by personality changes and dementia, after which severe paralysis develops.

slowing of muscle response, tremors, and difficulty walking. As the disease progresses, the muscles become increasingly rigid, leading to a fixed facial expression, unblinking eyes, and varying degrees of palsy.

Sleep paralysis
Sleep paralysis entails an inability to move upon waking up in the morning. The paralysis is brief, but can be frightening. Many people with sleep paralysis also have cataplexy, a related disorder in which the muscles in one or more parts of the body suddenly lose their tone and strength. During a cataplectic attack, the person is unable to speak or move the affected part of the body.

Spinal cord disorders
The spinal cord, the bundle of nerve fibers that runs through the spinal canal, is instrumental in carrying messages between the brain and muscles. If the spinal cord is severed or irreparably damaged, the muscle groups that it normally serves are paralyzed. The damage may be congenital, as in the case of spina bifida (in which a portion of the spinal column fails to close properly during gestation, allowing part of the spinal cord to bulge outward), or it may be due to an accident in which the back is broken and the spinal cord is crushed or severed. Sometimes the damage occurs gradually, as in the case of spinal cord degeneration due to pernicious anemia or another progressive disease.

Stroke
A stroke occurs when a portion of the brain is deprived of vital oxygen. Most strokes are due to a blockage of a small cerebral artery by fatty plaque and/or a blood clot (a cerebral thrombosis). Less commonly, a stroke is caused by a burst blood vessel in the brain (a cerebral hemorrhage). In either instance, the stroke can result in paralysis, speech problems, and other loss of function, which may be permanent. In cases in which the symptoms are temporary, the event is referred to as a mini-stroke (transient ischemic attack or TIA). Although normal function usually returns within minutes, a mini-stroke is often a forerunner of a full-blown stroke.