How to Treat Ataxia

Ataxia is a disorder that can make it difficult for sufferers to move their limbs properly because they experience disturbances in the coordination function of the nerves of the brain and muscles. Irregular and difficult to control body movements cause ataxia sufferers to have difficulty in carrying out various daily activities. Then how to treat ataxia? Read the explanation in this article to the end.

Actually ataxia is not a disease, but a symptom or sign of certain medical conditions or diseases that attack the cerebellum. The cerebellum is the part of the brain that functions to regulate the coordination and balance of body movements.

When a person is affected by impaired coordination of body movements or ataxia, a person will experience various complaints that can make it difficult to carry out various activities, such as body shaking or tremors, weak muscles, and difficulty standing, sitting, and walking and even difficulty speaking.

Causes of Ataxia

There are several medical conditions or certain diseases that can cause ataxia, including the following:

• Have a genetic disorder, such as Friedreich's ataxia, or a birth defect of the cerebellum or spinal cord.
• There is a buildup of fluid in the brain (hydrocephalus).
• Disorders occur in the cerebellum, such as brain tumors, bleeding, and stroke.
• Brain paralysis occurs.
• Have an injury to the head or spinal cord.
• There are autoimmune disorders, such as multiple sclerosis.
• There are hormonal disorders, such as abnormalities in thyroid hormone and parathyroid hormone.
• Malnutrition is mainly a deficiency of vitamin B12 and vitamin E.
• Due to too often taking epilepsy drugs, lithium, and chemotherapy.
• Certain chemical poisonings include poisoning with cadmium, mercury, arsenic, barium, and lead.
• Have an infection.

In addition, ataxia can also be caused by unhealthy habits, such as frequent consumption of excessive alcoholic beverages.

Ataxia Symptoms

When there is a disturbance in the nerves and brain that regulate the coordination of body movements, a person can experience the following symptoms of ataxia:

• Difficulty speaking, the words spoken are not clear, and the tempo of speech becomes slow.
• Has difficulty moving hand to perform various daily activities, such as picking up objects, eating, buttoning clothes, or writing.
• Has difficulty walking and maintaining balance.
• Often trips or falls when walking or standing.
• Having trouble controlling eye movement (nystagmus), so vision appears blurry and it is difficult to see or read.
• Difficult to swallow so when eating or drinking often choke.
• It's easy to feel tired.

The above symptoms can resemble the symptoms of other conditions, such as Parkinson's disease, brain tumors, and stroke. Therefore, an examination by a neurologist is needed to be able to confirm whether the symptoms that appear are symptoms of ataxia and can determine the cause.

To diagnose and determine the cause of ataxia, the doctor will perform a number of physical examinations and supporting examinations which include blood tests, lumbar puncture or brain fluid analysis, genetic tests, EMG or electromyography, as well as radiological examinations of the brain such as computed tomography scan (CT scan) or MRI (Magnetic resonance imaging).

How to Treat Ataxia

After making a diagnosis, the doctor will determine the appropriate treatment steps according to the cause. For example, if the cause of the ataxia is due to nutritional deficiencies, the doctor will provide additional nutritional supplements. In addition, the doctor can also provide several treatment methods, such as the following:

1. Physiotherapy

How to treat ataxia physiotherapy aims to restore the body's ability to move, pick up and move objects, and perform various daily activities independently.

2. Speech therapy

Speech therapy is used to treat ataxia, if the patient has difficulty speaking, swallowing, or moving the mouth and jaw muscles.

3. Occupational therapy

How to treat ataxia occupational therapy aims to help improve the quality of life and help ataxia sufferers to be able to live independently without much help from other people or assistive devices. With occupational therapy, people with ataxia will be guided and trained to be able to eat, bathe, dress, and write.

4. Medicines

Giving medicines aims to overcome disorders in the muscles, nerves, eyes, and other parts caused by ataxia. Medications can also be given to treat conditions that cause ataxia, for example antibiotics to treat infections in the brain.

Until now, how to treat ataxia and how to prevent ataxia that is effective still does not exist. Treatment of ataxia in general only aims to help people with ataxia can carry out normal activities.

Therefore, if you have symptoms of ataxia as mentioned above, immediately consult a neurologist to get treatment as early as possible. If ataxia is detected early, it may still be treatable. However, if the ataxia lasts too long, it can cause permanent brain damage and impaired body movement coordination.

Therefore, if you or your family members have symptoms of ataxia as mentioned above, immediately consult a neurologist to get treatment as early as possible.

If ataxia is detected early, it may still be treatable. However, if ataxia lasts too long, it can cause permanent brain damage and impaired body movement coordination.