Common Neurological Conditions

1.Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the repeated collapse of the upper airway. Symptoms of OSA include snoring while sleeping, waking up at night, and tiredness in the morning. Sleep study may be necessary to diagnose the OSA. It is somewhat like spending a night in a hotel with the difference of having sensors attached to ones body and being watched in a sleep. 2. Sleep Problems (such as Insomnia or Narcolepsy) Good night’s sleep is critical for renewing mental and physical health of every person. Numerous sleep problems (disorders) are conducive to a lowered quality of life and may endanger personal and public safety. Some sleep disorders may be life-threatening. Sleep disorders are treatable. Insomnia is trouble falling asleep or staying asleep during the night and may be a symptom of other health problems. Insomnia can be caused by a number of factors including psychological and/or environmental ones, lifestyle, or physical/psychiatric illness. Narcolepsy is a tendency to sleep at inappropriate times and constant daytime sleepiness. Symptoms include excessive daytime sleepiness, sudden loss of strength in muscles, sleep attacks (sleep paralysis), and continual sleepiness and tiredness that cannot be fully relieved by any amount of sleep. Sleep study may be necessary to diagnose sleep problems or the obstructive sleep apnea. It is somewhat like spending a night in a hotel with the difference of having sensors attached to ones body and being watched in a sleep. 3. Stroke Ischemic stroke is a blockage of brain blood vessels; hemorrhagic stroke is bleeding into or around the brain. Immediate medical care is critical for person who is having a stroke.. After stoke some disability is common. Rehabilitation helps restore functions lost from brain damage due to stroke. 4. Epilepsy Epilepsy is a condition of having repeated seizures with no obvious cause. Seizure is a short period of uncontrolled body behavior that may last seconds to several minutes. For large percentage of people with epilepsy, no cause of seizures is ever found. The most common treatment to prevent seizures is the use of daily medications. 5. Multiple Sclerosis Multiple sclerosis (MS) affects the brain and spinal cord. In MS the outside layer of nerves is damaged which interferes with nerve signals. Symptoms of MS include vision loss or double vision, numbness, weakness, fatigue, and unsteady walking. The cause of MS is unknown but it is thought to be autoimmune. 6. Alzheimer’s Alzheimer’s disease attacks brain tissue and manifests itself with a steadily increasing memory loss that may be combined with vision, language, and emotional control problems. People with Alzheimer’s disease will require constant care at some point. Symptoms include trouble learning new information, increasing confusion and disorientation, trouble with conversations, personality changes, misplacing objects, becoming lost in familiar settings, and judgment problems. 7. Headaches/Migraine headaches Migraine is a recurring throbbing headache, usually occurring on one side of the head. The exact cause of migraine is unknown. It appears to be inherited biochemical disorder of the brain. Symptoms include severe prolonged headache, throbbing pain, increased pain after movement, sensitivity to bright light, sound or odors, nausea. Treatments include medications and lifestyle changes. 8. Restless Leg Syndrome Restless Led Syndrome (RLS) is not related to emotional or psychological disorders. RLS is an uncomfortable feeling that occurs in legs when they are still, especially at bedtime. RLS can interfere with travel or the use of transportation. RLS may be diagnosed by a sleep study. It is important to determine whether there are any conditions (such as iron deficiency, diabetes, arthritis, etc.) which may be contributing to the RLS. Once these are treated or excluded, treatments of RLS may include numerous home remedies and/or medications. 9. Dystonia Dystonia can be described as involuntary tremors of a part of the body, e.g., leg, neck and it can affect people who spent years in activities that involve repetitive movements. Treatments include medications, botulinum toxin (Botox) injections, and surgery. 10. Parkinsonism Parkinson’s disease is a slowly progressive disease caused when a small group of brain cells die that control body movement. No one knows why these dopamine-producing cells die. Several theories are explored including exposure to toxic substances, chemical reactions within the body, and certain genetic factors. Symptoms include tremor in arms and legs, stiff and rigid muscles, slowness of walking with impaired balance. Many kinds of treatment help people maintain mobility and function. 11. Pain Syndromes/Fibromyalgia Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal aches, pain and stiffness, soft tissue tenderness, general fatigue, and sleep disturbances. The most common sites of pain include the neck, back, shoulders, pelvic girdle, and hands. Sometimes it is not easy to diagnose fibromyalgia. There is no one specific diagnostic test to make a diagnosis. However, there are a variety of procedures that can help physician to determine whether or not patient has fibromyalgia. 12. Numbness/Tingling Numbness and tingling are abnormal sensations that can occur anywhere in the body, but are often felt in fingers, hands, feet, arms or legs. Common causes include injury to the nerve (most common carpal tunnel syndrome), pressure on the spinal nerves (such as from a herniated disk), multiple sclerosis, migraine, seizures, stroke, and a number of medical conditions such as underactive thyroid or vitamin B12 deficiency.rnPeripheral numbness distally (hands or feet) may indicate diffuse nerve damage such as seen in peripheral neuropathy. The most common cause of peripheral neuropathy is diabetes mellitus, vitamin B12 deficiency, underactive thyroid, and autoimmune disorders (lupus, Sjogren’s syndrome).