"I don't dance or play sports, I'm a bit spastic", is a phrase that can be heard from the mouth of someone who tries to account for the lack of harmony and / or agility in their movements.
However, spasticity is far from being just a lack of motor skills. It is, in fact, a disorder of the nervous system that can appear as a sequela after a cerebrovascular accident (CVA).
6 out of 10 people who had a stroke have spasticity within six months of the incident. Photo Shutterstock.
Precisely to realize the importance of identifying the symptoms of this disorder and treating it in time is that the Argentine Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (SAMFYR) and the non-profit association "For a life free of stroke", will carry out the first national campaign of free detection of post-stroke spasticity.
Until Friday, August 11, you can request a free appointment with specialists from various parts of the country, to be attended between the 14th and the 23rd of this month.
Spasticity: what it is
Mercedes Molinuevo, medical president of SAMFYR, recognizes that spasticity is a condition that many people do not know, but that it is chronic and that if not treated, it can generate great inconveniences.
"It is very common in patients with a neurological injury, as is the case of those who have suffered a stroke. It is a motor disorder of the nervous system that generates an increase in muscle tone and stiffness, affects mobility and, if not treated in time, can significantly impact the quality of life of those who suffer from it, "explains the professional.
In this sense, from the SAMFYR report that it is estimated that three months after suffering a stroke, 27% of patients develop spasticity. At 6 months this sequela already affects 58%, and 15% of them in severe form.
The Risks of Not Treating Spasticity
It is important to note that it is a chronic condition that cannot be prevented and has no cure. However, not detecting it in time and therefore not treating it, makes it worse.
"It can cause difficulties in the development of activities of daily living such as walking, dressing, sanitizing, feeding. It can affect movement, speech, generate chronic pain, sleep disorders and, in some cases, lead to a depressive syndrome," adds María Martha Esnaola, neurologist and founding member of Por Una Vida Libre de ACV.
Spasticity generates increased muscle mass and rigidity in movements. Photo Shutterstock.
"Spasticity itself cannot be prevented; It is always a consequence of an injury to the central nervous system. However, by making an early detection of this alteration we can prevent it from getting worse, causing pain, deformities, difficulty in mobility and basic functions, "he says.
And he warns: "Early detection by the physiatrist and rehabilitation team is essential, to indicate the appropriate therapy in each case."
Post-stroke spasticity, a common sequela
It is estimated that, in Argentina, a stroke occurs every nine minutes, and is the leading cause of permanent disability in adults.
The sequelae are varied, and each will require a specific treatment. However, treating them early can prevent long-term disability.
Now, how do you go from having a stroke to experiencing these types of complications?
The doctor explains that in a first stage, the patient is treated in a health center by doctors specialized in the management of stroke. Once stabilized, it requires the attention of a multidisciplinary team composed of physiatrists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, kinesiologists, who work together with the neurologist.
It is important to consult before symptoms compatible with this disorder, which affects the central nervous system. Photo Shutterstock.
Then, between three and 18 months after the stroke, brain injuries can cause "a change in muscle remodeling" that leads to developing a severe form of spasticity, he says.
As a result, it highlights that, if there is no treatment, in general, at three months almost 3 out of 10 patients develop spasticity, a figure that doubles at 6 months and reaches almost 6 out of 10.
How spasticity is treated
"The correct approach to this condition is key to reducing its impact and will be indicated according to the degree and conditions of the patient we are evaluating. Currently there are different therapeutic options to treat it and avoid or reduce the complications it entails", introduces Molinuevo.
The options are:
- Pharmacological treatment, with myorelaxant medication or specific medications to lower spasticity.
- Rehabilitation therapies such as kinesiology, occupational therapy. There are treatments with orthoses, with splints that help us place the compromised limb or joint in a better position.
- Local treatment with botulinum toxin. "It has a lot of adherence among the health team because it is very effective, to do so you need an expert professional in its placement," he explains.
- In more severe cases there is a surgical indication.
What can be expected from one of these treatments? "An improvement in people's quality of life and functionality; his mobility, speech, the way he walks or the possibility of doing things he likes", closes Molinuevo.
The first national post-stroke spasticity screening campaign runs through August 11. Those who identify having symptoms of this condition, can request a free appointment with specialists from various parts of the country through the web www.pedirturno.com.ar or by calling 0800 220 0082, Monday to Friday, from 8 to 12. The effective attention will be from August 14 to 23.
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