Muscle Spasticity Pain Relief
Pain is one of those universal things: chronic or occasional, we all experience it. However, for those who deal with it on a constant or near-constant basis, it can greatly inhibit your quality of life. If you have spasticity pain, it can even become debilitating, preventing you from working or even leaving your home. Luckily, you don’t have to just accept it. With Gateway Spine & Pain Physicians, you can access the spasticity treatment you need to feel better and live better.
A Primer on Muscle Spasticity Pain
Our muscles contract and relax as a central part of their functionality. However, for some people, this can go haywire. Their muscles can contract involuntarily, causing tightness and stiffness that inhibits daily activities and even causes severe pain. In some cases, they spasm, causing both pain and a lack of control over the part of the body affected.
While everyone experiences stiff muscles and muscle twitches from time to time, this usually is not considered spasticity until it reaches the point of causing pain or inhibiting your ability to move or control a limb. If your muscle concerns have escalated beyond what is universal, you need to seek treatment.
What Are Spasticity Symptoms to Look For?
Common symptoms of muscle spasticity include:
- Increased muscle tone
- Overexcited reflexes
- Involuntary movement
- Pain
- Decreased motor abilities
- Delayed motor development
- Difficulty with basic tasks
- Abnormal posture
- Permanent contraction of the muscle and tendon
- Bone and joint deformities due to contraction
Causes of Muscle Spasticity
While there can be a variety of factors contributing to the development of muscle spasticity, in nearly all cases, there will be an injury to the nervous system at play. In most cases, this will be to the brain or spinal cord, though other nerve injuries can also contribute. The damage disrupts the communication between the nervous system and the muscles, increasing activity within them that leads to cramping or spasms.
Who Is at Risk of Developing Muscle Spasticity
Anyone can develop muscle spasticity but those with the following conditions are at the greatest risk:
- Cerebral palsy
- Multiple sclerosis
- Stroke
- Brain injury
- Spinal cord injury
Spasticity Diagnosis and Management
Treating this condition requires understanding the spasticity causes contributing to it. In most cases, it ties into another neurological condition. Our doctors review your medical history, look at medications you have taken, and ask about neurological conditions present in your family. They also perform a physical evaluation and typically perform tests of your motor skills and muscle activity. If they determine that spasticity is present, they will create a treatment plan tailored to your needs.
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