What Is Spasticity? Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment
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Spasticity doesn’t have to be treated if it’s not causing bothersome symptoms.
However, if symptoms interfere with daily activities or lead to a loss of function, doctors have a number of therapies they can recommend.
Oral Medications
Some oral medicines that are used to treat spasticity symptoms include:
Injections
Doctors can inject phenol, alcohol, anesthetic medicines, or neurotoxins — onabotulinumtoxina (Botox), abobotulinumtoxina (Dysport), rimabotulinumtoxina (Myobloc), or incobotulinumtoxina (Xeomin) — directly into muscles and nerves to control spasticity. The results usually last three to six months.
Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapy
Physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) can be useful for helping people with spasticity manage their symptoms.
With PT, therapists teach patients how to perform specific stretching and strengthening exercises that can improve mobility and range of motion.
OT typically involves exercises that focus on improving coordination and strength, so individuals can better perform daily activities.
Some people with spasticity also benefit from speech therapy.
Surgery
Surgical options for treating spasticity include:
- Intrathecal Baclofen Therapy (ITB) With ITB therapy, a programmable pump is implanted under the skin of the abdomen, and a catheter connected to it delivers baclofen directly to the spinal cord. It’s sometimes used to treat spasticity that’s severe.
- Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR) SDR involves cutting selected nerve roots to reduce severe spasticity in the legs. It’s most commonly done in people with cerebral palsy.
Assistive Devices
Assistive devices, such as splints, braces, or casts, can help people with spasticity maintain continuous muscle stretching and flexibility.
- Canes, walkers, or wheelchairs
- Grab bars
- Shower benches
- Raised toilet seats
- Ramps
Complementary Approaches
Some people with spasticity turn to alternative or complementary approaches to ease their symptoms. While not all these therapies have been proven to work, they might be helpful for certain individuals.
Home Remedies
Activities performed at home that may help ease symptoms of spasticity include:
- Engaging in regular exercise
- Stretching
- Using cold packs
- Drinking plenty of water
- Eating a high-fiber diet
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