Nearly everyone has experienced a twitch in their eyelid or muscle spasm in an extremity at some point. Most of these movements are entirely normal and are often due to overuse of muscles, fatigue, or dehydration. But for some, involuntary muscle spasms or other movements indicate a deeper problem. Medically classified movement disorders are prevalent and include more than 30 different categories.
Essential tremors, the most common movement disorder affecting approximately five million people in the U.S. today, and Wilson’s disease, which occurs in one in every 30,000 people, are among the many other conditions under the umbrella of movement disorders.
So, What Are Movement Disorders?
In the simplest terms, movement disorders are nervous system or neurological conditions that cause abnormal increased movements or, conversely, reduced or slowed movements. These movements can be voluntary or involuntary. Just as balance disorders can affect daily activities such as walking or simple projects or tasks, the same is true for movement disorders. Symptoms of movement disorders vary as widely as the number of movement disorders and often change or fluctuate. The severity of symptoms is affected by anxiety, medications, stress, fatigue, and more.
Diagnosis and Treatment Options
As with most medical conditions, diagnosis of a movement disorder typically starts with taking a family history, a review of symptoms, a physical exam, and any number of tests. Your doctor will be well-versed in what tests are necessary to achieve a proper diagnosis. While there are no “cures” for movement disorders, there are several treatment options, including some that reduce or reverse the symptoms in a safe, effective, and drug-free manner.
A Functional Approach to Treating Movement Disorders
As more and more patients seek care that does not rely on drug therapies, functional medicine doctors are answering the call. Experts in the connection between the brain and nervous system, Chiropractic Neurologists believe in a whole-body approach to treatment. By designing personalized care plans that seek to reestablish standard movement patterns, your Chiropractic Neurologist can help you reverse the symptoms of movement disorders by retraining the brain through chiropractic care, physical rehabilitation and neurological exercises … all without drugs or surgeries.
Just as the results are promising, so are the advances in awareness around movement disorders. In recent years, there has been enormous growth in new diagnostic information, noninvasive treatments, and a greater understanding of impaired motor control. The Movement Disorder Society was founded to share this information with physicians and patients and has a variety of resources available on its website.
Our team of doctors at Georgia Chiropractic Neurology Center is highly trained to treat patients of all ages who suffer from various movement disorders. If you or a loved one would like to learn more about how Chiropractic Neurology can help you, please contact us today.