John Wahl, age 13, of Portland, Ore., for his question:
WHAT IS PARALYSIS?
Paralysis is a complete or partial loss of the ability to feel and move. Muscular motion is produced by the stimulation of certain nerve cells in the spinal cord and the brain. When nartain areas of the nervous system are not working properly, muscule movement is impaired.
The paralysis may originate in the cells of the brain or the spinal cord, in their connecting pathways, or in the nerves leading to the muscles.
A disorder that is located on the right side of the brain causes paralysis on the left side of the body, while a problem on the left side of the brain affects the right side of the body.
The two most common types of paralysis that can strike a human being are spastic paralysis and flaccid paralysis.
In spastic paralysis, the muscles are weak, but tense and rigid. In this case, the nerve cells in the brain are disturbed.
Flaccid paralysis produces weak and flabby muscles. The disease in this case strikes the nerves that connect directly with the muscles. Polio is this type of disease.
Sometimes paralysis can be caused by skull injuries affecting the brain, or by brain abscesses, tumors and blood vessel disturbances. If the spinal cord is injured, the nerves below the point of injury can no longer move the muscles they control.
There are also some diseases of the spinal cord that cause loss of muscular movement, including spinal meningitis.
Sometimes a muscle may not move because it, and not the nervous system, is defective.
Emotional excitement may also bring on muscular weakness, the so called hysterical paralysis.
Still another type of paralysis is called paraplegia. Here the legs and lower part of the body are paralyzed. Paraplegia can be caused by disease or injury of the spinal cord.
Paralysis agitans or shaking palsy are other names for Parkinson's disease. This is a disease that usually has its onset with adults between the ages of 50 and 65. One of the symptoms is a bit like paralysis: there's a rigidity or stiffness in the muscles. Another early symptom is a tremor or shaking of the hands, feet, head or lower jaw.
Treatment of paralysis depends on the disease or injury that caused it. Exercise, massage, electrical treatments and the use of splints or other braces are some of the treatments.