Ataxia is a disorder in the coordination function of the nerves of the brain and muscles that makes it difficult for the sufferer to move the limbs properly. Irregular and difficult to control body movements cause ataxia sufferers to have difficulty in carrying out daily activities.
Ataxia is actually not a disease, but a sign or symptom of a certain disease or medical condition that attacks the cerebellum. The cerebellum is the part of the brain that functions to regulate balance and coordination of body movements.
When affected by ataxia and impaired coordination of body movements, a person will experience various complaints that can make it difficult to work or carry out activities, such as body shaking or tremors, weak muscles, and difficulty speaking, standing, sitting, and walking.
Some Possible Causes of Ataxia
There are several diseases or medical conditions that can cause ataxia, including:
- Genetic disorders or birth defects of the cerebellum or spinal cord
- Disorders of the cerebellum, such as brain tumors, stroke, bleeding
- Cerebral palsy or brain paralysis
- Accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid or hydrocephalus
- Autoimmune disorders, such as multiple sclerosis
- Injury to the head or spinal cord (spinal cord injury)
- Hormonal disorders, such as abnormalities in thyroid hormone and parathyroid hormone
- Malnutrition or malnutrition, especially a deficiency or deficiency of vitamin B12 and vitamin E
- Chemical poisoning, such as mercury, cadmium, barium, arsenic and lead
- Side effects of drugs, such as epilepsy drugs, lithium, and chemotherapy
- Infection
In addition, ataxia can also be caused by unhealthy habits, such as frequently consuming excessive amounts of alcoholic beverages.
Types and Symptoms of Ataxia
When affected by disorders of the nerves and brain that regulate the coordination of body movements, a person will experience the following symptoms of ataxia:
- Difficulty speaking, the words spoken are not clear, and the tempo of speech becomes slow
- Difficulty walking and maintaining balance
- Often trips or falls when walking or standing
- Difficulty moving hands to perform daily activities, such as eating, writing, buttoning clothes, or picking up objects
- Impaired control of eye movement or nystagmus, so that vision appears blurry and it is difficult to read or see
- Difficulty swallowing, often choking when eating or drinking
- Tired easily
These symptoms can mimic those of other conditions, such as a stroke, brain tumor, or Parkinson's disease. Therefore, to determine whether the symptoms that appear are symptoms of ataxia and determine the cause, an examination by a neurologist is needed.
To diagnose ataxia and determine the cause, the doctor will perform a physical examination and supporting examinations which include blood tests, cerebrospinal fluid analysis or lumbar puncture, genetic tests, electromyography or EMG, as well as radiological examinations of the brain such as CT scan or MRI.
Ataxia Treatment Steps
After determining the diagnosis, the doctor will determine the treatment steps according to the cause. For example, if the ataxia is caused by a nutritional deficiency, your doctor may prescribe additional nutritional supplements.
In addition, the doctor can also provide several treatment methods, such as:
1. Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy aims to restore the body's ability to move, pick up and move objects, and perform daily activities independently.
2. Speech therapy
Speech therapy is used to treat ataxia sufferers who have difficulty speaking, swallowing, or moving the jaw and mouth muscles.
3. Occupational therapy
This therapy aims to help improve the quality of life and help people with ataxia to be able to live independently without being helped by tools or other people. With occupational therapy, ataxia sufferers will be trained and guided to be able to eat, dress, bathe, and write.
4. Administration of drugs
The purpose of administering drugs is to treat disorders of the muscles, eyes, nerves, and other parts caused by ataxia. Medications can also be given to treat conditions that cause ataxia, such as antibiotics to treat infections in the brain.
Until now, there is no proven effective way to prevent or cure ataxia. Treatment for ataxia in general only aims to help people with ataxia to be able to carry out their normal activities.
Therefore, if you or any of your family members experience symptoms of ataxia as mentioned above, immediately consult a neurologist to get treatment as early as possible.
If detected early, ataxia may still be treatable. However, if it lasts too long, ataxia can cause permanent brain damage and impaired coordination of body movement.
