Why does the body move by itself, and who takes away the control of the body?
Physiotherapy, vocational rehabilitation, speech therapy and regular exercise also improve quality of life.
Why does the body move by itself, and who takes away the control of the body?
Uncontrolled changes in body movements are called movement disorders, which are caused by disturbances in the nervous system of the brain.
Many of us have seen the problem of someone's hands constantly shaking, neck twitching, face twitching involuntarily, hands not moving when trying to write or legs moving at night when trying to sleep.
Most people ignore these symptoms as the effects of aging, weakness, stress or vitamin deficiency. But such symptoms can be a sign of a disturbance in the system that controls the movement of the brain. This problem is called 'movement disorder' in medical language, i.e. disease related to uncontrollable movement.
The human brain is the most complex and amazing part of the body. Walking, running, writing, speaking, smiling, eating or even the smallest activities are controlled by the brain in a very subtle way.
Some special parts of the brain, especially the basal ganglia, cerebellum and the nerve network connecting them, are making the movement of the body balanced, smooth and coordinated. When there is a problem in these parts, the body starts to move against the patient's will.
The most common problem is tremor. When drinking tea, holding a spoon or signing, the hands may tremble, sometimes even the head or voice may tremble. Essential tremor and Parkinson's disease seen in many elderly people are the main causes.
Not all tremors are Parkinson's, therefore, an accurate diagnosis is essential. Parkinson's disease is one of the major neurological diseases that increase with age. Symptoms such as slow movement of limbs, body stiffness, hand tremors when resting, loss of balance and reduced facial expression are seen.
Previously, this disease was considered very complicated, but now, thanks to effective drugs, restorative treatments and modern surgical techniques, patients can live an active and dignified life for a long time.
Another important problem is dystonia. In this, some muscles of the body contract uncontrollably, so the neck becomes bent, the eyes keep closing by themselves, the mouth or voice changes, or the hands go into an unnatural state. Its special type is writer's cramp.
In such a condition, the person can do all other work normally, but only after starting to write, the hand becomes stiff, the fingers become crooked and it becomes difficult to hold the pen. This problem can be seen in students, teachers, bank employees, writers and people who have to write a lot.
It is ignored for years as a simple weakness or mental stress, while with timely treatment, good improvement is possible.
In some patients, the limbs of the body move irregularly like dancing. It is called Korea. Slow jerking movements are called athetosis and sudden jerking movements are called myoclonus.
Some children and young people have the habit of blinking their eyes, opening their mouths, shaking their necks or making noises. Such conditions are called tics. Most of these are treatable.
Restless legs syndrome is a problem that many people experience but is less discussed. It has a strong urge to move the legs especially in the evening or when resting at night. The patient feels crawling, tingling, burning or pulling in the legs.
Moving the legs gives relief for some time, but when resting again, the problem recurs. As a result, sleep is disturbed, fatigue throughout the day, irritability and reduced ability to work. Most people don't care, thinking of it as a habit or a gas problem. But it is also a neurological disease and effective treatment is available.
Why do these diseases appear?
There can be many reasons. Changes in brain cells with age, hereditary effects, stroke, brain injury, long-term use of certain drugs, lack of iron in the body, diabetes, kidney disease or other neurological diseases can also cause uncontrolled movement.
Identification and treatment
To identify the disease, the patient's history, neurological examination, blood test if necessary, MRI, CT scan and other special tests are done. The most important thing is not to self-medicate and consult a specialist without delay.
As far as treatment is concerned, it varies according to the disease. Many patients get better with medicine. Botulinum toxin injections are very effective in many patients with dystonia.
Physiotherapy, vocational rehabilitation, speech therapy and regular exercise also improve quality of life. When drugs don't work enough, modern functional neurosurgery offers new hope. Its most successful technique is Deep Brain Stimulation.
In this, a small electrode is placed in a certain part of the brain and a light electrical stimulation is given by a battery connected under the skin. It can significantly improve Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, dystonia and some other movement related diseases by controlling abnormal nerve signals.
This treatment is successfully available not only in the developed countries of the world, but also in Nepal. Deep Brain Stimulation services are regularly available with us, and most patients have seen significant improvement and encouraging results from this treatment.
In society, such diseases are still considered to be the effects of old age, devastation, weakness or mental problems There is a tendency to misunderstand it. Due to such confusion, many patients are deprived of treatment.
The reality is, most movement disorders can be controlled if detected early, and many patients can return to a normal life.
If any part of the body starts shaking for no reason, if it is difficult to write, if the neck or face starts bending on its own, if there are uncontrollable tremors, or if there is a problem of moving the legs at night, it should not be considered normal. It is wise to consult a neurologist or neurosurgeon in time.
Only with a health-conscious citizenry, timely diagnosis and access to modern treatment can we reduce the disability caused by uncontrolled movement disorders.
