What is Motor Neurone Disease (MND)? Motor neurone disease (MND) refers to a group of diseases where nerves called motor neurons, which carry messages from the brain to the muscles, are affected (MND Australia 2021). MND is progressive and over time motor neurons become damaged, leading to weakness in the muscles that allow walking, speaking, … Read more
Also known as the Late Effects of Polio What is Polio? Poliomyelitis, commonly known as Polio, is caused by a virus that enters the nervous system and causes paralysis by damaging nerves called motor neurons (Polio Australia, 2021). Although paralysis is the most noticeable sign of polio, very few cases ever lead to paralysis. The … Read more
What is Rett Syndrome Rett Syndrome is a genetic, neurodevelopment disorder. It affects females almost exclusively and is caused by a genetic mutation on the X chromosome. Worldwide it occurs in 1 in every 10,000 females at birth, and is even rarer in males. Babies usually develop normally, but between 6 – 18 months gradually … Read more
Dance for Parkinson’s – what is Parkinson’s Parkinson’s Disease is a neurodegenerative disorder. A neurodegenerative disorder is when cells in the central nervous system (the brain and the spinal cord) stop working or die. In Parkinson’s disease, a part of the brain called the substantia nigra (part of the basal ganglia) is affected. The substantia … Read more
What is Myasthenia Gravis? Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disorder. In MG, anti-bodies destroy the communication between nerves and muscle which results in muscle weakness. MG impacts voluntary muscles (the muscles we have control over) – most commonly the muscles that control the eyes, mouth, throats and limbs. It is a rare disease, affecting … Read more
How common is MS? The 30th of May is World MS day. Like me, you may have grown up doing the MS read-a-thon, or have heard of the disease Multiple Sclerosis. It’s estimated that 2.8 million people around the world have MS, with worldwide data suggesting there has been an increase in the number of … Read more
May is a month to raise awareness for Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIPD). What is Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy CIPD is similar to Guillain-Barre Syndrome but can last for longer periods of time. It is a progressive disease where the bodies immune system attacks itself. The nerves that branch out from the brain and the … Read more
May is Guillain-Barre Syndrome and Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy awareness month so the next two blogs will be discussing these conditions. Let’s start with GBS or Guillain-Barre Syndrome. What is Guillain-Barre Syndrome GBS is a rare lower motor neuron disorder where your body’s immune system, which usually only attacks invading organisms, mistakenly attacks your … Read more
What is post-concussion syndrome? A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury. It occurs following trauma to the head and causes your brain to move slightly within the skull. Post-concussion syndrome (PCS) is a collection of symptoms which may occur after a concussion. Not everyone who experiences a concussion will experience PCS, in fact most … Read more
What is aquatic hydrotherapy? Aquatic physiotherapy for stroke is popular, but what exactly is it? In aquatic physiotherapy you will do exercises in the pool under the guidance of your physiotherapist. The properties of water including buoyancy, hydrostatic pressure, viscosity, and thermodynamics have been shown to provide a therapeutic environment to help reduce pain, increase … Read more