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Hemiplegia is a condition in which half of a body is paralyzed. Hemiplegia is more severe than hemiparesis, wherein one half of the body is weakened but not paralysed.[1] Hemiplegia may be congenital or acquired from an illness or stroke.
[edit] Causes
The most common cause of hemiplegia is a cerebrovascular accident, also known as a stroke. Strokes may also cause less severe conditions like hemiparesis and spasticity, however these could be minimized through rigorous post-trauma physical therapy.[2]
Alternate causes of hemiplegia include any spinal cord injury, specifically Brown-Séquard syndrome, traumatic brain injury, or other disease affecting the central nervous system. Injury to only one of the cerebral hemispheres is more likely to cause hemiplegia. In cerebral palsy, damage to the hemisphere may limit function or cause spasticity without resulting in total paralysis of one half of the body.
[edit] Medial medullary syndrome
[edit] Common causes by etiology
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Hemiplegia/Hemiparesis
- ^ Patten C, Lexell J, Brown HE. Weakness and strength training in persons with poststroke hemiplegia: Rationale, method, and efficacy. J Rehab Res Dev 2004;41:293-312. PMID 15543447.
- ^ http://www.samehlabib.com/Books/Neurology.doc
- ^ http://www.lakesidepress.com/pulmonary/Sleep/sleep-paralysis.htm
[edit] External links
