Neurophysiotherapy
What is Neurological physiotherapy?
Neurological disorders, such as stroke, Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson's disease, affect the brain, spinal cord and nerves, which can then affect day-to-day life. Neurological physiotherapy refers to the rehabilitation of people with neurological conditions with the aim to improve daily activities. Physiotherapy could also include maintenance treatment for people with progressive diseases.
What makes Neurological physiotherapy different?
Damage to the nervous system may leave you with muscles that feel weak or very tight and your movement can be uncoordinated. This movement disorders can be accompanied by altered sensation, tremor or spasms. Neurological physiotherapists are experienced in treating neurological patients and attend courses specific to neurological physiotherapy to further their knowledge in this area.
What can I expect?
An hour-long initial assessment will consist of discussing your current and previous function and a full physical assessment. Physiotherapy goals would then be set before treatment is started. Your treatment will depend on your individual symptoms and will promote movement and aim to improve your day-to-day function. Treatment is specific to you, and can involve stretching, strengthening, balance and walking practice (if appropriate), postural awareness and control and education. Advice and recommendations will also be given on suitable walking aids. Treatment programmes vary depending on your symptoms and condition. With your consent we will liaise directly with your GP and other relevant medical professionals.
Treatment programmes may include:
- Developing gross and fine motor skills
- Re-educating normal movement patterns
- Improving standing and quality of walking
- Offering guidance and advice to family and carers
- Stretching
- Strengthening
- Balance exercises
Physiotherapy regularly utilises hands-on treatment combined with exercise to aid improvement. For adults with physical neurological problems physiotherapy should begin almost immediately. At Parkside Hospital we are able to offer early intervention with minimal or no waiting times.
Who may benefit from neurological physiotherapy?
Anyone with a neurological condition, who wants to achieve a personal physical goal, increases their independence, personalise an existing/outdated exercise programme, increase their fitness or improve their balance.
Conditions mainly include:
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Parkinson’s disease
- Peripheral nerve injury
- Head injury
- Guillain Barre Syndrome
- Facial Palsy
- Motor Neurone Disease
- Stroke
Aquatic Physiotherapy (Hydrotherapy)
We also offer Aquatic Physiotherapy (Hydrotherapy)for patients with neurological conditions. There are very specific benefits from hydrotherapy that includes:
- Improved mobility – people are able to perform activities in the pool that they are unable to perform on dry land. As you progress and get stronger, these activities may be able to be performed outside the pool.
- Reduced fear of falling because the water naturally supports you.
- Strengthening, balance and coordination can be improved as you exercise against the water resistance.
- Reduced pain and muscle spasms as the water is a comfortable, therapeutic environment.
- Improved and maintained joint range of movement.
- Increased physical fitness and functional tolerances.
- Improved posture and stimulated circulation.
- Improved self confidence
Hydrotherapy is a very versatile treatment that is used to treat a huge variety of patients with a range of abilities and rehabilitation goals.
Links:
MS Society: www.mssociety.org.uk/about_ms/everyday_living/exercise_and_physiotherapy/index.html
Parkinson’s Society: www.parkinsons.org.uk/about_parkinsons/treating_parkinsons/therapies.aspx
What is Vestibular Rehabilitation?
Vestibular Rehabilitation refers to the rehabilitation of people after damage, disease or injury to the vestibular organs. When this happens the brain can no longer rely on them for accurate information about balance and movement. This often results in dizziness, vertigo, balance problems, and other symptoms. For example, a person with a vestibular disorder might turn the entire body rather than just the head when turning to look at something or have a tendency to touch or hold onto something when standing, or to touch or hold the head while seated. These strategies can often cause headache, muscle tension, and tiredness.
The goal of Vestibular Rehabilitation is to retrain the brain to recognize and process signals from the vestibular system in coordination with your eyes, muscles and joints. This often involves desensitizing the balance system to movements that provoke symptoms.
Symptoms may include:
- Spinning or whirling sensation; an illusion of movement of self or the world (vertigo)
- Lightheaded, floating, or rocking sensation (dizziness)
- Stumbling, difficulty walking straight or turning a corner
- Difficulty maintaining straight posture; tendency to look downward to confirm the location of the ground
- Head may be held in a tilted position
- Difficulty finding stability in crowds or in large open spaces
- Trouble focusing or tracking objects with the eyes; objects or words on a page seem to jump, bounce, float, or blur or may appear doubled
- Discomfort from busy visual environments such as traffic, crowds, stores, and patterns
- Difficulty walking in the dark
- Sudden loud sounds may increase symptoms of vertigo, dizziness, or imbalance
- Nausea or vomiting
What happens during Vestibular Rehabilitation?
A Physiotherapist will conduct a thorough hour-long assessment that begins with a medical history and includes observing posture, balance and gait. The assessment may also include eye-head coordination tests that measure how well a person’s eyes track a moving object with or without head movement. Using the assessment results, the therapist will develop an individualized treatment plan that includes specific head, body, and eye exercises to be performed both in the therapy setting and at home. These exercises are designed to retrain the brain to recognize and process signals from the vestibular system and coordinate them with information from your eyes, muscles and joints. The key to a successful rehabilitation plan is accurate identification of the problem and a systematic and progressive program of exercises. Exercises prescribed depend directly on the underlying cause of your dizziness.
Who may benefit from Vestibular Rehabilitation?
Vestibular Rehabilitation can help with a variety of vestibular problems that includes rehabilitation of balance between attacks in people with Ménière’s disease and individuals with long-term unresolved inner ear disorders who have undergone a period of medical management with little or no success.
Conditions may include:
- Vestibular Neuritis/ Labyrinthitis
- Acoustic Neuroma(after surgery)
- Benign Paroxismal Positional Vertigo(BPPV)
For further reading please visit the following website:
If you think you may benefit from seeing a neurological physiotherapist you can ring 020 89718021 to make an appointment. Alternatively you can ask your consultant or GP to make a referral. Your health insurance may cover physiotherapy treatment or you can pay privately.
If you would like more information about our Neurophysiotherapy service, please get in contact with us by phoning 020 8971 8000 or use our contact page.
