Types of paralysis
Doctors classify paralysis by location and severity:
- paraplegia - paralysis of the legs;
- quadriplegia - paralysis of the arms, legs and torso at the site of injury or abnormality of the spine;
- hemiplegia is paralysis of one side of the body.
A paralyzed person cannot move at will or control the affected part of the body. Depending on the cause and type, the paralysis may be widespread or limited to one limb; temporary or permanent.
Some paralyzed people have uncontrollable muscle spasms (spastic paralysis) or completely relaxed muscles (flaccid paralysis).
Negligence?
Ambulance paramedic of the Kizilsky district of the Chelyabinsk region Olga Penzina began her shift at the beginning of last week. She was informed that she was going to take tests from two families who had recently returned from a trip to the UAE. Penzina’s daily duty took place in the village of Put Oktyabrya, and it is located not far from the villages where tourists live. The paramedic protested: “Why me? There are specially trained laboratory assistants. I don’t know how, I’ve never done it.” To which she received a firm answer that she didn’t care on the way, because she was going on duty in a neighboring village, and driving the car a second time into the depths of the area would only waste gasoline. “Perhaps there are not infected there,” Olga now reports the words of the leaders. — People have been in Russia for a week now, there are no symptoms. They gave me a regular disposable gown, mask, goggles and gloves, showed me how to take tests, and sent me on my way.”
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I was afraid that I had infected others. In Italy, doctors are dying due to COVID-19. Penzina took tests from nine people, including a six-month-old child. Moreover, South Urals residents who returned from abroad were in no hurry to self-isolate. They lived an ordinary life, came into contact with people in banks, shops, and on the street. One of the returnees was selling meat at the market, so his contacts are now difficult to calculate.
Penzina says the family did not comply with the requirement to report their return to the Ministry of Health and maintain quarantine. They were almost forced to let a health worker into the house and take swabs.
Olga claims that they did not rush to send the tests she took in a special container to Chelyabinsk, to the laboratory. They stood for some time, waiting in the wings, in the village first-aid post.
Sudden paralysis
If paralysis develops suddenly, seek medical attention immediately. If you suspect a head, neck, or back injury, do not move the person unless their life is in danger, such as from fire or explosion. Wait until the professionals arrive.
To prevent further injury, stabilize the spine by keeping the victim's head in line with the body. To do this, use blankets, towels, and clothes, placing them on the sides, near the victim’s head and neck.
Do not give the victim anything to drink.
If you suspect a head, neck, or back injury, do not move the victim.
Treatment
Photo: golovazdorova.ru
Treatment is primarily aimed at eliminating the factor that caused the development of paralysis. For example, if a tumor is present, surgical intervention is required, during which the formation is removed. In the case of an infectious disease of the nervous system of bacterial etiology, antibacterial agents are prescribed. The choice of a specific antibiotic is made based on the data obtained on the sensitivity of pathogenic microorganisms.
Drugs that improve the conduction of impulses along nerve fibers are also used. In addition, so-called neurotrophic drugs are prescribed, the action of which is aimed at restoring nervous tissue. To improve metabolic processes in the brain and spinal cord, vascular drugs are prescribed. As you know, B vitamins improve neuromuscular conduction, which is why periodic administration of these drugs is rational.
What doctors are doing
Emergency doctors immobilize the spine, take measures to reduce the pressure inside the skull, and administer oxygen. A breathing tube may be inserted into the patient.
Providing breathing
A ventilator may be used in the hospital. Research is being done to determine the cause of the paralysis.
Ensuring swallowing
If the cranial nerves that control eye movements, tongue movements, facial expression, swallowing, and other important functions are paralyzed, the patient may have difficulty swallowing. To avoid exhaustion, he is prescribed liquid and soft foods, feeding through a tube or intravenously.
Maintaining muscle tone and joint function
To maintain muscle tone in paralyzed limbs, the arms and legs must be subjected to special exercises daily.
To avoid abnormal joint position, called contracture, splints are placed on paralyzed limbs. Special devices are used if the patient cannot raise the foot and it hangs down.
Fighting bedsores
Bedsores can be minimized by changing the patient's position frequently and taking good care of the skin.
Preventing Lung Problems
Your doctor may prescribe physical therapy for your chest. It includes special postures, tapping, vibration, as well as coughing and deep breathing exercises.
This helps the patient:
- cough up pulmonary secretions;
- expand the lungs;
- more effectively use the muscles that provide breathing.
Acceleration of rehabilitation
As you recover, physical, speech, and occupational therapy can help you overcome specific difficulties.
Icons are painted by a paralyzed man
Since 2002, I have been completely paralyzed. In return, the Lord has given me incomparably more.
From my youth I led a not entirely righteous life, or rather a completely unrighteous life.
I always felt the presence of an Angel of God nearby, who protected me from the fruits of my life. With great delight and pride, I told my loved ones about this. I loved to speculate about Holy Scripture, but I never thought of letting the Lord into my life.
And then one day, running at full speed, I jumped off the cliff into the water head first, as many young people do on the river. Feeling the impact on the bottom, there was a strong cracking sound in my ears, I thought: “I have to swim out, I’ll sort it out upstairs.” And then I realized that my body was not listening to me. Slowly sinking to the bottom of the river, looking at the bright greenery and the fish frolicking in it, realizing that I need to take the last breath in my worthless life and this breath is the most important event in it. According to people's stories, a blue corpse was already taken out of the water.
The human brain can be without oxygen for no more than 5 minutes; after 7 minutes it dies.
In my case it was more than 20 minutes. The people surrounding my body looked at me in horror and suddenly one man and a girl decided to take a risk. They desperately began to perform artificial respiration and shake the water out of me, not suspecting that the fragments of the cervical vertebrae were irreversibly crippling my spinal cord.
Water came out of the lungs, the body began to take on a normal appearance and breathing began.
The Lord took pity on me and gave me another chance. With this sigh I received a new birth.
In an unconscious state, I was transported to the nearest hospital, and on the way I howled like a wild animal. The doctors at that hospital said: “he has a couple of hours left to live.”
The night has passed. Without waiting for death, I was sent to the city hospital.
I regained consciousness at the moment when two young doctors were standing over me, drilling into my head with a drill. From the conversation I realized that there was no chance. " What happened with me?" I asked with difficulty. They remained silent.
The first operation lasted seven hours. My relatives, who were waiting for her to end, were told: “We did everything possible, after such injuries they don’t live long, maybe a couple of days.”
In fact, this is true, because seven cervical vertebrae were split into pieces and about 15 cm of the spinal cord column was cut, and there were severe ruptures and bruises of the column.
No, I don't blame my rescuers who diligently helped me. Until the end of my life I will be grateful to them, because if I had not forcibly knocked the water out of my lungs, my abode now would have been the very bottom of hell.
Terrible weeks and months dragged on. Every day, in the literal sense of the word, I had to fight for my life, while watching how people with similar injuries died. The spinal cord controls all processes of the internal organs, and when it is damaged, the organs work on their own. There was a complete loss of immunity, pulmonary edema (severe), uncontrollable body temperature of 40*, the formation of huge kidney stones, dystrophy, bedsores, and many others.
It seemed that life and death had equal powers and there would be no end to their confrontation.
A month later, I turned into a mummy. With a height of 190 cm, my weight was 30 - 40 kg.
There was nothing to wait for. The attending doctor decided to perform a second operation. The second operation lasted the same - seven hours, only almost without anesthesia, since serious anesthesia would have led to cardiac arrest.
I felt like the damaged parts of the vertebrae were being gouged out from the open neck with a hammer and chisel and replaced with new ones, immediately carved from the bone tissue of my pelvis.
During the operation, three clinical deaths were recorded. I had a chance to see my body from the outside, but I had to return to it, and I really wanted to stay where there was no hassle and suffering... But it’s not up to me to decide.
There was another operation, and another, and another, but they did not bring any changes.
For five years, the masters of massage and therapeutic exercises and I worked diligently on my body, “but there is no electricity flowing through the broken cable.” And I came to the conclusion that a multifunctional bed is exactly the place I’ve been dreaming about all my life.
Since 2008, I have a favorite business to which I devote most of my life and people who support me in this. Our artel called Life with God's Help produces the icons that I paint. You can find out about this on the website gitie.ru
The sages said, “Health is a gift, but illness is a priceless gift.”
The difference is incomparable, a feeling of peace of mind, instead of worldly bustle.
A constant feeling of the Lord, in exchange for the temptations of the enemy of the human race.
If it weren’t for the excruciating pain and worries that I’ve been bringing to my mother for 10 years.
But we know that the Kingdom of God is taken by force!
Source www.gitie.ru/Moja-straniza.html
Tony Kwan continues to paint graffiti... with his eyes
Tony Kwan continues to paint graffiti even after being paralyzed
Tony Kwan is considered a pioneer of street art. It was he who created the so-called Los Angeles style.
In 2003, doctors gave Tony the same terrible diagnosis as Stephen Hawking: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Soon he was completely paralyzed, only the muscles of his eyes remained mobile. Surprisingly, with the help of the EyeWriter device developed by the Graffiti Research Laboratory, the man continues to create beautiful works of art.
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EyeWriter is an inexpensive device that allows people to “draw” with their eyes. A person must first select the desired instrument (to do this, he must look at the corresponding icon for four seconds). After this, he can draw any shapes, directing his gaze in one direction or another. The graffiti created by Tony Kwan is then projected and painted onto the walls of real buildings.
Diagnostics
The doctor finds out when the paralysis occurred and what events happened before it. The neurologist must check the leg reflexes.
5-point scale for assessing condition:
- 0 – paralysis;
- 1 – paresis is pronounced;
- 2 – paresis is pronounced;
- 3 – paresis is moderate;
- 4 – mild paresis;
- 5 – complete preservation of muscle strength.
During the examination, the neurologist differentiates the condition between types of paralysis. The specialist evaluates range of motion, superficial and deep reflexes, and identifies atrophy and malnutrition.
Christine Waddell: Facebook chat and 100 grams of vodka per week
Christine Waddell has not lost her love of life
In April 1997, American Christine Waddell suffered a stroke. Her body was completely paralyzed. But Christine tries not to feel sorry for herself and continues to live a full life.
She communicates with others using an alphabet board. The woman simply looks at the required letters one by one, forming words. Even though Waddell can't talk, she hasn't lost her ability to laugh.
Relatives help Kristin communicate with friends by messaging them from her Facebook account. Waddell also says that he drinks 100 grams of vodka every week.
Kate Allat: Amazing Recovery
Kate Allat has fully recovered from isolation syndrome.
Isolation syndrome is considered an incurable disease. But in exceptional cases, people manage to overcome it.
When Kate Allat was 39 years old, she suffered a stroke. The hemorrhage occurred in the area of the brain stem, so the woman was completely paralyzed . Doctors did not give her any chance of recovery, but Kate continued to believe in the best. And after 11 months, thanks to the support of her family and enormous willpower, she regained her ability to speak and began to move again.
When Kate fully recovered, she wrote 3 books, one of which was autobiographical. And the woman decided to devote her life to helping people who had suffered a stroke.
Stephen Hawking: the story of an outstanding scientist
Stephen Hawking is one of the outstanding scientists of our time.
Of course, in this article it was impossible not to mention one of the geniuses of our era - the outstanding theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking.
In 1963, when Stephen was 21 years old, doctors diagnosed him with an incurable disease - amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. According to doctors, he had no more than two to three years to live. With each passing month, the scientist’s body gradually weakened under the influence of the disease. But Hawking developed his mental abilities and studied many sciences.
In the early eighties, Hawking was speechless. The scientist himself invented a device that allowed him to select words from the dictionary with a few clicks of his index finger (at that time the scientist could still move it). Then they were converted into human speech using a special synthesizer. But soon Hawking’s finger also became paralyzed. Now Stephen controls the device using his cheek muscles.
Today he is the most famous and influential scientist in the field of cosmology and quantum gravity. One of his greatest achievements was developing the theory that small black holes slowly “evaporate” by emitting energy later called Hawking radiation.
This is interesting: Stephen is actively involved in popularizing and promoting science to the masses. In 1988, his book “A Brief History of Time” was published, which became a bestseller. There were no complex formulas or mathematical calculations in it. In simple and understandable language, the scientist explained to people the structure, as well as the theory of the origin and development of our Universe. “I was told that every formula used in the book would reduce the number of readers by 2 times. Then I decided to do without them altogether. Although at the end I did mention one equation – Einstein’s famous formula E=mc²,” says Stephen Hawking.
In November 2014, the film “The Theory of Everything” was released about the life of the great scientist. The plot for it was written by Stephen's wife.
