Ataxia

Clinic

• Recently Ataxia is used specifically to describe the symptoms of motor mismatching synchronization and balance disorder due to disorders of
  • Brain
  • Cerebellum
  • Deep sensation (proprioception)
  • Vestibular system

Types

Different pathological locations often show different characteristics.

Sensory ataxia / Propioceptive ataxia

• Sensory Ataxia is a form of ataxia caused not by cerebellar dysfunction. It is due to
  • Loss of Sensory input / Proprioception, which leads to the interruption of sensory feedback signals and therefore, the body incoordination is caused.
  • Dysfunction of dorsal columns of spinal cord (Carry proprioceptive information)
  • Dysfunction of various parts of brain that receive positional information, including the cerebellum, thalamus and parietal lobes.
• Cerebellar Ataxia: Positive Romberg’s sign means that slow Walking / Rolling become mild when eyes are open and aggravated when eyes are closed.
• Truncal ataxia: Often Cerebellar vermis is involved. It has Uncertain starts and stops, Lateral deviations and Unequal steps
• Limb ataxia: Often cerebellar hemisphere is involved. The corresponding patients often have eye tremor, low muscle tension, unclear speech, and other symptoms

• Spinocerebellar ataxia: A progressive, degenerative, genetic disease with multiple types, each of which could be considered a neurological condition

• Vestibulocerebellar ataxia
  • Flocculonodular lobe is involved
  • Balance disturbances
  • Control of eye movements
  • Postural instability
  • Negative Romberg's test
• Bilateral vestibular hypofunction
• Acute cerebellar ataxia of childhood
• Vestibular ataxia

Ataxia as a COD

• Ataxia is a COD, since it has a variety of Sigh / Symptoms which have a common axis, which is named cerebellum. These Sign / Symptoms arise from different pars of cerebellum and their extra cerebellar centers.
• As I explained it in more details in Nerocognitive considerations, Ultra complexity of our nervous system does not let neuroscientists to localized Functional units Anatomically / Physiologically.
• Although it is very Tempting to isolate the functional units of nervous system, But we are not allowed to delay the treatment of patients until these physiological units are isolated.
• So TLT tries to make a model by use these functional units only by their function and dysfunction.

Entities

• Lack of voluntary coordination of muscle movements that can include
  • Gait abnormality: Balance disturbances
  • Dysarthria
  • Nystagmus
• Vertigo: Postural instability
• Unsteadiness
• Extremities Incoordination / Awkwardness: Dysdiadochokinesia, Dysmetria, Peculiar writing abnormalities
• Tremor

Note

• Ataxia can be limited to one side of the body, which is referred to as hemiataxia.
• Dystaxia is a mild degree of ataxia.
• Here we have a confusing rubric, named Ataxia. Since it is used in its general them, means unbalance movements. I prefer using this rubric as a general guiding in all problems of Balance system, But for finding one or two miasm, you should add an entity to it.
• So there are three interactive system involved in Ataxia:

1. Propioceptive system
2. Visual / Vestibular system
3. Central system

Remedies

Top remedies	Hallmark	Other Sign / Symptoms
Alum	Ataxia with staggering gait + Legs Heaviness / Numbness He walks with uncertainty. Positive Romberg test: He can walk in daytime although in a staggering way but at night, he or she experiences a complete inability to walk. If he or she closes eyes, there is also a chance of falling down. Bandaged feeling in limbs while walking.	Apart from walking, there is a problem in swallowing food too. The esophagus feels constricted while swallowing at times with a feeling of a lump in throat. Excessive dry feeling in throat may also be present. Difficult swallowing Extreme exhaustion, fatigue and lack of strength are also presented by patients. Increased sensitivity to cold air.
Arg-n	Ataxia with unsteady gait and trembling of limbs Marked loss of balance while walking and standing, along with trembling. He lacks control over his limbs while walking and experiences trembling.	The unsteadiness mostly gets worse when the person is not under any observation. Unsteadiness is accompanied by a marked rigidity in the calf muscles while walking. Muscles of legs also seem very weak while walking or standing.
Caust	Ataxia with unsteady walk and falling easily The fall can be sideways or forward. Caust mainly acts on the nervous system. It can help to a great extent in preventing the falling tendency with an unsteady staggering gait.	Difficulty in articulation with an indistinct speech
Gels	Ataxia with weakness of muscles and fatigue Loss of muscle control is accompanied by excessively weak muscles. Lack of muscle coordination and the muscles seem not to obey the will of the patient. Gait is slow and unsteady.	He feels tired from doing even the slightest work. Other Hallmark symptom is Drowsiness/ Dullness / Dizziness + Inability to coordinate muscular action Another symptom is difficulty in speech with trembling of tongue.

Staring Remedies:
Bell	Nux-v	Zinc
The best Homeopathic remedy for a staggering, difficult and unsteady gait. The muscular coordination is lacking.	Dragging of feet while walking + Inability to lift the feet from ground. Best choice for Ataxia in alcoholics.	Trembling and jerking of limbs accompany the lack of muscle coordination. The feet may show restlessness.   Best choice when limbs pain is dominantly present in the beginning stages of Ataxia.

Advance cases
Lath	Plb	Helo	Phos
Tottering gait+ Emaciation of lower limbs muscles Jerking and trembling while walking ZMarked rigidity of the legs while walking.	Plb is choice in Ataxia + Legs muscles atrophy Pain in legs is also present. Difficulty in raising or lifting anything with hands.	Peculiar gait with high lifting of feet on walking He lifts his feet higher than required while walking and bring them to the ground very hard. Extremely sensitive to cold.	Choice for various eye complaints + Ataxia such as: Dim / Blurred vision Double vision Easy fatigue of eye muscles even from a little use