Partial paralysis can occur due to illness, injury, stroke, or poisoning. It can affect different parts of the body and is caused by nerve damage. Brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and certain diseases can also cause partial paralysis. Proper therapy can help restore muscle function in some cases.
Partial paralysis is a condition that describes a muscle or group of muscles that are not completely paralyzed. Unlike in total paralysis, where no movement is possible, with partial paralysis, the muscles can still produce movement to some extent. This condition is typically caused by illness, injury, or stroke. Some types of poisoning can also cause the condition.
Stroke victims often experience some form of paralysis, either total or partial. Strokes typically occur when a blockage or bleeding in an artery cuts off the oxygen supply to the brain. Sometimes this can result in damage that can be centralized in a specific part of the brain. The death of brain cells in the affected region can cause nerve damage, which can interrupt or weaken the signals that nerve endings send to specific muscle groups. In these cases, the brain might signal a hand to make a fist, but the muscle group might interpret it as a simple signal to move a finger.
Brain injuries that occur near the bottom of the skull are the most common type of brain injury that can result in partial paralysis. These lesions often cause partial paralysis of the face and can affect swallowing, speech, and eyelid movement. Often patients who suffer this type of injury are only able to use muscle groups on one side of the face, while the other side can function normally. This condition is sometimes permanent, but in many cases, with proper therapy, muscle function is restored.
Spinal cord injuries account for the vast majority of cases related to partial paralysis. This condition is also referred to as an “incomplete” spinal cord injury. When the spinal cord is injured, it can affect nerve signals anywhere below the point of injury. These injuries can cause partial paralysis in many different parts of the body. In some cases, the spinal cord heals and muscle and nerve function return to normal, but depending on the severity of the injury, the paralysis can become a permanent condition.
Poisoning sometimes causes partial paralysis. Lead poisoning, for example, can cause the condition, however due to health and safety regulations that control human exposure to lead, this is no longer a common occurrence. Diseases that could cause partial paralysis include Bell’s palsy, Lyme disease, and Alpers syndrome. In addition to experiencing incomplete muscle movement, people suffering from these diseases may also experience pain in the affected area.
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