Progressive Neurological Conditions - Worsened with Injury

Hmm, I'm not sure if neurological diseases act like that. An obvious condition that causes gradual motor deterioration is motor neurone disease, but I don't think injury speeds up its progression.

I think something like rheumatoid arthritis might react to injury, but not a neurological disease (someone please correct me if I'm wrong).

Brett Marie said:

I'm hoping someone can point me to a neurological condition that would cause a gradual motor deterioration (like Parkinson's perhaps), but which could be aggravated by an injury.

I have a character with a tremor who gets beaten up badly. I'd like for him to be hospitalized, and for it to become clear that he'll never improve. Any ideas?

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Does the condition have to be aggravated? What if the beating caused a separate brain injury that resulted in the worsening of the tremors, or other neurological damage that would look related to the Parkinson's? Or, even if not resembling a symptom of Parkinson's, be one more thing for the character to deal with?

I know someone with Parkinson's who has had an electrical impulse thing-a-ma-whatever implanted in her brain (not sure what it's called or exactly why, or if there is any external part to it) but she says it helps slow the tremors and works for a few years, then she had to get it done again. She falls a lot and gets injured, but other than limping for a while, it does not seem to affect her condition in general. Maybe if you could find out where/how the implant is placed, you could have something happen to your character that would interfere with that?

SpinoCerebellar Ataxia is a neurodegenerative disease that has 60+ forms, can be inherited or acquired, can appear at any age, with different severities, life expectancies, and effects. The variability within the patient population is huge. This is a rare group of diseases. It causes the sufferer to fall and injure themselves repeatedly. This makes neurological function and muscular control even worse.

I have inherited SpinoCerebellar Ataxia. I'm currently on bed rest because I twisted my back while trying to avoid a fall. This is a mundane event compared to other "challenges" I've discovered along the way. I welcome discussion regarding the disease and life in my shoes. I am also well versed in other movement disorders and can suggest other options that may work for you.


- Sweets

Brett,

No problem. We Ataxians have an awesome sense of humor about falling down all the time. There simply is not a better choice - that also helps maintain sanity. Having Medical Research Scientists as brother-in-laws is very helpful when monitoring research into movement disorders. I've replaced IT Auditing with that. It's a happy life. Promise. Really.

Contact me anytime. I've already lived 15yrs longer than expected. I don't plan to check out any time soon. CinnabarSweetsATgmailDOTcom

I hope putting that address into my message wasn't breaking a rule.

Have a good mid-week everyone.

- Sweets

I've seen a few studies that show that trauma to the head and neck, can aggravate Multiple Sclerosis. I think it's more likely that that Multiple Sclerosis can aggravate an injury. It's worth noting though that a lot of research on how trauma effects neurological disorders is supported by trial lawyers.

I know someone diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, a long time ago, who was at the time an Olympic level equestrian doing Three Day Eventing. She was told to stop, because of the danger of injury. I assumed it was because if she was injured it would make the MS worse, but it could have been as MDSchafer says, that the MS would make the injury worse. She did continue riding, but switched to dressage.

Even a concussion can be devastating; it is a brain injury and varies greatly depending on detection and treatment. It is definitely valid that it could add to deterioration in cognitive processes.

Brett Marie said:

I'm hoping someone can point me to a neurological condition that would cause a gradual motor deterioration (like Parkinson's perhaps), but which could be aggravated by an injury.

I have a character with a tremor who gets beaten up badly. I'd like for him to be hospitalized, and for it to become clear that he'll never improve. Any ideas?

Click to expand...

I don't think I'm quite sure what you're asking for here. Do you want just the tremor to worsen? But the tremor is already going to be progressive, and you want it to suddenly worsen from an injury?

If a patient has a condition called cervical myelopathy, that means there is some sort of pressure on the spinal cord in the area of the neck - could be from arthritic changes, a congenitally tight space around the spinal cord, a herniated disk, a tumor, etc. This can cause progressive problems like weakness in the limbs, decreased coordination, balance problems, spasticity (abnormal increased muscle tone), difficulty walking or using the arms/hands, sensory changes, and bowel and bladder issues like incontinence. Sometimes (often) this comes on pretty gradually.

If this person has a sudden injury to the neck, (like whiplash from a car accident or fall), then that condition can suddenly worsen to any degree of severity, including permanent spinal cord injury and complete paralysis, depending on how bad the new insult is. Beating someone up can certainly be a way to worsen this condition. And you can have the severity and combination of symptoms pretty much how you want it to fit the story.

Yeah, I have a relative with MS -- their condition is deteriorating rapidly -- frequent seizures and falls. Chicken and egg, maybe.

keiju said:

I think something like rheumatoid arthritis might react to injury, but not a neurological disease (someone please correct me if I'm wrong).

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You're right. Rheumatoid arthritis isn't neurological--it's auto-immune degeneration of the joints. Really painful. My mom has it.

She also has fibromyalgia. Also intensely painful. About half of people with fibro associate the onset of the disease with a trauma (including emotional trauma or PTSD), and trauma worsens it. Doctors don't really understand it well, but it is thought that overactive nerves cause the pain involved, which can be intense. Fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis coexist in quite a few patients now.

Yes, it would happen

I have a character with a tremor who gets beaten up badly. I'd like for him to be hospitalized, and for it to become clear that he'll never improve. Any ideas?[/QUOTE]

My father has Parkinsons and other neurological issues. ANYTHING, and I literally mean anything, can cause them to get worse and never go back to the previous stage of the illness. They just don't heal or recover the way we do....
You don't mention how old your character is or how long he's had the illness for, which would also be important. My father is 74, was diagnosed about 6 years ago but I am sure he has had this for much longer. If you need more help you can PM me

I get very bad icepick headaches (short headaches that last for aroun 10-30 seconds and I can get 20 or 30 of those a day) part of what causes them is damage to the nerve at the base of my neck - although it took a long time to find that out, and the most likely cause is an old head injury (horses!). Part of the issue means that I get quite bad temors in my hands -particularly my right one which can leave me unable to pick things up - I spill A LOT of tea.

When I'm ill, or have had a couple of late nights (and wine) it can get really really bad to the point where I have trouble doing things like pressing buttons, or drinking etc - my hands just shake so badly and I get really weak.

Probably not the sort of thing you are looking for since my brain thing is injury related.