Rehabilitation in Neurology Flashcards
Impairment
- Any loss or abnormality of physiological, psychological or anatomical structure or function
- Problems in body function or structure such as a significant deviation or loss
Disability/ Activity limitation (AL)
- Any restriction or lack of activity to perform an activity in the manner or in the range considered normal for people of the same age, sex and culture .
- Difficulties an individual may have in executing activities
Handicap/ Participation restriction (PR)
- A disadvantage for a given individual that limits or prevents the fulfilment of a role that would otherwise be normal for that individual
- Problems individual may have in involvement in life situations
What is rehabilitation?
What is the conceptual definition of rehabilitation
A process of active change by which a person who has become disabled acquires the knowledge and skills needed for optimal physical, psychological and social function
What is the service definition of rehabilitation?
The use of all means to minimise the impact of disabling conditions and to assist people with activity limitation to achieve their desired level of autonomy and participation in society
What is rehabilitation medicine?
The specialty of Medicine involved with the prevention and reduction of activity limitation and participation arising from impairments, and the management of disability from a physical, psychosocial and vocational point of view.
What are long term neurological conditions (LTNC)?
Disease of, injury or damage to the nervous system which will affect the individual and their family in one way or another for the rest of their life
Give examples of sudden onset LTNC.
- Acquired brain injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Stroke
Give examples of intermittent/unpredictable LTNC.
- Epilepsy
- Early multiple sclerosis (relapses and remissions) lead to marked variation in the care need
Give examples of progressive LTNC
- Motor Neurone Disease
- Parkinson’s disease
- Later stages of Multiple Sclerosis
Give example od stable LTNC
- Post-polio syndrome
- Cerebral palsy in adults
- Spina bifida in adolescence/adults
Give examples of other neurological conditions.
- Guillain Barre Syndrome
- Muscle diseases (e.g. myotonic dystrophy)
- Hereditary spastic paraparesis
- Huntington’s disease
What physical problems can patients with LTNC experience?
- Weakness (hemiparesis/paraparesis)
- Loss of / abnormal sensation
- Increased or decreased tone / spasticity
- Visual disturbance, e.g. homonymous hemianopia
- Loss of hearing
- Loss of smell and taste
- Swallowing and communication difficulties
- Bladder and bowel difficulties
- Pain Syndrome
- Seizures / Epilepsy
What cognitive (thinking) problems can someone experience after brain injury?
- Post-traumatic amnesia
- Confusion / disorientation
- Severe memory problems (especially with recent events / working memory)
- Poor concentration/ attention
- Slowed thinking
- Poor “executive functioning”