Which drugs are used to treat spasticity?

Medications used in the treatment of spasticity include the following:

Skeletal muscle relaxants (dantrolene sodium, baclofen)
Benzodiazepines (diazepam)
Alpha2-adrenergic agonists (clonidine, tizanidine)
Botulinum toxins (onabotulinumtoxinA, abobotulinumtoxinA, incobotulinumtoxinA)

Furthermore, how do you treat spasticity?

Treatment for spasticity may include medications such as baclofen (Lioresal), clonazepam (Klonopin), dantrolene (Dantrium), diazepam (Valium), or tizanidine (Zanaflex).

One may also ask, does stretching help spasticity? The aims of stretching in spasticity may be to normalize muscle tone, to maintain or increase soft-tissue ex- tensibility, to reduce pain and to improve function. 1,16,18 Stretching programs for people with spasticity are usually used as a daily or weekly regimen over the long-term placing large demands on resources.

Furthermore, how do physical therapists reduce spasticity?

PHYSICAL AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY. Listen. Physical therapy is the mainstay of treatment for spasticity, and is designed to reduce muscle tone, maintain or improve range of motion and mobility, increase strength and coordination, and improve care and comfort.
ORAL MEDICATIONS. Listen.
INTRATHECAL BACLOFEN THERAPY. Listen.

What is spasticity of muscles?

Spasticity is a condition in which certain muscles are continuously contracted. This contraction causes stiffness or tightness of the muscles and can interfere with normal movement, speech and gait. Spasticity is usually caused by damage to the portion of the brain or spinal cord that controls voluntary movement.

28 Related Question Answers Found

How do physical therapists treat spasticity?

Physical and Occupational Therapy

Sustained stretching.
Massage.
Vibration.
Heat modalities.
Cryotherapy.
Functional electrical stimulation/biofeedback.
Strengthening of antagonistic muscle groups.
Hippotherapy.

How do you get rid of spastic muscles?

Though there are variations of it, the basic idea is to lie on your back and if possible, bend your knees into a 45° angle, pull them together and then gently let both knees slowly rotate to one side, holding the stretch for 30 seconds. Keep your arms to the side (like the letter “T”), palms down.

Does massage help spasticity?

Spasticity — Massage can help relax muscles and enhance range of motion exercises. Pain — Massage is useful in any condition in which a reduction in swelling or mobilization of tissues leads to pain relief. Massage can also increase capillary dilation through light stroking.

What part of the brain controls spasticity?

Spasticity is a result of disrupted communication between the brain and the muscles. The source of that disruption is usually the cerebral cortex (the region of the brain that controls movement) or the brainstem, where nerves connect the brain to the spinal cord.

Does spasticity get worse over time?

Spasticity may not be bothersome and does not always need treatment. Spasticity may come and go. It may be worse during certain activities or it may become worse at night. It can interfere with sleep or limit the ability to function.

Can spasticity go away?

If you think you might have spasticity, talk to your doctor or your physical therapist so that you can get the right treatment to relieve your symptoms of spasticity. Usually, medical treatment or exercise therapy for spasticity is not a complete cure, so ongoing therapy is may be necessary.

Does heat help spasticity?

Applying an ice pack to the affected area may reduce mild spasticity. Alternatively, moist heat may help relax muscles. Stretch it. Range-of-motion stretching exercises may help reduce muscle tightness and soreness.

How do you treat spasticity naturally?

Chamomile. Chamomile is an ancient herb that's used to treat a variety of ailments, including muscle spasms. It contains 36 flavonoids, which are compounds that have anti-inflammatory properties. You can massage chamomile essential oil onto affected muscles to provide relief from spasms.

How can physiotherapy reduce spasticity in stroke patients?

Cryotherapy, using cold packs (12°C) for 20-minutes, can lower the muscle temperature to reduce the spasticity. Electric Stimulation using agonist stimulation showed a significant improvement in Ashworth Scores, while antagonist stimulation showed an increase of stretch reflex-initiating angle.

How do you prevent spasticity in cerebral palsy?

In general, treatment options for management of spasticity in children with cerebral palsy include oral medications, physical and occupational therapy, splinting and casting, chemodenervation with botulinum toxin or phenol, selective dorsal rhizotomy, intrathecal baclofen, and orthopedic surgery^[⁴^-⁶^,⁸^,¹⁰^,¹¹^,¹⁷^,¹⁸^].

How can Hypertonicity be reduced?

Treatment interventions for upper limb hypertonicity include stretching, splinting, strengthening of antagonist muscles, oral medications, and focal injections (phenol or botulinum toxins). Intrathecal baclofen may also impact upper limb tone.

How do you deal with leg spasticity?

Most of the time, a physical therapist will start treating MS spasticity with a basic physical therapy stretching program. The goal is to lengthen your muscles to ease the condition. An occupational therapist may recommend different tools, like splints, casts, or braces, to keep up your range of motion and flexibility.

What is the difference between spasm and spasticity?

What is the difference between spasticity and spasms? People with spasticity describe their muscles as feeling stiff, heavy and difficult to move. When spasticity is severe it can be very difficult to bend a limb at all. A spasm is a sudden involuntary tightening or contraction of a muscle.

Does Botox help spasticity?

Botox works by blocking the chemical signal between nerves and muscles that makes the muscle contract or tighten. This provides reliable relief from spasticity symptoms including pain and muscle stiffness. It has been used safely in thousands of patients for over 25 years.

How do you assess tone?

Tone can be assessed by one of two means. The most common method is for the examiner to passively move the patient's limb (especially at the wrist). The second method involves evaluating arm swing (with the patient standing).

Does Strengthening make spasticity worse?

According to most of my professors and senior colleagues at the time, strengthening or firing hyperactive muscles were considered harmful and detrimental. It was expressed to me that this would lead to increased spasticity, exaggerated abnormal movement patterns and possibly pain.

What is spasticity of the legs?

Spasticity refers to feelings of stiffness and a wide range of involuntary muscle spasms (sustained muscle contractions or sudden movements). Spasticity may be as mild as the feeling of tightness of muscles or may be so severe as to produce painful, uncontrollable spasms of extremities, usually of the legs.