POST-STROKE IMPROVEMENTS IN BALANCE AND MOBILITY BY EMPLOYING FUNCTIONAL NEUROLOGY TREATMENTS

Abstract

Event Abstract Back to Event POST-STROKE IMPROVEMENTS IN BALANCE AND MOBILITY BY EMPLOYING FUNCTIONAL NEUROLOGY TREATMENTS Susan Esposito1*, Adrian C. Santiago1 and Linda Mullin Elkins1 1 Life University, United States Background: A housewife in her mid sixties presented to a university functional neurology clinic with chronic symptomatology that had commenced two years prior, after having suffered a left cerebral ischemic stroke. The patient suffered from right-sided hemiparesis with flexor posturing, imbalance and weakness. She also experienced episodes of severe anxiety, fatigue and insomnolence. Finger to thumb tapping test exhibited a grade 3 on the left for velocity and inaccuracy and a grade 4 on the right due to the inability to approximate her fingers. She fell during her computerized dynamic posturography (CDP) exam, which gave her a stability score of zero. Her right foot dragged during ambulation, slowing her gait. Methods: The patient was treated daily for one week; each day’s treatment consisted of three sessions. Each session included brain based eye exercises specifically designed to stimulate the left cerebral cortex and enhance gaze stability. Treatment also included passive complex right arm and leg movement exercises, mirror therapies, stimulation of the right hypoglossal and trigeminal nerves, breathing exercises as well as adjustments of the cervical spine and ribs. Results: At the end of the week’s treatment, she showed significant improvement. She had balance and stability that were within normal limits on CDP exam. Finger tapping test showed a grade 1 on the left and a grade 2 on the right. She was able to extend her right arm and perform fine movements of the fingers on her right hand such as opening a button and using a knife and fork. Her gait increased in speed and was without foot drag. She had resolution of her anxiety and fatigue, which allowed her to sleep through the night for the first time in years. Conclusion: Persistent post-stroke symptoms and limitations may be improved with specific brain based therapies. The positive outcomes in this case point to the need for further research in these areas. Keywords: Functional Neurology, Imbalance, Hemi-paresis, stroke rehabilitation, Chiropractic Conference: International Symposium on Clinical Neuroscience: TBI and Neurodegeneration, Orlando, Florida, United States, 10 Dec - 14 Dec, 2015. Presentation Type: Poster Presentation Topic: Case Reports for Poster Presentation Citation: Esposito S, Santiago AC and Mullin Elkins L (2015). POST-STROKE IMPROVEMENTS IN BALANCE AND MOBILITY BY EMPLOYING FUNCTIONAL NEUROLOGY TREATMENTS. Front. Neurol. Conference Abstract: International Symposium on Clinical Neuroscience: TBI and Neurodegeneration. doi: 10.3389/conf.fneur.2015.58.00034 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 01 Nov 2015; Published Online: 02 Nov 2015. * Correspondence: Dr. Susan Esposito, Life University, Marietta, Georgia, 30060, United States, susan.esposito@life.edu Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Susan Esposito Adrian C Santiago Linda Mullin Elkins Google Susan Esposito Adrian C Santiago Linda Mullin Elkins Google Scholar Susan Esposito Adrian C Santiago Linda Mullin Elkins PubMed Susan Esposito Adrian C Santiago Linda Mullin Elkins Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.