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Neurorehabilitation | ANRC Physiotherapy Clinic

Neurorehabilitation

Peripheral Neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy is damage to the peripheral nervous system, the network of nerves that carries signals between your brain, spinal cord, and the rest of the body.


Common Causes:

  • Diabetes: Leading cause in the UK; early detection can prevent up to 75% of related amputations.
  • Chemotherapy: Certain cancer drugs can damage nerves during or after treatment.
  • Idiopathic: No identifiable cause; often occurs in middle-aged and elderly adults.
  • HIV/AIDS: Some medications can trigger neuropathic symptoms; adjusting treatment may help.

Types of Peripheral Neuropathy:

  • Diabetic Neuropathy: Painful nerve damage from high blood sugar.
  • Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (CIPN)
  • Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS): Rapid-onset autoimmune condition.
  • Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP): Chronic autoimmune attack on nerves.
  • Proximal Neuropathy: Affects nerves supplying hip, thigh, or buttock muscles.

Symptoms:

Sensory Nerves:
Numbness, tingling, sharp or burning pain, extreme sensitivity, sensory loss.
Motor Nerves:
Muscle weakness, atrophy, poor coordination, twitching or cramps.
Autonomic Nerves:
Digestive issues, blood pressure changes, bladder/sexual problems, abnormal sweating.

When to See a doctor: Seek medical attention for sudden numbness, tingling, weakness, or slow-healing foot wounds to prevent complications.

How physiotherapy works in peripheral neuropathy

We don’t heal the nerves directly in most cases, but we try to optimize the body’s function despite nerve damage.

What happens if physiotherapy delays:

  • Muscle Atrophy: Muscles weaken quickly, reducing mobility and increasing fall risk.
  • Balance Loss: Poor proprioception raises chances of falls and injuries.
  • Joint Stiffness: Immobility shortens muscles and ligaments, limiting movement.
  • Persistent Pain: Chronic pain pathways strengthen; treatments become less effective.
  • Functional Decline: Daily activities become harder; independence decreases.
  • Reduced Recovery: Late physiotherapy slows progress and limits nerve/muscle recovery.

We, ANRC physiotherapy clinic are here to help you out. Our goals of Physiotherapy in Peripheral Neuropathy include:

  • Improve Strength and Function: Weakness is common in neuropathy; physiotherapy targets muscle groups affected by nerve damage.
  • Enhance Balance and Coordination: Neuropathy often impairs proprioception, increasing fall risk.
  • Reduce Pain and Discomfort: Gentle exercises and modalities can help manage neuropathic pain.
  • Prevent Secondary Complications: Maintaining mobility helps prevent joint stiffness, muscle atrophy, and pressure ulcers.
  • Educate on Safe Mobility and Self-care: Teaching protective strategies for insensate feet or hands.

Parkinson disease

Parkinson’s disease is a long-term condition that affects how the body moves. It happens when certain nerve cells in the brain slowly stop working properly. These cells produce a chemical called dopamine, which helps control smooth and coordinated movements. When dopamine levels decrease, movement becomes slower and more difficult. Parkinson’s disease usually develops gradually. Early signs can be mild and may start on one side of the body before affecting both sides over time.


Common Symptoms

Movement-Related Symptoms:
  • Shaking or tremor (often starting in one hand)
  • Slowness of movement
  • Muscle stiffness
  • Difficulty with balance
  • Smaller steps while walking
  • Soft or low voice
  • Small, cramped handwriting
Other Symptoms:
  • Tiredness, Constipation, Sleep problems
  • Low mood or anxiety
  • Reduced sense of smell
  • Memory or thinking changes (in later stages)

Not everyone experiences the same symptoms, and they can vary from person to person.


What Causes Parkinson’s Disease?


The exact cause is not fully understood. However, several factors may play a role:

  • Aging – Risk increases with age.
  • Genetics – A small number of cases run in families.
  • Environmental factors – Exposure to certain toxins or chemicals may increase risk.
  • Brain changes – Loss of dopamine-producing cells and buildup of certain proteins in the brain.

In most cases, Parkinson’s develops due to a combination of these factors.

Quick Tips for Living with Parkinson’s


1. Move Every Day: Short walks, stretching, and balance exercises keep muscles strong. Try stepping to a beat to overcome freezing.

2. Stay Flexible & Strong: Use resistance bands or light weights. Morning stretches reduce stiffness.

3. Voice & Hand Tips: Speak slowly and project your voice. Use bigger paper or pens for handwriting.

4. Safety First: Remove trip hazards and wear non-slip shoes. Add grab bars or rails at home.

5. Mind & Mood: Meditation, puzzles, and hobbies boost mood and memory. Connect with support groups or online communities.

6. Diet & Sleep: Eat high-fibre foods and stay hydrated. Keep a regular sleep routine and avoid late caffeine.

How Physiotherapy Can Help


Physiotherapy is an important part of managing Parkinson’s disease. It helps people stay active, mobile, and independent. Our treatments focus on:

  • Improves walking and balance
  • Reduces stiffness and muscle tightness
  • Increases flexibility and strength
  • Helps prevent falls
  • Teaches strategies to manage “freezing” while walking
  • Supports confidence and independence in daily life

Starting physiotherapy early can make a big difference. Regular exercise and guided movement training help maintain mobility and improve overall quality of life.

What is Multiple Sclerosis (MS)?

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a long-term condition that affects the brain and spinal cord. It occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks myelin, the protective covering around nerve fibres. Myelin works like insulation around an electrical wire, helping messages travel smoothly between the brain and the rest of the body. When myelin is damaged, these messages slow down or become blocked, leading to a variety of symptoms. The exact cause of MS is not fully known, but it is believed to involve a combination of genetic and environmental factors.


Symptoms

MS symptoms can vary from person to person and may come and go. Early signs often include vision problems (such as blurred or double vision), numbness or tingling, and weakness on one side of the body. Other common symptoms include fatigue, dizziness, balance and coordination difficulties, muscle stiffness or spasms, bladder changes, and challenges with memory or concentration. Many people with MS experience periods of remission, where they feel well, followed by flare-ups when symptoms return.


Causes

The exact cause of MS remains unclear. It is considered an immune-mediated condition, meaning the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own tissues. In MS, this attack targets the myelin in the central nervous system. Research suggests that a mix of genetic predisposition and environmental triggers may increase the risk of developing the condition.


How Physiotherapy Works

5 Ways physiotherapy can transform life with MS:

Improve Strength and Flexibility: Targeted exercises help maintain muscle strength, improve joint mobility, and prevent stiffness. Even small gains can make tasks like standing, walking, or reaching easier.
Boost Balance and Coordination: Physio techniques train your body to move more safely, reducing the risk of falls. Balance exercises can also improve confidence in daily activities.
Manage Fatigue Effectively: Therapists teach energy-conserving strategies and low-impact exercises that increase stamina without overexertion.

Are you struggling with MS fatigue? Try these techniques:

  • Pacing & Energy Management: Learn to balance activity and rest, so you can stay active without crashing.
  • Low-Impact Aerobic Exercise: Activities like swimming, cycling, or gentle walking improve stamina gradually.
  • Stretching & Mobility Routines: Light stretching helps muscles relax, reducing energy drain from stiffness or pain.
  • Strength Training for Key Muscles: Building core and leg strength makes daily movements easier, using less energy.
  • Adaptive Tools & Techniques: Using braces, walking aids, or ergonomic supports can reduce fatigue during tasks.

Our MS Treatments Include:

  • Improving mobility and strength
  • Managing fatigue
  • Improving balance and coordination
  • Managing spasticity and muscle stiffness
  • Pain reduction
  • Education and self-management.

Bell’s Palsy

Is a medical condition that causes sudden weakness or paralysis of the muscles on one side of the face. It happens when the Facial nerve (cranial nerve VII), which control facial muscles, becomes inflamed or compressed.

What is cranial nerve: Is a nerve that originates directly from the brain not from the spinal cord, and it carries signals between the brain and different parts of the body. And humans have 12 pairs of cranial nerve, each with a specific function. Here we going to discuss more about Facial nerve.

Key Features:

  • Usually affects one side of the body.
  • Can develop so quickly even within hours.
  • Some experience pain around the jaw or behind the ear.
  • Cause facial drooping, difficulty in closing the eye.
  • Bells palsy is usually not dangerous; moreover it’s temporary facial nerve weakness, not a progressive or life-threatening disease.

Causes and Triggers:

  • Viral infections
  • Nerve inflammation
  • Physical trauma
  • Health conditions that weaken the immune system
  • Physical factors - stress, sleep deprivation, pregnancy

Treatments:

  • Facial exercises, Massage therapy, Electrical stimulation
  • Heat therapy, Education, Neuro muscular re-education

When to see a physio? Usually a week after onset, once severe pain reduces. Best results happens when you get treatment as the correct times.