Abasia
Abasia Definition
Abasia is a condition where the patient is unable to walk due to impaired muscle synchronization. This means that the patient lacks motor synchronization in walking. With this condition, the foundation of gait (this is the distance of the two feet when measured sideways) is not constant or cannot be measured. This often leads the patient to sway from side to side or in any other direction, nearly falls, only to recover in the end. There are many other medical conditions that are connected to this disorder: choreic abasia (brought about by chorea of the leg); paralytic abasia (this is a paralysis of the muscles in the legs); spastic abasia (a condition where the leg muscles stiffen because they do not coordinate properly); ataxic abasia (legs become ataxic); paroxysmal trepidant abasia (a condition where the legs become spastic); trembling abasia (by its name, it means trembling legs). Abasia often comes with astasis (this is the state of being unable to stand). This condition is also referred to as astasia-abasia.
Abasia Major Differentiation
Astasia-abasia is the inability of a patient to walk or stand in a normal way. Those who suffer from this disorder have an unusual disturbance of the gait which results in wild lurches in different directions. The trivial thing about this situation is, the patient falls only when any one (it could be a doctor, object or a member of the family) is near enough to catch him. Real cases of inability to walk or stand are manifested in true neurological defects such as Parkinson?s disease, stroke or cerebral damage.
Abasia Prevalence
Abasia is classified as a very rare disease.
Abasia Treatment
This condition can be treated through therapies. Physical therapy is a good treatment and the support of the patient's family members should be unwavering. A study made in Japan recently showed that pulsed radiofrequency can be used to treat not only pain in the muscles but also abasia itself. The study involved subjects that are 52 years of age and have recently undergone operation on their backs. The operation resulted into abasia but it was observed that PRF improved the condition of the subjects. Their leg pains have been abated and the Japanese scientists who made the study have concluded that PRF could be a good option to treat abasia. Abasia is classified as a conversion disorder and it can also be treated with the use of hypnosis, psychotherapies and anxiolytic agents.