Gait abnormality puzzles loved one
DEAR DR. GOTT: My 75-year-old grandpa has been having a great deal of difficulty walking for about a month. When he went to his doctor to find what was causing the problem, his doctor ordered an MRI of the brain, indicating ataxia as a diagnosis.
I can’t understand what an MRI of the brain has to do with difficulties walking, and I sure don’t know what ataxia is. Can you fill in the blanks?
DEAR READER: This peculiar sounding word implies a lack of coordination that occurs with voluntary movements such as walking. Speech, eye movement and swallowing can also be affected. A person might have difficulty speaking, stumble and fall for no apparent reason, or have difficulty eating. Ataxia can develop rather slowly over an extended period of time or can suddenly appear, causing people such as you and your family great concern.
Incessant ataxia commonly results from damage, loss of nerve cells, or degeneration to the portion of the brain that controls muscle coordination. Several conditions, including stroke, TIA (transient ischemic attack), tumor, head trauma, multiple sclerosis, alcohol abuse and cerebral palsy, can cause the symptoms.
Some forms of the disorder are hereditary and result from being born with a defect in a specific gene that produces abnormal proteins. These proteins disrupt nerve cells, causing them to degenerate over time. Gene defects are progressive, and most will cause poor coordination.
There are also metabolic forms of the disorder caused by poisons or side effects of drugs.
Testing for ataxia might include blood work, a CT scan or MRI, or lumbar puncture. If the ataxia was acquired from a viral infection such as chicken pox, it will likely resolve on its own without treatment.
When appropriate, occupational, physical and speech therapy, as well as counseling to combat possible depression, allow a patient to remain as independent as possible and will work toward increasing mobility. A cane or walker might also help a person ambulate more easily.
Your grandfather may test negative. If so, he should speak with his physician regarding possible intervention with a neurologist or other specialist so he can get to the bottom of the issue and learn how to resolve the issue or how best to cope with it. Good luck.
Those readers who are interested in other neurological conditions might want to order my Health Reports “Alzheimer’s Disease” and/or “Parkinson’s Disease” by sending a self-addressed, stamped No. 10 envelope and a $2 U.S. check or money order for each report to Dr. Peter Gott, P.O. Box 433, Lakeville, CT 06039. Be sure to mention the title(s), or print an order form from my website’s direct link: www.AskDrGottMD.com/order_form.pdf.
DEAR DR. GOTT: I would like to order 12 different health reports but send only one check for all of them, along with a large manila envelope and extra postage. Is that OK, or do I need to send a No. 10 envelope for each report?
DEAR READER: One large envelope is all that is required. It would be an enormous waste of energy and postage to send 12 separate envelopes. My guess is that you should affix approximately $1.44 in postage for the additional weight. Unfortunately, some reports are heavier than others, so I cannot be specific on this issue. I’ll look forward to receiving your orders.
Dr. Peter H. Gott is a retired physician and the author of several books, including “Live Longer, Live Better,” “Dr. Gott’s No Flour, No Sugar Diet” and “Dr. Gott’s No Flour, No Sugar Cookbook,” which are available at most bookstores or online. His website is www.AskDrGottMD.com.
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DEAR ABBY 7/18/11 2