Hi doctor,
My 66-year-old dad got traumatic quadriplegia after a road traffic accident. He underwent cervical decompression and laminectomy. There is a slight improvement in his hands, neck, and shoulder movements. But, his legs are not moving at all. Will he ever be able to move his legs again? Will physiotherapy help? Currently, he is not under any medication except for motion tablets, and he has had a tracheostomy in the past. I am attaching his MRI report.
Hi,
Welcome to icliniq.com.
I just read your query and saw the MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) report (attachments removed to protect the patient's identity).
There is no doubt that your dad needs constant care and assistance in his daily living, and no guarantee can be given regarding his recovery. However, many patients do recover, and some recover partially. It depends on many factors. In quadriplegic patients, immediate treatment is to do trauma care, and the patient is immobilized to prevent further injury. A tracheostomy is done to assist breathing, and the surgery is done to relieve pressure and stabilize the spine. Unfortunately, the nerve damage which leads to loss of sensation cannot be repaired and tends to spread.
Physiotherapy is done to prevent muscle atrophy. These days many new options are available, and these options combined with the old methods will help a lot. One of them is functional neuromuscular stimulants. In this therapy, the therapists use electrodes to stimulate the patient's muscles and give them an optimal workout. This is an option for people who have some voluntary use of their arms. This thing also helps some people with some types of spinal injuries to regain the use of their hands. A tendon transfer is another option that allows the patient to use their hands and arms, but it is a highly complex surgery. If the patient is in stable condition, then you can also go for alternative therapy like panchakarma. Panchkarma offers various procedures to quadriplegic patients and uses different Ayurvedic medicated oils. Many patients get positive results after this therapy.
I suggest trying ayurvedic medicated oil like Ksheerabala oil (Bala, Ksheera, Taila) or Mahanarayan oil (Mahanarayan oil (Aswagandha, Bilva, Gokhuru) after consulting a nearby ayurveda physician. But the 100 percent curative method is not there. Be positive and always motivate your dad and give him hope. Hope and motivation can do miracles for the patient. As the patient is on the bed, keep an eye on pressure sores and other complications like the chances of developing clots if limbs remain immobile for a long time. You can use an air mattress instead of a regular mattress, as it decreases the chances of pressure sores.
I hope you are satisfied with my answer.
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