Neurological Conditions

Alzheimer’s is a disease that robs people of their memory. At first, people have a hard time remembering recent events, though they might easily recall things that happened years ago.

As time goes on, other symptoms can appear, including:

• Trouble focusing
• A hard time doing ordinary activities
• Feeling confused or frustrated, especially at night
• Dramatic mood swings — outbursts of anger, anxiety, and depression
• Feeling disoriented and getting lost easily
• Physical problems, such as an odd walk or poor coordination
• Trouble communicating

People with Alzheimer’s might forget their loved ones. They might forget how to dress themselves, feed themselves, and use the toilet.

People who get Alzheimer’s disease are usually older, but the disease isn’t a normal part of aging. Scientists aren’t sure why some people get it and others don’t. But they do know that the symptoms it causes seem to come from two main types of nerve damage:

• Nerve cells get tangles, called neurofibrillary tangles.
• Protein deposits called beta-amyloid plaques build up in the brain.

Genes almost certainly play a role in the disease. Someone with a parent who had the disease is more likely to have it, too.

The following Memory Quiz can put your mind at ease about misplacing your car keys occasionally, or it can motivate you to consult with your healthcare practitioner. The question to ask if you seem to be misplacing your car keys more often is “When you find your keys, then do you remember that you put them there in the first place?”. To forget is normal. When should you worry? Please take this Quiz to get an idea if your memory is still ok.

MEMORY QUIZ

There is some evidence that people with high blood pressure and high cholesterol have a greater chance of getting Alzheimer’s. More rarely, head injuries may be a reason, too – the more severe they are, the greater the risk of Alzheimer’s later in life.

Scientists are still studying many of these theories, but it’s clear that the biggest risks linked to Alzheimer’s disease are being older and having Alzheimer’s in your family.

Parkinson’s disease mostly affects older people but can also occur in younger adults. The symptoms are the result of the gradual degeneration of nerve cells in the portion of the midbrain that controls body movements. The first signs are likely to be barely noticeable — a feeling of weakness or stiffness in one limb, or a fine trembling of one hand when it is at rest. Eventually, the shaking (tremor) worsens and spreads, muscles become stiffer, movements slow down, and balance and coordination deteriorate. As the disease progresses, depression, cognitive issues, and other mental or emotional problems are common.

Parkinson’s disease usually begins between the ages of 50 and 65, striking about 1% of the population in that age group; it is slightly more common in men than in women.

Body movements are regulated by a portion of the brain called the basal ganglia, whose cells require a proper balance of two substances called dopamine and acetylcholine, both involved in the transmission of nerve impulses. In Parkinson’s, cells that produce dopamine begin to degenerate, throwing off the balance of these two neurotransmitters. Researchers believe that genetics sometimes plays a role in this cellular breakdown. In rare instances, Parkinson’s disease may be caused by a viral infection or by exposure to environmental toxins such as pesticides, carbon monoxide, or the metal manganese. But in the great majority of Parkinson’s cases, the cause is unknown.

Seizures, abnormal movements or behavior due to unusual electrical activity in the brain, are a symptom of epilepsy. But not all people who appear to have seizures have epilepsy, a group of related disorders characterized by a tendency for recurrent seizures.

Non-epileptic seizures (called pseudo-seizures) are not accompanied by abnormal electrical activity in the brain and may be caused by psychological issues or stress. However, non-epileptic seizures look like true seizures, which makes diagnosis more difficult. Normal EEG readings and lack of response to epileptic drugs are two clues they are not true epileptic seizures. These types of seizure may be treated with psychotherapy and psychiatric medications.

Provoked seizures are single seizures that may occur as the result of trauma, low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), low blood sodium, high fever, or alcohol or drug abuse. Fever-related (or febrile) seizures may occur during infancy but are usually outgrown by age 6. After a careful evaluation to estimate the risk of recurrence, patients who suffer a single seizure may not need treatment.

Seizure disorder is a general term used to describe any condition in which seizures may be a symptom and it is often used in place of the term ”epilepsy.

Migraine can be a debilitating disorder characterized by pulsating headaches lasting from a few hours to several days, accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and/or sensitivity to light and sound. It is exacerbated by and tends to interfere with physical activity.  Migraine usually occurs on one side of the head, although in children and youth it tends to be bilateral

In 2010/2011, an estimated 8.3% of Canadians (2.7 million) reported that they had been diagnosed with migraine. This likely underestimates migraine prevalence. Research indicates that some people who experience migraine do not seek professional help, and therefore, would not have a diagnosis to report.

Each migraine can last from four hours to three days. Occasionally, it will last longer.

The exact causes of migraines are unknown, although they are related to changes in the brain as well as to genetic causes. People with migraines may inherit the tendency to be affected by certain migraine triggers, such as fatigue, bright lights, weather changes, and others.

For many years, scientists believed that migraines were linked to expanding and constricting blood vessels on the brain’s surface. However, it is now believed that migraines are caused by inherited abnormalities in certain areas of the brain.

There is a migraine “pain center” or generator in the brain. A migraine begins when hyperactive nerve cells send out impulses to the blood vessels, causing them to clamp down or constrict, followed by dilation (expanding) and the release of prostaglandins, serotonin, and other inflammatory substances that cause the pulsation to be painful.

Many migraines seem to be triggered by external factors. Possible triggers include:

• Emotional stress. This is one of the most common triggers of migraine headache.
• Sensitivity to specific chemicals and preservatives in foods. Certain foods and beverages, such as aged cheese, alcoholic beverages, and food additives such as nitrates (in pepperoni, hot dogs, luncheon meats) and monosodium glutamate (MSG, commonly found in Chinese food) may be responsible for triggering up to 30% of migraines.
• Excessive caffeine consumption or withdrawal from caffeine can cause headaches when the caffeine level abruptly drops. The blood vessels seem to become sensitized to caffeine, and when caffeine is not ingested, a headache may occur. Caffeine itself is often helpful in treating acute migraine attacks.
• Changing weather conditions. Storm fronts, changes in barometric pressure, strong winds, or changes in altitude can all trigger a migraine.
• Menstrual periods
• Excessive fatigue
• Skipping meals
• Changes in normal sleep pattern

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), sometimes called myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), is a condition that makes you feel so tired that you can’t do all of your normal, daily activities. There are other symptoms too, but being very tired for more than 6 months is the main one. Some people have severe fatigue and other symptoms for many years.

CFS is not well understood. Most experts now believe that it is a separate illness with its own set of symptoms. But some doctors don’t believe this.

There are no medical tests for CFS. Because of this, many people have trouble accepting their disease or getting their friends and family to do so. Having people who believe your diagnosis and support you is very important. Having a doctor you can trust is critical.

Your tiredness is real. It’s not “in your head.” I, as a Naturopathic Doctor, truly believe this. It is your body’s reaction to a mix of factors.

Doctors don’t know what causes CFS. Sometimes it begins after a viral infection (50% of patients can recall a virus-initiating trigger), but there is no proof of any connection. It’s likely that a number of factors or triggers come together to cause CFS.

Extreme tiredness, or fatigue, is the main symptom.

According to Statistics Canada based on a 2010 survey, 411,500 Canadians have had a doctor diagnosed them with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

If you have CFS:

• You may feel exhausted all or much of the time.
• You may have problems sleeping. Or you may wake up feeling tired or not rested.
• It may be harder for you to think clearly, to concentrate, and to remember things.
• You may also have headaches, muscle and joint pain, a sore throat, and tender glands in your neck or armpits.
• Your symptoms may flare up after a mental or physical activity that used to be no problem for you. You may feel drained or exhausted.

Depression is common with CFS, and it can make your other symptoms worse.

There are no tests for CFS. Doctors can diagnose it only by ruling out other possible causes of your fatigue. Many other health problems can cause fatigue. Most people with fatigue have something other than chronic fatigue syndrome.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is thought to be an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (brain, spinal cord). The disease attacks myelin, the protective covering of the nerves, causing inflammation and often damaging the myelin. Myelin is necessary for the transmission of nerve impulses through nerve fibers. If damage to myelin is slight, nerve impulses travel with minor interruptions; however, if damage is heavy and if scar tissue replaces the myelin, nerve impulses may be completely disrupted, and the nerve fibers themselves can be damaged.

MS can cause symptoms such as extreme fatigue, lack of coordination, weakness, tingling, impaired sensation, vision problems, bladder problems, cognitive impairment and mood changes.

The first symptoms often start between ages 20 and 40. It has some peculiarities: MS is three times as likely to occur in women as in men and is more common in people of northern European background.

In Canada, you have a greater risk of developing MS than in any other country in the world. We are home to the world’s highest incidence of this incurable degenerative condition. In 2013, there was 291 cases for every 100,000 people. Is it our climate? Our diet? A lack of vitamin D? No one knows why, but we are getting close to an answer with all the research and funds poured lately into MS.

Most people with MS have attacks, also called relapses, when the condition gets noticeably worse. They’re usually followed by times of recovery when symptoms improve. For other people, the disease continues to get worse over time.

As a chronic neurological disease, MS can also have a dramatic effect on energy levels, sleep and overall quality of life. MS is not fatal for the vast majority of people living with the disease. Most people who have MS can expect a normal or near-normal lifespan, thanks to improvements in symptom management and the MS disease-modifying therapies.

ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, a condition with symptoms such as inattentiveness, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. The symptoms differ from person to person. ADHD was formerly called ADD, or attention deficit disorder. Both children and adults can have ADHD, but the symptoms always begin in childhood.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects children and teens and can continue into adulthood. ADHD is the most commonly diagnosed mental disorder of children. Children with ADHD may be hyperactive and unable control their impulses. Or they may have trouble paying attention. These behaviors interfere with school and home life.

It’s more common in boys than in girls. It’s usually discovered during the early school years, when a child begins to have problems paying attention.

Adults with ADHD may have trouble managing time, being organized, setting goals, and holding down a job. They may also have problems with relationships, self-esteem, and addiction.

If any of these sound familiar to you, or might think you know someone who would have this, please take this QUIZ:

ADHD / ADD self assessment

Autism is a brain disorder that often makes it hard to communicate with and relate to others. With autism, the different areas of the brain fail to work together.

Most people with autism will always have some trouble relating to others. But early diagnosis and treatment have helped more and more people who have autism to reach their full potential.

Autism tends to run in families, so experts think it may be something that you inherit. Scientists are trying to find out exactly which genes may be responsible for passing down autism in families.

Other studies are looking at whether autism can be caused by other medical problems or by something in your child’s surroundings.

Symptoms almost always start before a child is 3 years old. Usually, parents first notice that their toddler has not started talking yet and is not acting like other children the same age. But it is not unusual for a child with autism to start to talk at the same time as other children the same age, then lose his or her language skills.

Symptoms of autism include:

• A delay in learning to talk, or not talking at all. A child may seem to be deaf, even though hearing tests are normal.
• Repeated and overused types of behavior, interests, and play. Examples include repeated body rocking, unusual attachments to objects, and getting very upset when routines change.

There is no “typical” person with autism. People can have many different kinds of behaviors, from mild to severe. Parents often say that their child with autism prefers to play alone and does not make eye contact with other people.

Autism may also include other problems:

• Many children with autism have below-normal intelligence.
• Teenagers with autism often become depressed and have a lot of anxiety, especially if they have average or above-average intelligence.
• Some children get a seizure disorder such as epilepsy by their teen years.

With early treatment, most children with autism learn to relate better to others. They learn to communicate and to help themselves as they grow older.

Depending on the child, treatment may also include such things as speech therapy or physical therapy. Medicine is sometimes used to treat problems such as depression or obsessive-compulsive behaviors.

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a disorder of the part of the nervous system that causes an urge to move the legs. Because it usually interferes with sleep, it also is considered a sleep disorder.

People with restless legs syndrome have uncomfortable sensations in their legs (and sometimes arms or other parts of the body) and an irresistible urge to move their legs to relieve the sensations. The condition causes an uncomfortable, “itchy,” “pins and needles,” or “creepy crawly” feeling in the legs. The sensations are usually worse at rest, especially when lying or sitting.

The severity of RLS symptoms ranges from mild to intolerable. Symptoms can come and go and severity can also vary. The symptoms are generally worse in the evening and at night. For some people, symptoms may cause severe nightly sleep disruption that can significantly impair their quality of life.

In most cases, doctors do not know the cause of restless legs syndrome; however, they suspect that genes play a role. Nearly half of people with RLS also have a family member with the condition.

Other factors associated with the development or worsening of restless legs syndrome include:

• Chronic diseases. Certain chronic diseases and medical conditions, including iron deficiency, Parkinson’s disease, kidney failure, diabetes, and peripheral neuropathy often include symptoms of RLS. Treating these conditions often gives some relief from RLS symptoms.
• Some types of medications, including anti-nausea drugs, antipsychotic drugs, some antidepressants, and cold and allergy medications containing sedating antihistamines, may worsen symptoms.
• Some women experience RLS during pregnancy, especially in the last trimester. Symptoms usually go away within a month after delivery.

Other factors, including alcohol use and sleep deprivation, may trigger symptoms or make them worse. Improving sleep or eliminating alcohol use in these cases may relieve symptoms.

Tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, is the sensation of hearing ringing, buzzing, hissing, chirping, whistling, or other sounds. The noise can be intermittent or continuous, and can vary in loudness. It is often worse when background noise is low, so you may be most aware of it at night when you’re trying to fall asleep in a quiet room. In rare cases, the sound beats in sync with your heart (pulsatile tinnitus).

Tinnitus is very common. More than 360,000 Canadians have tinnitus in an annoying form. About 150,000 find that these noises seriously impair the quality of their lives.

Although tinnitus is often associated with hearing loss, it does not cause the loss, nor does a hearing loss cause tinnitus. In fact, some people with tinnitus experience no difficulty hearing, and in a few cases they even become so acutely sensitive to sound (hyperacusis) that they must take steps to muffle or mask external noises.

Some instances of tinnitus are caused by infections or blockages in the ear, and the tinnitus can disappear once the underlying cause is treated. Frequently, however, tinnitus continues after the underlying condition is treated. In such a case, other therapies – both conventional and alternative – may bring significant relief by either decreasing or covering up the unwanted sound.

Tinnitus can worsen in some people if they drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, drink caffeinated beverages, or eat certain foods. For reasons not yet entirely clear to researchers, stress and fatigue seem to worsen tinnitus.

Acupuncture and plants can help here.

Vertigo is a sensation of spinning. If you have these dizzy spells, you might feel like you are spinning or that the world around you is spinning.

Vertigo is often caused by an inner ear problem. Some of the most common causes include:

• These initials stand for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. BPPV occurs when tiny calcium particles (canaliths) clump up in canals of the inner ear. The inner ear sends signals to the brain about head and body movements relative to gravity. It helps you keep your balance. BPPV can occur for no known reason and may be associated with age.
• Meniere’s disease. This is an inner ear disorder thought to be caused by a buildup of fluid and changing pressure in the ear. It can cause episodes of vertigo along with ringing in the ears (tinnitus) and hearing loss.
• Vestibular neuritis or labyrinthitis. This is an inner ear problem usually related to infection (usually viral). The infection causes inflammation in the inner ear around nerves that are important for helping the body sense balance

Less often vertigo may be associated with:

• Head or neck injury
• Brain problems such as stroke or tumor
• Certain medications that cause ear damage
• Migraine headaches
• Symptoms of Vertigo

Vertigo is often triggered by a change in the position of your head.

People with vertigo typically describe it as feeling like they are:

• Spinning
• Tilting
• Swaying
• Unbalanced
• Pulled to one direction

Other symptoms that may accompany vertigo include:

• Feeling nauseated
• Abnormal or jerking eye movements (nystagmus)
• Headache
• Sweating
• Ringing in the ears or hearing loss

Symptoms can last a few minutes to a few hours or more and may come and go.

Post-concussion syndrome is a disorder that is typically associated with a head injury. The head injury may be categorized as a concussion or a mild traumatic brain injury. In general terms, post-concussion syndrome is a medical problem that persists for a period of time after a head injury has occurred. This period of time can range from weeks to months and even years. Most studies report that about 15% of individuals with a history of a single concussion develop persistent symptoms associated with the injury.
Diagnosis is primarily based on a history of head injury and reported symptoms by the patient. A physical exam, and perhaps a CT or MRI scan of the head, may be done to evaluate symptoms. Other tests may be performed to rule out other causes of symptoms, such as infection, bleeding injury to the brain, or poisoning.
Symptoms of post-concussion syndrome are often vague and non-specific.

Commonly reported symptoms include (but not limited to):
✓ Headache
✓ Dizziness
✓ Sleep problems
✓ Psychological symptoms such as depressed mood, irritability, and anxiety
✓ Cognitive problems involving memory, concentration, and thinking (“foggy brain”).
Naturopathic medicine can help here with acupuncture, plants (for increased blood circulation, sleep and depression) and supplements aimed at preserving the cognitive function and improving symptoms.