As the name suggests Progressive Supranuclear Palsy where Progressive means the symptoms which worsen over time, Supranuclear means the part of the brain that is affected, Palsy refers to weakness or paralysis in a part of the body. Progressive supranuclear palsy is a neurodegenerative disease. This palsy is also known as Steele-Richardson-Olszewski syndrome. This syndrome is an uncommon brain disorder that causes problems in walking, balance and eye movements. This progressive supranuclear palsy results from deterioration of cells in the areas of your brain that control body movement and thinking. This is a degenerative disease involving gradual deterioration. Both males and females are equally affected by this disorder. There is no geographical, racial and occupational predilection for this disorder. This may also give rise to life threatening ailments like pneumonia, swallowing complications and many other complications. In PSP patients, tau protein becomes resistant to proteolysis that is partially crystallized, forming abnormal deposits of tangled fibers which are also called as neurofibrillary tangles. Sometimes this disorder is misdiagnosed as an inner ear problem or hardening of the arteries that are blocking the bloodflow to the brain.
CAUSES OF PROGRESSIVE SUPRANUCLEAR PALSY
The main cause due to which PSP develops is deterioration of brain cells in a few small areas at the base of the brain. The most important area that is affected is the substantia nigra. When substantia nigra is affected by this disease a huge number of symptoms become visible.
SIGN AND SYMPTOMS OF PROGRESSIVE SUPRANUCLEAR PALSY
The early stages of PSP Includes:
- The inability to walk, falling spells
- Facial stiffness
- Body stiffness
- Urinary incontinence
- Constipation
- Anxiety
- Dizziness
- Depression
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Slurring of speech
- Mild shaking of hands
Other common symptoms of PSP includes the following:
- Change in personality.
- Forgetfulness.
- Arthralgia’s
- There is a loss of interest in usual socializing.
Cardinal manifestations of PSP are described below:
- Supranuclear opthalmoplegia
- Prominent neck dystonia occur
- Parkinsonism
- Pseudo bulbar palsy
- Cognitive, behavioral, gait disturbances occur
- Impaired postural reflexes
- Frequent falls
Visual signs and symptoms of PSP includes:
- Supranuclear opthalmoplegia
- On ocular examination it slow vertical saccades and square wave jerks
- Down gaze in patients typically before up gaze
- Continuous square wave jerks commonly observed with fixation.
- Impaired convergence eye movements
- Eyelid retraction, closing apraxia, blepharospasm, eyelid opening.
- Complete opthalmoparesis in advanced PSP
Cognitive symptoms in PSP includes:
- Mild memory difficulty
- Slowed cognitive processing
- Low agitation and anxiety scale scores
The later symptoms of PSP includes:
The symptoms of PSP typically worsen in the patient. After seven to nine years of this disease it causes physical imbalance and stiffness of the body to grow worse, making walking difficulty. Eyesight problems can also occur in the later stages. Due to visual issues it impairs walking for the patient, inability to read and even driving is not possible for patient. Patients eventually experience mild to moderate degree of mental problems. The slowing of thoughts process and thinking makes it hard for the patients to hold a conversation with others or to analyze problems.
Some other abnormalities also occur during PSP which are mentioned below:
- Increased awakenings of patients
- Diminished total sleep time of patients
- Patients feel progressive loss of rapid- eye- movement sleep
- Patients feel decreased rapid eye movement to non-rapid eye movement quotient
RISK FACTORS OF PROGRESSIVE SUPRANUCLEAR PALSY
- Fractures
- Head injuries
TREATMENT OF PROGRESSIVE SUPRANUCLEAR PALSY
Treatment focuses on relieving the sign and symptoms of the disease but there is no proper cure. Sine met is used as it contains levodopa which controls shakiness and tremors. Antidepressants are often used along with sleeping pills to those patients who are experiencing sleep problems. Dopamine agonists, tricyclic antidepressants, methylsergides, methylcellulose or methyl alcohol eye drops are used for symptomatic improvements of PSP patients. There is no proper cure for PSP, so care should be taken of patients for keeping the person comfortable and creating a better quality of life.
Not only medications, some other therapies are also given to patients for recovery like physiotherapy for proper movement and balanced difficulties in patients, speech and language therapy for speech and swallowing related problems, occupational therapy for improving the skills needed for daily activities, botulinum toxin injections for eye problems and feeding tube to manage dysphagia and avoid malnutrition or dehydration.
AYURVEDIC TREATMENT FOR PROGRESSIVE SUPRANUCLEAR PALSY
Ayurvedic treatment is the best herbal treatment and most effective as ayurvedic medicines have no side effects on the body and help in relieving the signs and symptoms of this disease. According to Ayurveda, the dosha present in progressive supranuclear palsy is vata dosha imbalance. So to get rid of this disease ayurvedic medicines are used which balances vata dosha in the body. Panchkarma is also very beneficial in progressive supranuclear palsy patients.
Planet Ayurveda has various formulations for the treatment of progressive supranuclear palsy and these medications are safe for use and give best results to the patient:
1. Ashwagandha Capsules
This product is the most famous ayurvedic rejuvenator as the name suggests Ashwa means 'horse' and gandha means 'smell'. This product has many therapeutic benefits in it. In this product the root extract is used for the preparation of this formulation. These capsules are useful in fatigue, stress, anxiety, neuropathy disorders, nervous breakdown etc. This product act as a nervine tonic, enhances physical as well as mental stamina in body, hence beneficial in progressive supranuclear palsy.
Dosage: 1-2 capsules twice daily with plain water after meals.
2. Brahmi Capsules
This is a purely herbal product containing extracts of Bacopa monneiri. It contains phytochemicals like alkaloids, saponin, sterols, mannitol, Brahmin, herpestine etc in it. This product is useful in forgetfulness due to Progressive supranuclear palsy, increases concentration, stamina and mental fatigue, nervine and general tonic, improves intellect, memory, anxiety, vertigo, stress, anxiety.
Dosage: 1-2 capsules twice daily, with plain water after meals.
3. Gotukola Capsules
This herbal product contains various sterols, alkaloids, tannins, triterpenes and glycosides in it. This is the best product for mental illness disorders. Helpful in lifting up the mood, personal habits and manages the difficulty in concentrating problems. The ingredient used in it is said to develop energy center at the top of our brain. Balances the three doshas (vata, pitta and kapha) in the body to support and improves the functions of the body. It is also very beneficial in Progressive supranuclear palsy.
Dosage: 1-2 capsules two times a day after meals with plain water.
4. Massage With Dhanwantram Oil
This medicated oil contains mixture of many herbs like barley, kola, kulattha, dashmoola, bilva, agnimanth, patala, gambhari, gokshura, brihati, kantakari, meda, vacha, agru, punarnava, yashti,shtavari etc in it. This oil is based on Kerala ayurveda practice. This oil treats vata diseases in the body like headache, neuro-muscular disorders etc. It has analgesic, anti-inflammatory, counter irritant action in it. This product is used in severe pain, numbness, swelling in joints, neuralgia, weakness, and psychic disorders etc.. Hence, It's beneficial for progressive supranuclear palsy patients.
Indications and Usage of Dhanwantram Oil: For external use only , apply lightly heated oil on entire body or on the affected part by massaging gently.
These herbal formulations when given in a combination to progressive supranuclear palsy patient he/ she helps to fight the various signs and symptoms of this disorders. Most of the patients get proper relief from this disorder. This herbal pack if taken in correct quantities help to get recover easily without any side effect on body and the patient lead a healthy life style with it.
