Motor Neurone Disease Treatment Methods

Before anything else, Motor Neurone Disease or MND for short, are a group of conditions that specifically affect and target the motor neurons in a person’s body. The disease distresses these motor neurons which therefore result to the inability of a person to make even the most important movements such as breathing and walking. Usually, a person would not feel any sort of pain, but would render him motionless, heck even literally breathless. Once a person is diagnosed with having a Motor Neurone Disease, a team of healthcare professionals would automatically handle your care.

Before discussing any of the Motor Neurone Disease treatment methods, people generally consider having an advanced directive so that methods for treatment can be chose accordingly. This is done so that when a person’s condition worsens, the doctors would know how and where the person would want to be treated. The things covered by an advanced directive plan usually include where a person would want to be treated (at home or at the hospital), what kind of medications he is willing to take, whether such person would want to donate some of his organs if he dies.

First Motor Neuron Disease treatment method is the use of the drug known as riluzole. This is the only know drug that can be used to treat Motor Neurone Disease. This medicine works by reducing the amount of glutamate in the body, which is known to be able to slow-down the damage caused to the motor neurons. Also, riluzole has the ability to extend the afflicted person’s lifespan for at most, 3 months, but this varies per person.

Another treatment is specifically designated for muscle cramps, which are usually effects of having a Motor Neurone Disease. These muscle cramps are treated using phenytoin or carbamazepine. As for muscle stiffness, botolinum toxin is used by most doctors. This works by blocking the signals from the brain to the affected muscles. Last but not least, the most serious effect of Motor Neurone Disease, the difficulty in breathing. As a Motor Neurone Disease progresses, breathing difficulties would become evident in the afflicted person. If respiratory failure occurs, then that would be the perfect time to consult with your healthcare team on what to do.

More about Motor Neuron Disease Causes and Motor Neuron Disease Prognosis