Abnormal Muscle Tone: Symptoms, Types and Treatments
Abnormal muscle tone can result from various conditions such as tetanus, eccentric contraction, and isometric twitch, leading to a progressive reduction in force response indicative of aberrant muscle physiology, particularly in dystrophic muscle.
Involuntary movements, collectively known as hyperkinetic movement disorders, may manifest as chorea, athetosis, dystonia, hemiballism, tremor, tic, or myoclonic jerk. Recognizing these movements is crucial for accurate diagnosis.
Types of Muscle Tone Disorders
Hypertonia
Hypertonia is characterized by excessively high muscle tone and can be caused by:
- Central nervous system injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
Symptoms of hypertonia include
- Loss of function
- Reduced range of motion
- Deformity
- Muscle stiffness
Hypotonia and Atonia
Hypotonia involves abnormally low muscle tone, leading to challenges such as difficulty maintaining head posture.
Impact of Hypertonia
Hypertonia commonly restricts joint mobility and can significantly affect daily functioning.
Factors for Abnormal Muscle Tone
These conditions can arise from various factors, including:
- Head trauma
- Stroke
- Brain tumors
- Neurotoxins
- Neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease)
- Neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., cerebral palsy)
Signs and Symptoms of Low Muscle Tone
- Seems limp when you lift them.
- Have increased flexibility in their joints.
- Have poor posture.
- Get tired quickly
- They do not have much strength in their muscles.
Treatments for Abnormal Muscle Tone
Usually, medical professionals only suggest surgical interventions for severe cases of abnormal muscle tone. Among these therapy modalities are:
Intrathecal Baclofen (ITB) Therapy
This procedure involves placing a pump under general anesthesia in your abdomen so that it can continuously discharge a dose of the drug baclofen into the spinal fluid via a catheter attached to the pump. Compared to taking baclofen orally, this can result in a significant reduction in pain and abnormal muscle tone with a decreased risk of sleepiness.
Dorsal Rhizotomy with Selection (SDR)
An imbalance in the electrical signals that go to specific muscles might result in abnormal muscle tone. SDR carefully performs a surgical incision to realign the electrical signals sent to your spinal cord-limited muscular groups. It can be applied in conjunction with other abnormal muscle tone treatments.
Integrated Care Team for Managing Muscle Tone Disorders
- Neurologist
- Physician (a specialist in rehabilitation).
- Advanced practitioner in medicine.
- Physiotherapist
- Occupational Therapist
- A speech-language pathologist
- Neurosurgeon
- Orthopedic physician
- Treatments for spasticity without surgery
Non-Surgical Therapies for Abnormal Muscle Tone
- Physical Therapy: A physical therapist’s primary focus is usually on mobility training, which includes transfers, standing, and walking, as well as exercises for strengthening and extending the lower extremities.
- Occupational Therapy: Typically, an OT concentrates more on upper stretching, strengthening, and training of the extremities to carry out daily tasks, including cooking, cleaning, and bathing.
- Speech Therapy: A speech therapist can help you speak, communicate, and swallow if the muscles in your mouth, face, and throat have abnormal muscle tone.
- Bracing or Casting: Applying casts or braces to the afflicted areas of your body might assist in stretching spastic muscles over time, improving range of motion and facilitating function.
Medical professionals usually prescribe oral drugs in conjunction with other therapies. Medication is usually only prescribed if your abnormal muscle tone interferes with your ability to operate normally or sleep.
Drugs for Abnormal Muscle Tone
- Lioresal, or Baclofen.
- ZANAFLEX Tizanidine.
- sodium dantrolene (Dantrium®).
- Valium (diazepam).
- AKA Klonopin, clonazepam.
- Neurontin, or gabapentin.
- Botox therapy for rheumatism
