Paralysis
Loss of voluntary movement (motor function). Paralysis that affects only one muscle or limb is partial paralysis, also known as palsy; paralysis of all muscles is total paralysis, as may occur in cases of botulism.
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- Paralysis, facial nerve
Loss of voluntary movement of the muscles on one side of the face due to abnormal function of the facial nerve (the 7th cranial nerve) which supplies those muscles. Facial nerve paralysis is also called Bell’s palsy. The cause of facial nerve paralysis is often not known, but is thought to be due to a […]
- Paralysis, infantile (polio)
Infantile paralysis is an old synonym for poliomyelitis, an acute and sometimes devastating viral disease. Man is the only natural host for poliovirus. The virus enters the mouth and multiplies in lymphoid tissues in the pharynx and intestine. Small numbers of virus enter the blood and go to other sites where the virus multiplies more […]
- Paralysis, laryngeal nerve
Paralysis of the recurrent laryngeal nerve, a branch of the vagus nerve (a long and important nerve that originates in the brainstem and runs down to the colon). After the recurrent laryngeal nerve leaves the vagus nerve, it goes down into the chest and then loops back up to supply the larynx (the voice box). […]
- Paralysis, stomach
Formally called gastroparesis, this is a medical condition in which the muscle of the stomach is paralyzed by a disease of either the stomach muscle itself or the nerves controlling the muscle. As a consequence, food and secretions do not empty normally from the stomach, and there is nausea and vomiting. Gastroparesis may be associated […]
- Paralysis, vocal cord
Inability of one or both vocal folds (vocal cords) to move. The paralysis is usually due to damage to the nerves going to the vocal cords or due to damage to the brain itself. In more technical terms, vocal cord paralysis may result from lesions in the nucleus ambiguus or its supranuclear tracts in the […]