Nervous System Health
Concerns
Health Occ
Concussion

Etiology
• Injury to the brain caused by an impact
with an object

S/S
• Headache, noise and light sensitivity,
dizziness, nystagmus

Treatment
• No activity until symptom free for 24 hours
• Stress test and re-evaluation by Health
care professional
Spina Bifida

Etiology
• A defect in the spinal cord in which the cord
and/or its covering protrude outside the
vertebrae
• congenital

S/S
• Protrusion outside the skin
• Varying degrees of paralysis, lack of feeling
and movement below protrusion

Treatment
• surgery

Etiology
Hydrocephalus
• An overproduction of CSF in the brain
• Congenital, or result of infection or tumor

S/S
• Headache, swelling

Treatment
• Drain the fluid through the
use of a shunt
Cerebral Palsy

Etiology
• Cerebral damage during gestation or birth

S/S
• Lack of motor coordination,
and other neurological
deficiencies

Treatment
• No cure
Alzheimer’s Disease

Etiology
• Progressive degeneration of neurons in
brain

S/S
• Deterioration in mental capacity
• Loss of memory, inability to use familiar
objects, and understand outside stimuli

Treatment
• No cure
• Keep brain active to help prevent it
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Lou Gehrig’s Disease

Etiology
• Degenerative disease of the motor neurons

S/S
• Loss of muscle control
• Death

Treatment
• Medications to relieve symptoms and
complications, maintain muscle functions and
movement, and delay paralysis and disability for
as long as possible.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Etiology
• Destruction of the myelin sheath

S/S
• Muscle weakness, unsteady walking,
paraesthesia (tingling), extreme fatigue,
paralysis

Treatment
• No cure
• Medication to help slow and reduce
symptoms
Myasthenia Gravis

Etiology
• Overproduction of antibodies keeps
neurotransmitters from sending proper
nerve impulses to skeletal muscles

S/S
• Muscle weakness, easily fatigued

Treatment
• No cure
• Medication can help, lifestyle changes
Parkinson’s Disease

Etiology
• Degeneration of nerves in the brain

S/S
• Tremors, weakness of muscles, difficulty
walking

Treatment
• Drugs that increase levels of dopamine
to help relieve symptoms
• No cure
Epilepsy

Etiology
• Abnormal conditions in the brain cause sudden
excessive electrical activity

S/S
• Chronic, recurrent seizure activity
• Petit Mal = momentary disorientation
• Grand Mal = convulsions, twitching of limbs,
loss of consciousness

Treatment
• Anti-seizure
medication
Tourette’s Syndrome

Etiology
• Neurological dysfunction

S/S
• Uncontrollable sounds
and twitches

Treatment
• Drugs to control
symptoms
Meningitis

Etiology
• Inflammation of the meninges
• Bacterial, or viral

S/S
• Fever, headache, stiff neck

Treatment
• Antibiotics
• Medications for symptoms
Encephalitis

Etiology
• Inflammation of the brain from a viral
infection, or spread of infection to brain
• Infection from measles, mumps, or
chickenpox, herpes (type 1)

S/S
• Fever, headache, seizures, weakness,
visual disturbances, vomiting, stiff neck
and back, disorientation

Treatment
• Antiviral medications to prevent death
Hemiplegia

Etiology
• Paralysis on one side of the body
• Usually due to a stroke

S/S
• Unable to move one side or feel heat, cold,
pressure, pain
• Drooping eyelid or side of face

Treatment
• No cure
Paraplegia

Etiology
• Paralysis from the waist down caused by
accident/injury

S/S
• Inability to move or feel distal to the
injury sight
• Inability to control urine and bowel
functions

Treatment
• No cure
Quadriplegia

Etiology
• Paralysis from the neck down
• Injury to the 4th cervical vertebrae

S/S
• Inability to move or feel distal to the
injury
• Prone to respiratory and urinary tract
infections

Treatment
• No cure