Definitions - Neurological Conditions - O

» Neurological Conditions

By - 2006-01-14

Neurological Conditions Definitions. These definitions from Disabled World begin with the letter O.

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Occipital Neuralgia - is a distinct type of headache characterized by piercing, throbbing, or electric-shock-like chronic pain in the upper neck, back of the head, and behind the ears, usually on one side of the head.   Typically, the pain of occipital neuralgia begins in the neck and then spreads upwards.  Some individuals will also experience pain in the scalp, forehead, and behind the eyes.  Their scalp may also be tender to the  touch, and their eyes especially sensitive to light.

Occult Spinal Dysraphism Sequence - or Tethered spinal cord syndrome is a neurological disorder caused by tissue attachments that limit the movement of the spinal cord within the spinal column.  These  attachments cause an abnormal stretching of the spinal cord.  The course of the disorder is progressive.  In children, symptoms may include lesions, hairy patches, dimples, or fatty tumors on the lower back; foot and  spinal deformities; weakness in the legs; low back pain; scoliosis; and incontinence.

Ohtahara Syndrome - is a neurological disorder characterized by seizures. The disorder affects newborns, usually within the first three months of life (most often within the first 10 days) in the form of epileptic  seizures.  Infants have primarily tonic seizures, but may also experience partial seizures, and rarely, myoclonic seizures Individuals with Ohtahara syndrome often have mental retardation or other developmental  impairments. The cause of the disorder is unknown.

Olivopontocerebellar Atrophy - (OPCA) is a term used to define neuronal degeneration in the cerebellum, pontine nuclei, and inferior olive. OPCA may also be found in the brains of individuals with prion disorders and  inherited metabolic diseases. The characteristic areas of brain damage that indicate OPCA can be seen by imaging the brain using CT scans or MRI studies.

Opsoclonus Myoclonus - (OMS) is a rare neurological disorder of unknown causes which appears to be the result of an autoimmune process involving the nervous system. It is an extremely rare condition, affecting as  few as 1 in 10,000,000 people per year. It affects 2 to 3% of children with neuroblastoma. In most cases OMS starts with an acute flare-up of physical symptoms within days or weeks, but some less obvious  symptoms such as irritability and malaise may begin weeks or months earlier

Orthostatic Hypotension - (also known as postural hypotension, orthostatic reflect, orthostatic intolerance and, colloquially, as head rush or a dizzy spell) is a sudden fall in blood pressure, typically greater than 20/10  mm Hg, that occurs when a person assumes a standing position, usually after a prolonged period of rest. Symptoms, which occur after standing, include dizziness, lightheadedness, headache, blurred or dimmed  vision (possibly to the point of momentary blindness), generalized (or extremity) numbness/tingling and fainting. They are consequences of insufficient blood pressure and cerebral perfusion (blood supply).

O'Sullivan-McLeod Syndrome - or Monomelic amyotrophy (MMA) is characterized by progressive degeneration and loss of motor neurons, the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that are responsible for controlling  voluntary muscles. It is characterized by weakness and wasting in a single limb, usually an arm and hand rather than a foot and leg. There is no pain associated with MMA. While some physicians contend that mild  sensory loss may be associated with this disease, many experts suggest that such symptoms actually indicate a cause other than MMA. MMA occurs in males between the ages of 15 and 25.

Overuse Syndrome - Can also be known as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a condition where a part of the body is injured by repeatedly overusing or exerting to much strain on that body part. Strain occurs when  the body part is called on to work harder, stretch farther, impact more directly or otherwise function at a greater level then it is prepared for. The immediate impact may be minute, but when it occurs repeatedly the  constant straining cause damage.

Alphabetical list of Neurological Disorder Definitions.

A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - R - S - T - V - W - X - Z

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