Abnormal posturing (patient information)
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Abnormal posturing |
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Abnormal posturing On the Web |
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-In-Chief:; Charmaine Patel, M.D. [2]
Overview
Abnormal posturing is different from "bad posture" or "slouching." Instead, it involves holding a body position, or moving one or more parts of the body in a certain way. Abnormal posturing may be a sign of certain injuries to the brain or spinal cord.
What are the symptoms of Abnormal posturing?
Decerebrate posture is an abnormal body posture that involves the arms and legs being held straight out, the toes being pointed downward, and the head and neck being arched backwards. The muscles are tightened and held rigidly. This type of posturing usually means there has been severe damage to the brain.Decorticate posture is an abnormal posturing in which a person is stiff with bent arms, clenched fists, and legs held out straight. The arms are bent in toward the body and the wrists and fingers are bent and held on the chest. Opisthotonos is a condition in which the body is held in an abnormal position. The person is usually rigid and arches the back, with the head thrown backward. If a person with opisthotonos lies on his or her back, only the back of the head and the heels touch the supporting surface.
What causes Abnormal posturing?
- Cerebral edema
- Head injury
- Increased intracranial pressure due to any cause
- Reye syndrome
- Stroke
- Uncal herniation
Who is at highest risk?
Opisthotonos is much more common in infants and children than in adults. It is also more exaggerated in infants and children because of their less mature nervous systems. Drugs such as phenothiazines and other antipsychotic medications, can cause a side effect called acute dystonic reaction. Opisthotonos may be part of this reaction.In rare cases, infants born to women who drink large amounts of alcohol during pregnancy may have opisthotonus due to alcohol withdrawal.
Diagnosis
All abnormal posturing should be treated in a hospital. This kind of movement is most often seen in patients who are in a coma. More subtle posturing that is caused by a doctor at a medical visit may not be as serious.At the hospital, emergency treatment for abnormal posturing must be started right away. This includes placing a breathing tube and providing breathing assistance. The person will likely be placed in the hospital intensive care unit.
The medical history will be obtained from family members. A physical examination will be performed.
Medical history questions may include:
- When did this behavior start?
- Is there a pattern to the occurrences?
- Is it always the same type of posture?
- What other symptoms came before or occurred during the abnormal posturing?
- Is there any history or injury (such as a known head injury)?
The physical examination will include a complete brain and nervous system evaluation.
Tests may include:
- Cerebral angiography
- EEG
- Head CT scan
- Head MRI scan
- Head x-ray
- ICP monitoring (monitoring of the pressure inside the brain)
When to seek urgent medical care?
People with abnormal posturing almost always have reduced consciousness. Anyone who shows symptoms of abnormal posturing should be examined right away by a health care provider.In some conditions, such as a coma, these behaviors can continue for a long time.
Treatment options
A person who develops opisthotonos, decorticate posturing or decerebrate posture will need to be cared for in a hospital.
Where to find medical care for Abnormal posturing?
Directions to Hospitals Treating Condition