Special Medicines

Balasaireyakadi Kashayam

Ref: Arogyakalpadrumam

Indication (Classical): Jihwastambham, All vata rogas

Other clinical indications: MND, Degenerative conditions, Aphonia, Bulbar palsy, Alzheimer’s disease

Dysarthria

Dysarthria is a motor speech disorder resulting from neurological injury, characterized by poor articulation. Any of the speech subsystems(respiration,phonation,resonance,prosody,articulation and movements of jaw and tongue) can be affected.

Dysarthric speech is due to some disorder in the nervous system, which in turn hinders control over, for example, the tongue,throat,lips or lungs . Swallowing problems (dysphagia) are often present.

Cranial nerves that control these muscles include the trigeminal nerve’s motor branch (v),the facial nerve (vii), the glossopharyngeal nerve (ix), the vagus nerve (x), and the hypoglossal nerve (xii).

Motor Neuron Disease (MND)

The motor neuron diseases (MND) are a group of progressive neurological disorders that destroy motor neurons, the cells that control voluntary muscle activity including speaking, walking, breathing, swallowing and general movement of the body.

Symptoms usually present themselves between the ages of 50-70, and include progressive weakness, muscle wasting, and muscle fasciculations, spasticity or stiffness in the arms and legs, and overactive tendon reflexes. Patients may present with symptoms as diverse as a dragging foot, unilateral muscle wasting in the hands, or slurred speech.

Neurological examination presents specific signs associated with upper and lower motor neuron degeneration. Signs of upper motor neuron damage include spasticity, brisk reflexes and the Babinski sign. Signs of lower motor neuron damage include weakness and muscle atrophy.

Every muscle group in the body requires both upper and lower motor neurons to function. The signs described above can occur in any muscle group, including the arms, legs, torso, and bulbar region