Westphalian palsy

Westphal–Goldflam palsy (WGP), or paroxysmal myoclonic disorder, is a chronic neurological disorder that occurs with paralysis.

With PIH, the muscular system of the limbs is affected. As a result, the muscles contract and convulsions occur, causing convulsive muscle contractions. Arm paralysis is one of the symptoms of Westphal-Goldflam palsy. This disorder is characterized by frequent loss of muscle activity in the palm and hand. As a result, there is a loss of not only fine, but also gross motor skills. Thus, disturbances occur even in daily activities (walking, writing, eating, reading, washing, etc.). In some cases, the arms stop moving altogether, and only then do doctors talk about a complete loss of functional activity of the upper limbs. The disease is prone to chronicity and progression. At the stage of pronounced manifestations, getting rid of symptoms can be problematic, especially given the fact that the rate of progression can vary greatly. For this reason, the patient is forced to seek medical help every time after another loss of motor ability. Symptoms of upper limb paralysis can appear at different stages of the disease. Most often, destruction occurs from the hands, which is why this condition is called Westphal-Goldlam palsy. As the disease progresses, mobility may gradually be lost.

According to medical research, the cause of the disease has not yet been fully established. There are several theories, each of which explains certain aspects of the occurrence of pathology:

- genetic theory: in this case, the development of PIH is due to heredity (birth defects);

- metabolic theory: the root cause of pathological changes lies in metabolic disorders, such as lack of calcium and magnesium, excess potassium, disturbances in the production of neurotransmitters; - theory of hypothermia: most information about this disease indicates that predisposing factors are low air temperature, strong wind waves or dry air;