Paralysis is the loss of ability to move one or more muscles of the body. Some people with paralysis also lose sensation from the affected body part. For example, they may not notice a pin pressed against the skin of their legs if their legs are paralysed.
Paralysis is not usually caused by problems with the muscles, but by problems with the nerves that the brain uses to control the muscles (the nerves are usually damaged).
How common is paralysis?
It is hard to estimate how widespread paralysis is in England as cases are not recorded in the same way as cancer or heart attacks, for example.
A recent study carried out in the United States found that 1 in every 50 people had some degree of paralysis. While there may be some difference in rates of cases in England, it is unlikely that the figures will be widely different.
Paralysis can have a wide range of causes, such as stroke (a serious condition where the blood supply to the brain is disturbed) and multiple sclerosis (a condition where the immune system mistakenly attacks the nervous system). Injury to the spine is another common cause of paralysis.
Living with paralysis
The type and extent of paralysis will determine the impact it has on a person’s quality of life and day-to-day activities (see Paralysis – symptoms for more information).
For example, many people with paralysis that affects their lower limbs (paraplegia) lead relatively independent and active lives using a wheelchair to carry out their daily activities.
However, people with paralysis affecting both their hands and their legs (quadriplegia) need a great deal of support and are unlikely to be able to live without a dedicated carer.
Paralysis can cause a number of associated secondary conditions such as:
Dealing with these secondary conditions is another important factor in living with paralysis.
Outlook
The outlook for people with paralysis can vary depending on the underlying cause.
In some cases, the paralysis is only temporary and the outlook is good, for example after a stroke.
The outlook for paralysis due to spinal cord injury or multiple sclerosis is poor as the paralysis is usually permanent. However, this does not mean that a person with permanent paralysis cannot have a good quality of life.
Many people with paralysis take part in a range of different activities, from driving to waterskiing and even mountain climbing.
