Spasticity is a condition in which certain muscles are continuously contracted. This contraction causes stiffness or tightness of the muscles and may interfere with movement, speech, and manner of walking. Spasticity is usually caused by damage to the portion of the brain or spinal cord that controls voluntary movement. It may occur in association with spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, damage to the brain because of lack of oxygen, brain trauma, severe head injury, and metabolic diseases such as adrenoleukodystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease), and phenylketonuria. Symptoms may include hypertonicity (increased muscle tone), clonus (a series of rapid muscle contractions), exaggerated deep tendon reflexes, muscle spasms, scissoring (involuntary crossing of the legs), and fixed joints. The degree of spasticity varies from mild muscle stiffness to severe, painful, and uncontrollable muscle spasms. Spasticity can interfere with rehabilitation in patients with certain disorders, and often interferes with daily activities.
Treatment for spasticity may include such medications as baclofen, diazepam, tizanidine or clonazepam. Physical therapy regimens may include muscle stretching and range of motion exercises to help prevent shrinkage or shortening of muscles and to reduce the severity of symptoms. Surgery may be recommended for tendon release or to sever the nerve-muscle pathway.

An instrument for enlarging the opening of any canal or cavity in order to facilitate inspection of its interior.

Sinus (cavity lined with mucosa) that lies directly behind the nose and in front of the pituitary gland – the back wall of which makes up the anterior wall of the sella turcica.

See cerebrospinal fluid.

Often referred to as somatostatin. A number of drugs to treat GH excess act like this native hypothalamic hormone.

A stem. Usually refers to the pituitary stalk that connects the pituitary gland to the hypothalamus.

A stent is a small mesh tube that’s used to treat narrowed or weakened arteries in the body. A stent may be placed in an artery as part of a procedure called angioplasty. Angioplasty can restore blood flow through narrowed or blocked arteries. Stents help prevent arteries from becoming narrowed or blocked again in the months or years after treatment with angioplasty. A stent may also be placed in a weakened artery to improve blood flow and to help prevent the artery from bursting.
Stents are usually made of metal mesh, but sometimes they’re made of fabric. Fabric stents, also called stent grafts, are used in larger arteries. Some stents are coated with medicines that are slowly and continuously released into the artery. These medicines help prevent the artery from becoming blocked again.

Refers to surgery or radiation therapy directed by various scanning devices.

Stereotactic radiosurgery is not considered an invasive surgical procedure, but a radiation therapy that focuses high-powered x-rays onto a small area. Typical radiation therapy directs radiation to the tumor and nearby tissue, but stereotactic radiosurgery concentrates the radiation onto the abnormal area only. It requires both a neurosurgeon and a radiotherapist in most cases.

Also called: Corticosteroids, Glucocorticoids. Anabolic steroids can have harmful effects, but corticosteroids treat a variety of problems. Corticosteroids steroids are similar to hormones that the adrenal glands produce to fight stress associated with illnesses and injuries; reducing inflammation and having a positive affect the immune system. Corticosteroids are used to treat autoimmune diseases such as lupus and multiple sclerosis, skin conditions, arthritis, asthma and some cancers.
Steroids are strong medicines that should be taken for only short periods of time, as they can produce side affects such as weakened bones and cataracts.