Friedreich's Ataxia: MedlinePlus [NEW TOPIC PAGE]

Friedreich's Ataxia

URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/friedreichsataxia.html

 

Friedreich's ataxia is an inherited disease that damages your nervous system. The damage affects your spinal cord and the nerves that control muscle movement in your arms and legs. Symptoms usually begin between the ages of 5 and 15. The main symptom is ataxia, which means trouble coordinating movements. Specific symptoms include

• Difficulty walking
• Muscle weakness
• Speech problems
• Involuntary eye movements
• Scoliosis
• Heart palpitations

People with Friedreich's ataxia usually need a wheelchair 15 to 20 years after symptoms first appear. In severe cases, people become incapacitated. There is no cure. You can treat symptoms with medicines, braces, surgery and physical therapy.

NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

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Friedreich's Ataxia: MedlinePlus


Source: National Ataxia Foundation - PDF
http://www.ataxia.org/pdf/Friedreichs_Ataxia_FAQ_11.pdf

MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA  

• Friedreich's ataxia

Related Topics

• Degenerative Nerve Diseases
• Brain and Nerves
• Genetics/Birth Defects
• http://www.ataxia.org/pdf/Friedreichs_Ataxia_FAQ_11.pdf

National Institutes of Health

• The primary NIH organization for research on Friedreich's Ataxia is the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke