What is Functional Neurological Disorder in Virginia Beach VA?

Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) is a condition characterized by symptoms related to motor or sensory functions that cannot be explained by an existing neurological disease or disorder. FND symptoms can include abnormal movements or sensations, such as tremors, shaking, sudden weakness, or recurring spells, which are unrelated to an injury or other conditions. The condition was previously known as conversion disorder, particularly in children, and can cause significant distress and dysfunction, affecting a child's everyday life and happiness when left unidentified. To learn more about this condition, contact our Virginia Beach VA chiropractor today.

When Does FND Occur In Virginia Beach VA?

FND occurs due to miscommunication between the nervous system and the body. It can be overwhelming for both parents and children to cope with the physical consequences of the neurological disconnect that is out of their control. FND is not something a child fakes or voluntarily contributes to; it should be taken seriously by doctors.

The cause of FND can vary, and most doctors do not identify a clear or singular underlying cause of FND. However, most FND cases have a significant amount of trauma and illness in their early childhood case history. FND requires a functional neurological examination to diagnose, and it is not identified in a child just because of stress or a mental health diagnosis.

What Are The Symptoms Of FND?

FND symptoms can overlap, and doctors break them down into two categories: psychogenic nonepileptic seizures and functional movement disorder. Here is a list of some of the most common symptoms that may help you recognize possible FND in your child.

Common motor issues:

• Limb weakness or paralysis
• Involuntary twitching or jerking
• Issues with gait or posture
• Loss of balance or difficulty walking
• Muscle stiffness
• Tics
• Trouble coordinating movements
• Tremors, spasms

Common brain or sensory issues:

• Loss of voice, slurred or stuttered speech
• Memory issues, thinking problems, cognitive difficulties involving memory and concentration Headaches, migraines
• Loss of sense of smell
• Chronic pain
• Loss of sense of touch
• Loss of hearing
• Numbness, tingling in limbs, body, or face
• Seizure-like episodes, blackout, and fainting (different from epileptic seizures because they are due to brain dysfunction and not abnormal electrical signaling in the brain)
• Disassociation from thoughts, feelings, or environments during seizures
• Sleeping problems
• Overactive bladder or other bowel issues
• Hallucinations
• Difficulty swallowing or feeling “a lump in the throat
• Loss of vision, double vision, sensitivity to light, and blindness

There are more symptoms FND patients may experience, especially in the area of ‘basic’ neurophysiological functions such as digestive motility, immune function, and sleep.

Detecting FND in children can be challenging as it is not always easy to understand what is happening, especially because many children with FND are high functioning. Research has found that FND is commonly diagnosed in girls aged 10-14 years who tend to have a perfectionist mindset and participate in intense physical activities such as athletics or competitive sports teams. However, the cause of FND can vary greatly among both children and adults.

How Is FND Diagnosed?

The difficulty in diagnosing FND is that there is no clear or single underlying cause, according to most doctors. There is often no obvious structural damage to the brain, and the problem may not even show up on a typical structural MRI brain scan. The issue lies with the brain's signals being unable to communicate effectively, which can be challenging to measure with traditional medical testing such as blood work, MRI, CT, EEG, and others. FND indicates that there is some kind of disconnection in the central and autonomic nervous system, leading to a disruption of communication between the brain and the body.

Trauma and illness during early childhood, such as a stressful pregnancy, birth intervention and trauma, infantile colic and reflux, chronic ear infections and respiratory issues, and social, emotional, and family trauma, are often contributing factors to the development of FND. However, FND is not identified in a child solely due to stress or a mental health diagnosis. A functional neurological examination is required, looking at both neuromuscular and motor function through EMG, and for the presence of dysautonomia through NeuroThermal testing and Heart Rate Variability. We conduct all three assessments through a functional neurological exam called INSiGHT Scans, which takes only 15-30 minutes.

FND is all about dysfunction in the nervous system, which we specialize in restoring. Subluxation is often at the root of many neurological issues, which is when tension and fixation accumulate within the central nervous system, leading to interference and incoordination within the function of the nerves, muscles, and autonomic nervous system as a whole.

Functional Neurological Disorder recovery can be a lonely road without the right support, but we are here to listen to your concerns and use our unique skills and resources to help your child.