What is Functional Neurological Disorder?
Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) is a medical condition affecting how the brain communicates with the rest of the body. There is no structural damage to the brain and the wiring of the brain and nervous system are intact. However, when the brain sends messages or signals to the rest of the body, these are not sent or received correctly. Unlike a stroke or other neurological conditions there is no physical damage to the brain but symptoms can be similar to those where there is. The exact cause of FND is unknown but contributing factors include significant stress or trauma, a head injury, family history or other medical conditions.
FND is sometimes likened to a computer where there is an issue with the software rather than the computer itself. This can make diagnosis of FND difficult because it mirrors the symptoms of other illnesses but test results will come back negative. A recent development that looks positive for FND diagnosis is the use of Functional MRI or fMRI scans to assess brain activity rather than brain structures.
FND Symptoms
The brain and nervous system malfunctioning in FND patients causes a range of neurological symptoms affecting the senses, speech, memory, movement and control. Symptoms can range from debilitating paralysis and seizures to word finding difficulties, memory loss and sensory disturbances. FND symptoms can be as debilitating as those associated with epilepsy, ME or a stroke, and can affect day to day life and mobility.
There is no quick fix for treating FND and a patient can experience flare ups and flare downs of their symptoms meaning that whilst patients can experience periods of being symptomatic they can also have periods where symptoms are reduced or there are asymptomatic. Some patients will go on to recover from FND whilst others may need to learn to manage their symptoms and triggers for life.
What is PTSD?
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD is a mental health condition resulting from a traumatic experience such as a car accident, difficult birth or an attack or serious assault. PTSD was originally termed ‘shell shocked’ in military medicine and was used to describe the psychological condition of those returning from war. However, anyone who experiences a traumatic, distressing or frightening event can find themselves suffering from PTSD. Symptoms can include nightmares, flashbacks, noise sensitivity, difficulty sleeping and a general feeling of anxiety and danger. People with PTSD can have difficulty connecting with others, emotional regulation leading to angry outbursts and realtionship problems.
Someone who has experienced repeated or prolonged exposure to trauma such as an abusive relationship, childhood trauma or war, may be diagnosed as having complex PTSD or CPTSD. In addition, the term polytrauma is used to describe someone that has suffered multiple traumatic injuries which may case significant disability and may be life threatening. The term is usually applied when the injuries occur in different areas of the body rather than a single area of the body. Many people find taking antidepressants alongside engaging in therapy can help to address PTSD symptoms.
