Do I Have Ataxia?

Do you have poor coordination?

Do you have trouble walking?

Do you have unsteady walk and a tendency to stumble?

Do you have difficulty with fine motor tasks, such as handwriting, cutting food, opening jars, buttoning clothes, sewing, typing, and playing an instrument or a sport?

Do you have speech problems, including slurred and slow speech, difficulty producing speech, and problems controlling volume, rhythm, and pitch?

Do you have problems eating and swallowing (difficulty swallowing leads to choking or coughing)?

Do you have vision problems such as blurred vision or double vision?

Do you have involuntary back-and-forth eye movements (nystagmus)?

Do you have muscle tremors (involuntary shaking of muscles)?

Do you often experience unexpected fatigue when performing normal activities?

Based on your answers it is unlikely that you have ataxia. Ataxia is a degenerative neurological disorder characterized by a lack of muscle coordination. It is caused by damage to the cerebellum, which is the part of your brain that coordinates movement. Ataxia can develop at any age. It can occur suddenly or developing gradually over time. There are many conditions that can cause ataxia such as acute infection or injury or some long-term diseases including stroke, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy or tumors. Also, ataxia may be the result of alcohol misuse, the side effects of certain medications, metabolic disorders and vitamin deficiencies.

Based on your answers there is a possibility that you have ataxia. Ataxia refers to a condition in which people experience problems with coordination and voluntary muscle movements. People who have ataxia have difficulties using their arms, hands, fingers, walking, speaking, swallowing or moving their eyes. There are two main types of ataxia: sporadic and hereditary. Sporadic ataxia appears in adulthood in people with no family history of the disease, and hereditary ataxia is the result of defected genes inherited from your parents. A diagnosis is based on a detailed physical and neurological examination including imaging tests, spinal tap and genetic testing.

Based on your answers there is a high possibility that you have ataxia. Ataxia is a neurological disorder characterized by impaired movement and coordination. The symptoms of ataxia can occur at any age, from childhood to late-adulthood, and can vary from one person to another. Also, ataxia can progress slowly over decades or rapidly over several months. Ataxia affects about 150,000 people in the United States. Ataxia is the result of various conditions and there is no specific treatment for it. The treatment goal is to manage symptoms and improve mobility. People with ataxia can benefit from physical, speech and occupational therapy.