How to Diagnose Wallenberg Syndrome
Usually resulting from complications following a stroke, Wallenberg syndrome is marked by extreme difficulty swallowing or speaking and balancing difficulties. Wallenberg syndrome occurs when an interrupted blood flow to the brain causes infarcts or dead regions of brain tissue, in the parts of the brain that govern oral motor control. Read on to learn how to diagnose Wallenberg syndrome.
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Instructions
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Recognize the symptoms of Wallenberg syndrome. In addition to swallowing and speaking problems, patients experience nausea, vomiting, hiccups and loss of the sense of taste on one side of the tongue. In fact, many symptoms may be present on only one side of the face or body, including loss of pain sensation, an inability to feel temperature stimuli or paralysis.
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Know that Wallenberg syndrome frequently accompanies a stroke, though some neurologists consider it to be a form of stroke itself. Patients who have suffered a stroke will be watched for signs of Wallenberg syndrome.
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Anticipate that your doctor or neurologist will attempt to diagnose Wallenberg syndrome through the use of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed topography (CT) scan. This will allow your neurologist to make an image of your brain that will show the location of any infarcts that may be present. If an infarct is present on the lobe of the brain identified with Wallenberg syndrome, a diagnosis can be made.
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Keep in mind that Wallenberg syndrome can also be caused by a blockage in arteries in the brain or spine. Your doctor may administer a complete blood count or urine test in order to uncover clues leading to the discovery of blocked arteries. A specialized CT scan, called a spiral CT scan, can also reveal blocked arteries, as can a procedure called angiography.
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Keep in mind that your doctor will be able to determine the extent of the damage caused by Wallenberg syndrome when he has enough information to diagnose the disorder. At this time, he should be able to give you a prognosis.
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Tips & Warnings
Be aware that the disease is classified as rare by the National Institutes of Health's Office of Rare Diseases. For a disease to qualify as rare, it must affect less than 200,000 Americans at any given time.
Symptoms need to be treated by a neurologist immediately to give patients the best prognosis for making a recovery from Wallenberg syndrome. In severe cases, significant neurological impairment may be present for years afterwards, or even permanently.
