flaccid paralysis

Flaccid paralysis is a condition characterized by the loss or impairment of voluntary muscle movement, resulting in muscles becoming limp and unable to contract. This occurs when the nerve impulses that trigger muscle contraction are blocked.1

Causes of Flaccid Paralysis

Flaccid paralysis can stem from damage to the nervous system, particularly the lower motor neurons. Diseases like poliomyelitis can destroy motor cells in the spinal cord, disrupting the signals to muscles. Another cause is acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), a rare neurological condition that inflames the spinal cord's gray matter, often affecting children and leading to severe weakness.23

Pathology

When lower motor neurons degenerate, it leads to flaccid muscle weakness and significant muscle wasting because the muscle loses its nerve supply. In cases like polio, if nerve cells are destroyed, the paralysis is permanent. Metabolic disturbances in neuromuscular function can also cause muscle weakness without structural nerve or muscle damage.421