Maryland’s Health Matters - St. Joseph - Fall 2017 - 12

SPOTLIGHT:

REHABILITATION
SERVICES FOR
PATIENTS WITH
TREMORS
At the UM St. Joseph Rehabilitation Department,
Drs. Elias Melhem, Howard Eisenberg and Paul Fishman

tremors-which are characterized by trembling,
shaking, balance problems and/or slowness of movement-are addressed in a holistic manner as part of

the batteries. But many, like

and Crowe heard one quick,

the entire treatment plan for movement disorders,

John Crowe, are turned away

loud bang when the sonic

which can range from essential tremor to Parkinson's

by the wires coming out of

waves reached the cells in his

disease to a brain injury.

the head to the chest. He

brain that caused the tremor.

says he would sooner deal

"It's pretty dramatic to

"Tremors first require a thorough neurologic
assessment," says speech pathologist Claire

with his symptoms than

see the results," says Dr.

McMillan, MS, clinical rehabilitation manager at the

undergo DBS.

Eisenberg. "Patients can

UM St. Joseph Rehabilitation Center. "We work with

become emotional because

each patient's physician to achieve the best pos-

mentioning drilling in my

there is such a noticeable

sible functional result for the patient. We design an

head and putting wires in,

difference right away."

individual treatment plan, using a strong multidis-

"When my doctor started

It was certainly

I said I can live without that,"
Crowe says. "And then when

immediate for Crowe.
When he repeated the

they came up with focused

ciplinary approach that includes physical, occupational and speech therapies."
Physical therapy is utilized to improve balance

ultrasound, I thought, 'You

baseline tests, he could

and strength while walking. This includes core

know what? Let's try it.' "

trace the marker through

exercises that strengthen abdominal muscles, and

the maze without hitting

exercises to increase flexibility in the hips, knees,

the sides, draw a horizontal

ankles and feet.

THE RIGHT FIT,
THE RIGHT
PROCEDURE

line and drink out of a cup
without spilling.
"I was tickled to death,"

Once Crowe learned more
about focused ultrasound,

Crowe says.
But it wasn't until a hospi-

he contacted his daughter,

"Occupational therapy is used to address
muscle strength and flexibility in the patient's
upper extremities-the arms, hands and fingers.
The goal is to improve functional tasks such as
cooking, household chores and handwriting,"

a research associate at a local

tal dinner of chicken, mashed

explains McMillan. "A major concern of patients

hospital, and found his way

potatoes and peas that

is wanting to have legible handwriting."

to the University of Maryland

night that it really sunk in.

Medical Center, where he was

"I picked up the fork,

Speech therapy addresses voice quality.
"A tremor can affect the health of a person's voice,

told he was a candidate for

picked up some peas

making it weak and shaky. Patients are concerned

the new treatment.

and put them in my mouth,"

with being heard over the phone or in a social set-

says Crowe. "I never gave

ting. Through vocal exercises, we can help a patient's

line tests-using a pen

it a second thought until

voice become clear and strong," she adds.

to go through a circular

after I'm eating the chicken

maze, drawing horizontal

and I'm thinking to myself,

lines and sipping out of

'I ate those peas without

a lidded cup-it was finally

them falling all over the place.'

After a series of base-

"That was the most

time to have the procedure.
It lasted about three hours,

amazing thing."

12 MARYLAND'S HEALTH MATTERS

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT
To arrange an outpatient appointment with
rehabilitation services, call 410-337-1336.

To watch a video about FUS, visit stjosephtowson.com/healthy.

http://www.stjosephtowson.com/healthy

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Maryland’s Health Matters - St. Joseph - Fall 2017