Spasticity Management
At Mount Sinai, we offer the most progressive treatments for spasticity available including botulinum toxin (e.g. BOTOX®) injections and Implantable Drug Delivery Systems (IDDS). Appropriate management of spasticity improves quality of life for patients, and in certain cases, can return the functional use of arms or legs.
Inpatient Services
At Mount Sinai, we offer inpatient services for a variety of conditions that cause spasticity. Because of the many factors that cause spasticity, our patients are assessed by an expert team of specialists and therapists who are all highly skilled in spasticity management. Depending on the duration and location of your spasticity, success of prior treatments, and past diagnoses, treatment options may include:
- Medication (including pills and injections)
- Occupational therapy
- Orthotics (such as taping and splinting)
- Physical therapy
Outpatient Services
Our interdisciplinary outpatient team manages all forms and causes of spasticity and we accept both new patients and patients that have been previously evaluated on our inpatient unit. Our interdisciplinary outpatient team performs thorough evaluations and creates personalized treatment plans for spasticity for every patient.
Treatments
At Mount Sinai, we offer two of the most advanced treatments for spasticity: Implantable Drug Delivery Systems and BOTOX® injections. Working as a team, our therapists and physicians manage your spasticity with the goal of improving quality of life, and in some cases, our treatment plan can return the use of a patient’s arms and/or legs without spasms.
Implantable Drug Delivery Systems
Our Implantable Drug Delivery Systems (IDDS) offer a direct, convenient route for medications to quickly reach their target location. Commonly referred to as a “pump,” this device is surgically placed under the skin and operates on its own throughout your day.
The implant can be inserted during an inpatient admission or an outpatient visit. The most commonly utilized medication to treat spasticity with the pump is Baclofen. IDDS are usually recommended for patients whose symptoms are not successfully controlled with oral medications or who have not tolerated other medications over an extended period of time. The Implantable Drug Delivery System can last in the skin for an indefinite period of time, and medication needs to be added every two to four months.
BOTOX®
BOTOX® is used by our specialists to calm muscles that move uncontrollably due to your disorder or injury. Often provided during a routine office visit, small injections of BOTOX® block the chemical signal between nerves and muscles that cause spastic movements. These tiny injections often result in relief from spasticity symptoms such as pain or muscle stiffness that can have positive lasting effects for anywhere between three to six months.