The clinical team of the Abilities Research Center (ARC) specializes in understanding and treating a range of neurological illnesses and injuries. We partner with our patients to customize the best possible rehabilitation plan for conditions and traumas that include the following.  

Spinal Cord Injury

An injury to the spinal cord—which contains the nerves that carry messages between your body and brain—can cause a variety of symptoms depending on the location and severity of the trauma. Spinal cord injury (SCI) symptoms may include numbness, loss of bowel or bladder control, difficulty breathing, uncontrolled muscle movement (spasticity), sensory changes, pain, and paralysis.

Stroke

A stroke occurs when blood flow to part of the brain is interrupted, preventing oxygen and nutrients from reaching brain tissue, causing cell death and potentially creating lasting damage. The two main types of stroke are ischemic (caused by a blood clot) and hemorrhagic (caused by a burst blood vessel). Symptoms depend on the stroke’s severity and the part of the brain it affects, and can include loss of balance or coordination; headache; difficulty walking; trouble speaking or swallowing; numbness or tingling; and weakness in the arm, leg, or face.

Parkinson’s Disease

With Parkinson’s disease, the brain cells that manufacture dopamine (a chemical that helps control muscle movement) slowly die, causing a patient to suffer progressively worsening muscle control. Symptoms may include tremor, bradykinesia (slowness), and rigidity, as well as cognitive difficulties.

Traumatic Brain Injury

A trauma to the head could cause affected brain cells to malfunction, which may result in a traumatic brain injury. The extent of the injury and how long it lasts depend on the severity of the trauma. 

Multiple Sclerosis

In multiple sclerosis, your immune system attacks the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves of your own central nervous system. The resulting inflammation damages nerves and myelin (the fatty tissue that insulates the nerve and relays signals to a neuron). Symptoms may include fatigue, difficulty walking, and cognitive changes.

Tinnitus

Tinnitus is a condition commonly described as a ringing in the ears, but it also can sound like roaring, clicking, hissing, or buzzing. It may be soft or loud, high pitched or low pitched. You might hear it in either one or both ears. Roughly 10 percent of the adult population of the United States has experienced tinnitus lasting at least five minutes in the past year. This amounts to nearly 35 million Americans.