How to Treat Wallenberg Syndrome

Wallenberg syndrome is caused by damage to either the vertebral artery or the posterior inferior cerebellar artery in the stem of the brain. Frequently a complication of a stroke, the syndrome is characterized by extreme difficulties with speech and swallowing, as well as nausea, vomiting, difficulty maintaining balance, partial paralysis, pain and temperature insensitivity. Read on to learn how to treat Wallenberg syndrome.

Things You'll Need

• Feeding tube
• Pain medication
• Neurologist
• Speech pathologist

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Instructions

• 1

  Know that Wallenberg syndrome is caused by irreversible damage to parts of the brain (called infarcts). An infarct occurs when a region of brain matter dies due to an interrupted supply of blood. The syndrome itself cannot be treated directly except by the usual means of treating a stroke, which Wallenberg syndrome often accompanies.

• 2

  Get help swallowing with a feeding tube. Wallenberg syndrome patients frequently experience extreme difficulty with oral motor control and swallowing may be near impossible in some cases. Your physician or a registered nurse will be able to instruct you on the proper use of a feeding tube, if home use is necessary.

• 3

  Make an appointment with a speech pathologist to evaluate the extent of the loss of speech. Through close work with a speech expert, a patient suffering from Wallenberg syndrome can make a nearly complete recovery. However, the degree of recovery is highly dependent upon the specific case and the amount of damage the brain stem suffered.

• 4

  Treat any chronic pain caused by the condition with the use of prescription pain medication. Opioid analgesics are frequently prescribed to patients with Wallenberg syndrome.

• 5

  Understand that while some patients make a rapid recovery, healing to nearly full health just weeks or months after they begin to treat their symptoms, other patients continue to suffer symptoms chronically. Unfortunately, some Wallenberg syndrome sufferers continue to battle the condition for years. The nature of the condition--and the brain damage that accompanies it--means there are no guarantees.