Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) is a neurological condition caused by changes in how brain networks work - not with its structure. In other words, the brain and body are fully intact but the way the brain sends and processes signals becomes disrupted, leading to neurological symptoms that are real.

FND includes several distinct subtypes or presentations. These may occur alone or together, and symptoms can change over time:

• Functional Movement Disorder (FMD) - Involves movements like tremors, jerky movements, difficulty walking, muscle weakness.

• Functional Seizures - Resulting from a disruption in how the brain and body communicate. Experience dissociation, lightheadedness, dizziness, numbness / tingling, heart racing, and more.

• Functional Dizziness or Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness (PPPD) - chronic sensation of imbalance or motion sensitivity, often triggered by visual environments and posture changes.

• Complex Regional Pain Syndrome - A pain condition that often develops after an injury, involving pain that is disproportionate to the original injury. May experience symptoms high sensitivity to touch, burning pain, motor changes, and more.

Physical Therapy for FND:

• Rewire Through Neuroplasticity - Your brain is adaptable. Just as your brain networks can be altered to disrupt how your brain is sending and processing signals, we can use that same principle to create “healthy” pathways. Through carefully graded exercises and movement retraining, physical therapy helps the brain develop new connections, “rewiring” how you move, walk, balance, etc,. This is the science of neuroplasticity, central to FND treatment.

• Supports Nervous System Regulation - Assessment and treatment of nervous system function, especially if you are experiencing symptoms similar to heart racing, nausea, dizziness, sensitivity to exercise.

• Restoring Sensory Function - The sensory system include's the brain’s ability to process information from the environment - how you perceive touch, temperature, pain, balance and movement. FND can cause sensory system dysregulation, affecting how you feel in your body day to day. If you are experiencing disproportionate pain levels, difficulty sensing where your body is in space, dizziness with movement or other sensory symptoms, physical therapy will play a key role in retraining and recalibrating the sensory system to help the brain increase accuracy when processing sensory input.

• Restore Physical Function and Reduce Pain - FND can lead to a variety of physical challenges, including muscle weakness, neural tension, hypermobility and chronic pain. These symptoms can significantly alter your ability to move freely, perform daily tasks and maintain an active lifestyle. Physical Therapy focuses on restoring physical function and reducing pain through targeted, individualized treatment strategies.

FND can feel overwhelming and isolating, especially if your symptoms have been misunderstood or dismissed in the past. At NeuPath Physical Therapy, we offer compassionate, evidence-based care that acknowledges the complexity of your condition and supports you with clarity and hope.

If you or a loved one is navigating life with Functional Neurological Disorder, we are here to help you on your path to recovery.

Please contact us today or schedule a free consultation to learn how physical therapy at NeuPath can support you.