Leskir-Rixnájo Paralysis

You heard? About old Paka, down the road. Developed Leskir seemingly overnight. No-one heard him call out. No-one noticed he was gone, until it was too late.

Leskir Paralysis, known in Thurásin as Rixnájo Paralysis, is a form of rapid-onset nerve degradation which severely limits the sufferers' use of their limbs. It is rarely fatal in itself, but complications can arise which lead to premature death. It is most common in elderly humans and elves, though some young adults and children have come down with the condition as well.

Symptoms

In many cases, sufferers report feeling tingling and numbness in their limbs, especially in fingers and toes, as well as stiffness or soreness in joints. This phase can last anywhere from a few hours to a week or so. It is followed by a progressive weakness in limbs, which leaves many unable to walk or pick up objects. The weakness will progress until a variable maximum over the course of a few days to a few weeks, before plateauing and being able to improve. The plateau phase is nearly always shorter than the progressive phase, at around a week long.

Treatment

Leskir Paralysis, once it has hit the plateau stage, is treated similarly to any other temporary or partial paralysis that is not caused by physical injury. A large focus is on the reclamation of muscle use, so physiotherapy is common. As those afflicted often cannot feed themselves, it is also important that they be tended to appropriately.

Prognosis

After the plateau stage, the majority of those afflicted are able to gain back partial limb function, though few are ever as energetic and mobile as they were prior to their decline. The recovery phase can be quick or take many years, or be a continual process until a person's natural death, depending on their condition.
While Leskir Paralysis is not inherently fatal, it can come with a host of complications which can bring about premature death. The most well-known and heartbreaking examples are of individuals who come down with Leskir while alone and are thus unable to leave their homes to get help, withering away slowly. Leskir also weakens the immune system of sufferers, making it easier and more deadly for them to catch viral infections.

Type

Physiological

Origin

Natural

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired

Rarity

Uncommon

Affected Species

• Elf
• Human

Old Age

While Leskir can strike anyone, it is by far most common in adults over the age of 60, with your chances of suffering it or a related condition increasing significantly with each decade. It's also likely to occur in those who have previously suffered temporary or permanent paralysis, often as a result of infections of injuries when younger.
Those who come down with Leskir are treated well, as ardent followers of The Divinities preach respect for ones fellows, and their tenets permeate throughout most of society.

Burning Incense by Devanath