One of the most complex systems of our body is the nervous system. At the same time, her ailments are diagnosed as often as the pathologies of other anatomical departments. The causes of disorders of the nervous system and their symptoms have been studied by specialists quite well. What leads to failures in the functioning of this department? How are such pathologies diagnosed and treated?
Structure
The human nervous system is billions of neural cells, from which branches in the form of tiny processes depart. These neurons interact with each other every second due to synapses - special mechanisms that coordinate their interaction.
In the structure of the nervous system, two departments are conditionally distinguished, which are complementary and affect biological elements and other organs. One of them is vegetative, and the second is somatic. The first section is responsible for all metabolic processes occurring in the organs, for the allocation of fluid from the body and the fulfillment of the main lung function, namely the respiratory one.
Thanks to the somatic nervous system, a person is able to interact with the environment. The coordinated work of the cells allows him to feel pain from contact with a hot object, irritation caused by a bee sting, etc. Somatic neurons are fully responsible for the motor activity of our body, as well as for muscle contraction.
Despite the different directions of the work of these two systems, they have an inextricable connection between themselves. In the absence of violations, they act on each other and are able to work harmoniously. But at the same time, the somatic department of the nervous system is dependent on the inaction or action of a person who either stands, walks, raises or lowers his hand, etc. As for the autonomic nervous system, it is completely autonomous. Man's desires to influence her are powerless.
According to morphological characteristics, the nervous system is divided into peripheral and central. Their work is carried out separately. However, the peripheral and central nervous systems are completely dependent on each other. What are these departments? The spinal cord and brain enter the central nervous system. Peripheral include the spinal and cranial nerves, as well as all neural plexuses.
Main functions
Only with the perfect functioning of the entire nervous system will the normal functioning of all organs of the human body, without exception, be realized. What is the main work of neural cells?
- Start function. Allows you to start or pause the work of the body. For example, with its help, the muscles of the human body are activated. When sneezing, they contract in the chest, and when squats - in the legs and back. Also, the starting function leads to the secretion of glands. An example is the generation of sweat with increased physical exertion.
- Vasomotor. This function regulates blood flow. This happens due to the effect of the nervous system on the vessels, which consequently either expand or contract.
- Trophic. This function is responsible for reducing or increasing metabolic processes in the body. The intensity of oxygen and essential nutrients to each cell of the body directly depends on it.
The above functions that nature has assigned to the nervous system have a close relationship with each other. At the same time, they constantly coordinate the functioning of both a separate body and all of them combined. For example, impulses passing through nerve fibers to muscles lead to their contraction. At the same time, blood vessels dilate and the process of nutrient exchange between cells begins. That is why with disorders of the nervous system, the sides of the pathology can have a different nature, because failures will take place in different directions.
One of the most common disorders of the nervous system is considered to be an inflammatory process that encompasses neural cells located in the arm. This happens either in case of injury, or with excessive loads. In this case, a violation occurs in the peripheral nervous system. A person in such cases is not even able to raise his hand to the required height. The limb ceases to cope with the functions assigned to it. This happens due to rupture of a nerve. Indeed, at the same time, impulses cease to come from neurons into the hand.
Pathology NS
There is a classification of ailments of the nervous system. They are divided into five types in medicine, namely:
- hereditary ailments;
- pathology of an infectious nature;
- disruptions in the functioning of the vascular system that occur both constantly and periodically;
- traumatic diseases;
- chronic ailments.
Violations of the nervous system, which are hereditary in nature, in turn, can be a chromosomal abnormality or a genetic disease. Such pathologies are completely subject to nature and are not dependent on humans. The most striking example of chromosomal abnormality is Down's disease.
Infectious disorders in the nervous system are associated with exposure to helminths, harmful microorganisms and fungi. Often such a pathology is manifested by encephalitis of various etiologies, accompanied by periodically occurring sensations of nausea, headaches, vomiting, dyspepsia and high fever.
Disorders of the nervous system are often associated with malfunctioning blood vessels. Hypertension and the occurrence of atherosclerotic plaques testify to their appearance. A similar disturbance occurs in the autonomic nervous system. At the same time, a person complains of painful sensations in the temples, a frequent feeling of nausea, a breakdown and lethargy.
Violations of the nervous system can occur as a result of a head injury or bruises. A similar effect also causes a malfunction in neural cells. With traumatic lesions, severe pulsating headaches occur, a temporary loss of consciousness occurs, and in the most severe cases, memory failures, confusion, loss of reaction in the limbs or in certain parts of the body are observed.
With metabolic disorders in the body, with infections, intoxications, as well as with the abnormal structure of neurons, chronic diseases develop. They are also causes of disorders of the nervous system. One of the most common diseases in the elderly is sclerosis. This pathology gradually progresses with age and has a negative effect on the work of all vital organs.
Causes of NA pathologies
What causes disturbances in the human nervous system? The main root causes of all known pathologies of the NS are:
- penetration of pathogens into the body;
- HIV infection, flu, herpes;
- brain injuries of varying severity;
- ingestion of heavy metals with air, water and food;
- poor diet and starvation;
- uncontrolled reception of pharmaceuticals;
- brain tumors.
Classification of NA pathologies and their signs
Diseases of the nervous system, as a rule, manifest as certain symptoms. It happens that ailments for years do not make themselves felt, but in the end their signs become obvious. Such a course, for example, is characteristic of the so-called slow infections, including mad cow disease.
Symptoms of a nervous system disorder are grouped by syndromes that are easy to detect during a neurological examination. Consider the classification of the main diseases of the central nervous system and their symptoms:
- Disorders of voluntary movements. The main symptoms of a violation of the nervous system of the spinal cord and brain are complete or partial paralysis. The second of them are called paresis. In addition to the lack of the possibility of full-fledged movements and weakness in a person with paralysis, muscle spasticity also occurs. In this case, pathological reflexes become noticeable and tendon rises.
- Disorders of consciousness. This group of disorders in the functioning of the nervous system includes episindrome and epilepsy. They are characterized by symptoms such as hyperkinesis, motor coordination disorders, gait changes, tremors, imbalance, dizziness, muscle stiffness, akinesis. Similar symptoms result from damage to the cerebellum or extrapyramidal system, responsible for unconscious automatic movements.
- Severe headaches of a bursting nature, with vomiting. Similar symptoms are characteristic of meningitis. When encephalitis occurs, headaches in the morning are added to the signs of damage to the nervous system described above with a simultaneous progressive decrease in vision.
- Lesions of the cerebral cortex, accompanied by various disorders of the intellect and memory, as well as dementia. Among them are Peak's disease, Alzheimer's disease, etc.
- Acute cerebrovascular accident (hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke), as well as atherosclerosis, malformation, etc.
- Traumatic brain injuries, including the most severe form - diffuse axonal damage.
Diseases of the nervous system are classified according to various criteria.
This may be, for example, the nature of the pathological process or its localization. Also, HC diseases are divided into organic and functional. But in terms of their course, they are acute, subacute and chronic.
Organic lesions of the National Assembly
Disorders in the nervous system are irreversible. They are organic. This happens with the irrevocable death of neurons. It is believed that organic disorders of the nervous system are observed in almost all people (96-99%), regardless of gender and age. In life, various situations occur, as a result of which one or another number of neurons dies. However, if there are not too many of them lost and they were not responsible for the basic vital functions, then organic disruption of the central nervous system can be classified as a mild degree of damage, which has subtle symptoms.
The pathology caused by the death of neurons can be congenital or acquired. The reason for the first of them is the stresses and diseases that a woman suffered during pregnancy. To have a negative effect on the fetus can toxic factors, as well as bad habits of women. Diseases belonging to this group can occur during childbirth and in the initial stages of the postpartum period. As for the acquired organic pathologies of the nervous system, they develop after injuries and strokes, cerebral infarction, with tumors and infections.
Symptoms of Organic CNS Damage
The presence and nature of the manifestation of signs of irreversible processes in the central nervous system will be directly related to the location and number of dead cells. In adult patients, the pathology is manifested by paralysis and paresis, decreased hearing and vision, dizziness and headaches. A rather serious symptom indicating organic damage to the central nervous system is malfunctioning of the pelvic organs in the form of fecal incontinence and urine. Sometimes in such patients sleep is disturbed, epileptic seizures occur. They complain of fatigue and irritability, as well as mental disorders. Against the background of these symptoms, a decrease in immunity is often observed.
Organic disturbance in the nervous system in children, especially if it is congenital, is manifested by more serious symptoms. At an early age, these kids can observe serious delays in the development of speech and motor skills, as well as the psyche, which leads in the future to poor performance, memory impairment, intellectual deficiency, etc.
Functional Disorders of NS
Sometimes the signs of the pathology of the nervous system appear, and then disappear, leaving no changes. These are functional disorders of the central nervous system caused by impaired neurodynamic processes. It is believed that disruptions in the interaction between inhibitory and excitatory processes occurring in the cerebral cortex lead to such ailments. Two types of factors cause them - exogenous and endogenous. The first of them includes various infections, psychological trauma, intoxication, etc. Endogenous factors are considered hereditary features that are characteristic of the human nervous system.
Among the diseases caused by functional disorders, there are vascular paroxysms, as well as various “masks” of depression and anxiety. In this case, a violation occurs in the autonomic nervous system, which is characterized by the development of such problems:
- disruptions in intestinal motility;
- decrease in the amount of muscle tissue;
- violation of skin sensitivity;
- the appearance of signs of allergies.
The initial signs of functional disorders are symptoms of neurasthenia. They are expressed in the fact that a person begins to get angry at the slightest occasion, is inactive and quickly gets tired.
Diagnostics
If the first symptoms of disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system appear, the patient should consult a doctor. If during a person’s examination a doctor suspects an existing disease, he will be able to apply one of the examination methods in the early stages of the disease. Among them:
- Instrumental diagnostics. In this case, the examination of systems and organs is performed using mechanical apparatus and devices. Such methods include ultrasound, endoscopy, radiography, magnetic resonance imaging, neurosonography and some others.
- Laboratory research. They are an analysis of biomaterial, carried out using special instruments. These are studies in which special reagents and optical microscopy are used (serological and biochemical analyzes), and they also study the crops of microorganisms on a nutrient medium.
- Neurological testing. Using this technique, the doctor will apply various scales and tests. The results will allow us to evaluate the neurological status of the patient.
Treatment
When confirming the diagnosis and identifying the doctor the reasons that provoked the disease, the tactics of applying therapeutic measures should be determined. Pathologies of the nervous system require long-term treatment due to their recurrent nature. It is impossible to get rid of congenital and genetic ailments to the patient. In such cases, therapy involves reducing the severity of symptoms and maintaining normal human viability.
Acquired diseases of the nervous system are easier to treat. But for this, it is necessary to consult a doctor already at the appearance of the first signs of an ailment.
What will be the treatment measures? Their protocol will depend on the form of pathology and the condition of the patient. Treatment can be carried out both at home (with insomnia, migraine and neuralgia), and in a hospital if urgent medical measures are necessary.
To get rid of ailments of the nervous system, complex therapy will be needed. That is why, in addition to taking medications, the patient is usually prescribed physiotherapeutic procedures and physiotherapy exercises, psychological support is provided and diet therapy is recommended. In the most difficult cases, surgery is performed.
Prevention
Prevention of disturbances in the activity of the nervous system and their prevention is possible when appropriate measures are taken. They will not only prevent the disease, but also preserve the positive results of treatment.
What measures allow us to prevent disturbances in the nervous system and prevent them in a timely manner? The main preventive actions include applying for a consultation with a doctor already at the first sign of pathology. If the disease has been diagnosed earlier, then the patient must undergo regular medical examinations.
Prevention of disorders of the nervous system and their prevention becomes possible when giving up bad habits, maintaining a balanced diet, as well as with regular walks in the fresh air. , , ( , ..). . .