Our body is controlled by nerve impulses. These are signals transmitted along the thin strings of nerves from the brain to each of the systems of the human body, and then make the return journey. In this regard, it is not surprising that diseases of the NS lead to very unpleasant health consequences.
Doctors combined all neurological disorders under a common concept and gave it the name "neuropathy." These are NS diseases that arise due to non-inflammatory nerve damage due to injuries or ailments.
Classification
Neuropathy is a disease that can affect various parts of the nerve fibers of the body. There is a certain classification of this disease, the creation of which took into account the type and location of the pathological zone. So, types of such health disorders are:
- Peripheral neuropathy. This is an ailment that can be caused by both mechanical damage and a particular disease. This pathology affects the peripheral nervous system. The areas of its localization are the tips of the fingers and toes, as well as the feet and palms.
- Proximal neuropathy. This pathology is distinguished by the presence of painful symptoms in the buttocks and hips.
- Cranial neuropathy. This is one of the varieties of pathology that occurs due to dysfunctions of one of the twelve pairs of cranial nerves. In turn, cranial neuropathy is divided into auditory and visual. The first variety is spoken of when the auditory is damaged, and the second is the optic nerve.
- Autonomic neuropathy. They talk about it with pathologies of the autonomic nervous system. Bladder function and intestinal motility suffer from this ailment. The vegetative neuropathy affects the digestive system. It also has a negative effect on the heart muscle.
- Local neuropathy. Symptoms of this type of ailment develop suddenly, and only on one part of the body.
- Post-traumatic neuropathy. Its cause is nerve damage as a result of compression due to swelling of the tissues, fractures or the formation of irregular scars. Most often, the pathology affects the sciatic, ulnar, and also radial nerves and threatens with subsequent muscle atrophy and a decrease in reflexes.
Post-traumatic neuropathy, in turn, includes tunnel and compression-ischemic types of neuropathy. The first of them appears as a result of squeezing muscles or ligaments. The second (compression-ischemic neuropathy) - vessels and nerves. This happens when you squat for a long time or if a person falls asleep and is in the same position all the time during rest.
Causes of Neuropathy
What causes disorders of the nervous system? The development of pathology contributes to many reasons, which are divided into two categories. The first of them is endogenous, and the second is exogenous.
Sometimes the causes of neuropathy lie in the body itself. Pathologies in humans lead to damage to one or more nerves. Such causes are called endogenous. These can be endocrine-type diseases, as well as autoimmune and demyelinating.
In the list of exogenous causes are those that affected the body from the outside. These are injuries, infections and intoxications.
Endogenous causes
Neuropathy can occur due to endocrine pathologies, in the list of which diabetes is the main place. This disease can affect individual nerve endings, and the entire nerve trunks.
Most often, with diabetes mellitus, neuropathy of the lower extremities is formed. The onset of this disease begins with malnutrition of nerve roots. This dysfunction is a consequence of the defeat of small vessels, which in the first place suffer from diabetes. As a result, nerve tissue is rapidly destroyed, which leads to disruption of its work. Neuropathy of the lower extremities manifests itself in the form of goosebumps, fever, or a sensation of cold. In addition to diabetes mellitus, such a pathology can be a consequence of Itsenko-Cushing's disease, adrenal gland diseases and thyroid gland.
Another cause of the endogenous nature may be demyelinating ailments. This is a group of diseases accompanied by the destruction of the myelin sheath of the nerve bundle. In this case, the instantaneous passage of impulses from the brain to a particular organ and vice versa is disrupted. The appearance of such a dysfunction is possible with:
- multiple and concentric sclerosis;
- Devik's disease;
- diffuse leukoencephalitis;
- acute disseminated encephalomyelitis.
With these diseases, both peripheral and cranial nerves are affected. Most often, the occurrence of neuropathy provokes multiple sclerosis. This disease usually affects the facial, trigeminal or oculomotor nerves. In this case, a violation of facial sensitivity occurs, eye movements become limited and weakness appears in the facial muscles.
Autoimmune diseases can also cause neuropathy. Most often, this is Guillain-Barré syndrome, which causes respiratory and gastrointestinal infections. Pathogenic bacteria and viruses trigger the mechanism of autoimmune reactions, and the body begins to produce cells against its own nerve fibers. As a result, the destruction of myelin or cellular structures of the neuron occurs. In both cases, this leads to pathology.
Causes of neuropathy can also be:
- rheumatoid arthritis;
- scleroderma;
- Sjogren's syndrome;
- Wegener granulomatosis.
Nervous disorders invariably occur with excessive consumption of alcohol, as well as its surrogates. As a rule, the symptoms of the disease are manifested by impaired gait. In this case, peripheral alcoholic neuropathy occurs, the cause of which becomes a symmetrical lesion of the limbs, especially the lower ones. At the initial stage, this pathology manifests itself as a “spanking” of the feet while walking. Later, pain and numbness occur in the limbs.
When drinking alcohol or its surrogates, cranial nerves are often affected. In the later stages of the disease, auditory, visual, or facial neuropathy occurs.
The development of pathology can be triggered by vitamin deficiency. Moreover, various types of neuropathy arise due to a lack of B vitamins in the body, which are necessary for the implementation of metabolic processes in nerve tissue. In this case, there is a violation of statics and sensitivity, as well as muscle weakness. In addition, the facial, abducent and optic nerves are affected.
Exogenous causes
One of the most common prerequisites for the development of neuropathy is a traumatic lesion. So, with a strong physical impact on the human body, a violation of the integrity of the nerve fiber occurs. Sometimes, instantaneous impulse conduction becomes impossible due to a violation of the structure of the myelin sheath.
The cause of the pathology may be prolonged compression of the nerve fiber, as well as its pinching. In this case, the disease develops due to a violation of the blood supply to the damaged area. Nerve tissue experiences starvation and gradually begins to atrophy. Most often, a similar mechanism is observed in those people who, as a result of catastrophes, fell into rubble, for a long time were in a stationary position. After salvation, they often developed sciatic and fibular neuropathy. In the zone of increased risk were the areas of the lower third of the forearm, lower leg, hands, feet, since in these parts of the body when squeezing or compressing, the most significant lack of blood supply occurs.
Pathology of the cranial nerves is often observed with head injuries. Sometimes the ailment causes surgery, as well as treatment or tooth extraction.
The occurrence of neuropathy is also facilitated by poisoning with medicines, metal salts and organophosphorus compounds. Such substances have a direct neurotoxic effect. Especially dangerous in this case are:
- mercury;
- arsenic;
- isoniazid;
- phosphane derivatives;
- lead.
Various types of neuropathy can occur after infections. In this case, the mechanism of the development of pathology is associated with a toxic effect that is directly on the nerve fibers by bacteria and viruses. Often, the disease develops after suffering diphtheria. Malicious sticks cause peripheral polyneurology, as well as neuropathies of the oculomotor nerves. A herpes virus of the 3rd type, as well as HIV infection, can cause the disease.
Among the causes of neuropathy are hereditary. In this case, the pathology is transmitted from generation to generation and occurs on its own. As a rule, sensory and motor neuropathies are hereditary.
Signs of pathology
What are neuropathy symptoms? The signs of the disease are very diverse and appear depending on the type of affected nerve. In addition, the symptoms of neuropathy depend on the type of fibers that make up this nerve. So, with damage to motor fibers, motor disorders begin to develop. They appear in the form of gait disturbance, muscle weakness. With the severe nature of neuropathy, the patient develops paralysis with the development of atrophy of the corresponding muscles.
In violation of sensory fibers, a person loses sensitivity. He feels creeping, cold, etc.
Signs of facial neuropathy
Symptoms of this type of disease are very diverse and depend on the affected area. The main signs of facial neuropathy include:
- asymmetry of the face;
- dry mouth and lack of taste;
- hearing impairment.
The manifestation of the disease begins with pain. This causes numbness and tingling in the eye, ear, forehead and cheekbones. Such symptoms do not last long, only 1-2 days, after which neuropathy shows its main signs. At the same time, the patient complains of a dry mouth, which is caused by an upset salivary gland.
Signs of trigeminal neuropathy
The manifestation of this pathology also largely depends on the affected area. The main symptoms of this type of neuropathy are:
- facial pain;
- chewing muscle paralysis;
- loss of sensitivity by the skin of the face.
Signs of ulnar neuropathy
With this type of disease, disorders of sensitivity and motor functions are simultaneously observed. The main symptoms of this pathology are:
- contracture development;
- inability to pinch and spread fingers, as well as bend the brush;
- loss of sensation in the fingers and elevation of the little finger.
As with many types of neuropathy, this disease begins with a feeling of numbness, as well as crawling ants. And only a little later, pain is added to these symptoms, forcing the person to hold his arm in a bent position. After that, the muscles of the hand atrophy. The patient cannot hold the bag, pick up a kettle, etc. For a long time, current neuropathy leads to the development of contracture, which is manifested in a persistent restriction of joint mobility.
Drug therapy
How to cope with a disease such as neuropathy? Treatment of pathology begins with the elimination of the root causes. For example, they conduct a course of therapy for infectious diseases, diabetes mellitus, vitamin deficiency, etc. This will significantly improve the patient's condition. Antidepressants and opiates, tropical medications, and anticonvulsants are used to treat neuropathy. The list of prescribed drugs is very extensive and depends on the symptoms of the disease.
Very often, neuropathy is accompanied by convulsions. They appear, as a rule, in the form of periodic seizures. To eliminate this symptom, anticonvulsants are prescribed. The list of them is quite impressive, but the most widely used are:
- "Carbamazepine."
- "Gabantine."
- Gabagamma
- Finpepsin.
- Tebantin.
The most commonly prescribed anticonvulsant is carbamazepine. Analogues of this tool are also sold in Russian pharmacies. The drug “Carbamazepine” is most effective in case of trigeminal neuropathy, preventing the occurrence of painful attacks. It is also prescribed for postherpetic neuralgia, post-traumatic paresthesias and dry spinal cord.
Has the drug "Carbamazepine" analogues: "Aktinerval" and "Stazepin", "Zeptol" and "Apo-Carbamazepine", "Karbapin" and "Storilat", "Tegretol" and "Epial", etc.
Physiotherapy treatments
To restore the functions of nerve fibers in the inactive phase of the disease, the following are prescribed:
- massage;
- reflexology;
- electrophoresis;
- hydrotherapy;
- magnetic therapy.
The course of physiotherapy should be from 7 to 10 procedures.