NEUROPATHY ... PAIN AND DISEASES OF THE NERVES PART - 1( REASONS AND THE TYPES OF NEUROPATHY)

NEUROPATHY:  PAIN IN NERVES

ARE YOU SUFFERING FROM ANY OF THESE SYMPTOMS?

NUMBNESS IN HANDS AND FEET

ELECTRIC SHOCK LIKE SENSATION

NEEDLE PRICKING SENSATION

BURNING AND TINGLING SENSATION

HEAT INTOLERANCE OR DECREASED ABILITY TO SWEAT

WEANING OF MUSCULAR TISSUES

SAGGING OF MUSCULAR TISSUES

DIFFICULTY IN BREATHING

HEART PAIN OR HYPERTENSION      

DIFFICULTY IN HEARING

EYE DISEASES

KIDNEY FUNCTION DISEASES                

 REGURGITATION

IMPOTENCE (ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION) IN MEN

DIZZINESS OR FAINTING

CONSTIPATION OR DIARRHOEA

BLURRED VISION

REDUCED LIBIDO IN WOMAN                  

LOSS OF SENSATION

SHARP JABBING PAIN

These all are the symptoms of Neuropathy     

    

Neuropathy is a term that refers to as disease or malfunctions of the nerves, Nerves at any location in the body can be damaged from injury or disease. The literal meaning of the Neuropathy is NEURO = NERVES, PATHY = DISEASE, so the Disease of the nerves is NEUROPATHY, it leads to pain in the affected part of the body.  

Neuropathy is not a disease or ailment it is the by product of so many problems, there are numerous reasons for having neuropathy problems, Mainly the metabolic disorders like Diabetes or thyroid dysfunction (hypothyroidism as well as hyperthyroidism both) disturb the metabolism of body and Paralysis, brain disorders like Multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Stroke of the brain where the normal functioning of the brain get disturbed leading to neuropathy ailments.

Depending upon the site of nerves which are involved we can divide Neuropathy into mainly 4 Types, they are:

PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY:

Peripheral neuropathy is when the nerve problem affects the nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord. These nerves are part of the peripheral nervous system. Accordingly, peripheral neuropathy is neuropathy that affects the nerves of the extremities -- the toes, feet, legs, fingers, hands, and arms. 








The term PROXIMAL NEUROPATHY has been used to refer to nerve damage that specifically cause’s pain in the shoulders, thighs, hips, or buttocks.

CRANIALNEUROPATHY:                                                                                                                                 

Cranial neuropathy occurs when any of the twelve cranial nerves (nerves that exit from the brain directly) are damaged. Two specific types of cranial neuropathy are                                            

OPTIC NEUROPATHY and 
AUDITORY NEUROPATHY.                                                                                      

Optic neuropathy refers to damage or disease of the optic nerve that transmits visual signals from the retina of the eye to the brain.                                                                                                         Auditory neuropathy involves the nerve that carries signals from the inner ear to the brain and is responsible for hearing.

AUTONOMIC NEUROPATHY:                                                                                                                Autonomic neuropathy is damage to the nerves of the involuntary nervous system. These

nerves control the heart and circulation (including blood pressure), digestion, bowel and bladder function, the sexual response, and perspiration. Nerves in other

organs may also be affected.

FOCAL NEUROPATHY:                                                                                                                         Focal neuropathy is neuropathy that is restricted to one nerve or group of nerves or one area of the body.

SYMPTOMS OF NEUROPATHY:                                                                                                                               

Damage to the sensory nerves is common in peripheral neuropathy. Symptoms often begin in the feet with a gradual onset of loss of feeling, numbness, tingling or pain and progress toward the centre of the body with time. The arms or legs may be involved. The inability to determine joint position may also occur, which can result in clumsiness or falls. Extreme sensitivity to touch can be another symptom of peripheral neuropathy. The sensation of numbness and tingling of the skin is medically known as paraesthesia.

The loss of sensory input from the foot means that blisters and sores on the feet may develop rapidly and not be noticed. Because there is a reduced sensation of pain, these sores may become infected and the infection may spread to deeper tissues, including bone. In severe cases, amputation may be necessary. When damage to the motor nerves (those that control movement) occurs, symptoms include weakness, loss of reflexes, loss of muscle mass, cramping, and loss of dexterity.

Autonomic neuropathy or damage to the nerves that control the function of organs and glands, may manifest with a wide variety of symptoms including Nausea, Vomiting  or Abdominal bloating after meals. Low blood sugar levels (hypoglycaemia) are associated with trembling, sweating, and palpitations. In people with autonomic neuropathy, these characteristic symptoms may not occur, making dangerously low blood sugar levels difficult to recognize.

WHAT CAUSES NEUROPATHY:

Damage to the nerves can be caused by chronic long lasting diseases, injuries, infections, and even vitamin deficiency states.

DIABETES:                                                                                                                                              

DIABETES is most commonly associated with neuropathy. The characteristic symptoms of peripheral neuropathy often seen in people with diabetes are sometimes referred to as diabetic neuropathy. The risk of having diabetic neuropathy rises with age and duration of diabetes. Neuropathy is most common in people who have diabetes for decades and is generally more severe in those who have difficulty in controlling their blood sugar levels or those who are overweight or have elevated and high blood pressure.                                                                                                                                        

VITAMIN DEFICIENCIES: 

Deficiencies of the vitamins B12 and foliate, as well as other vitamins can cause damage to the nerves.                                                                                                                                                      

THYROID:                                                                                                                                               

Thyroidism can also cause neuropathy, as the body is unable to do its regular metabolic procedures and causing lot of problems.  In both cases of HYPOTHYROIDISM OR HYPERTHYROIDISM nerves can be affected, only the prognosis is different.                         

AUTOIMMUNE NEUROPATHY:                                                                                                          

Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus, and Guillain-Barre syndrome can cause neuropathies.                                                                                                            INFECTIONS:                                                                                                                                           Some infections, including HIV/AIDS, Lyme disease, leprosy, and syphilis, can damage nerves.                                                                                                                                                                         

POST-HERPETIC NEURALGIA:                                                                                                         Post-herpetic neuralgia, a complication of shingles (varicella-zoster virus infection) is a form of neuropathy.                                                                                                                                       

ALCOHOLIC NEUROPATHY:                                                                                                                    Alcoholism is often associated with peripheral neuropathy. It probably arises from a combination of damage to the nerves by alcohol itself along with the poor nutrition and associated vitamin deficiencies that are common in alcoholics.                            

GENETIC OR INHERITED DISORDERS:                                                                                          

Genetic or inherited disorders can affect the nerves and are responsible for some cases of neuropathy. Examples include Frederic’s ataxia and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.     

AMYLOIDOSIS:                                                                                                                                     Amyloidosis is a condition in which abnormal protein fibres are deposited in tissues and organs. These protein deposits can lead to varying degrees of organ damage and may be a cause of neuropathy.                                                                                                                                                                  

 UREMIA:                                                                                                                                                Uraemia is a state of high concentration of waste products in the blood due to kidney failure, which can lead to neuropathy.                                                                                                                           

 TOXINS AND POISONS CAN DAMAGE                                                                                               Examples include gold compounds, lead, arsenic, mercury, some industrial solvents, nitrous oxide, and organophosphate pesticides.                                                                                                                  

DRUGS OR MEDICATION:                                                                                                                       Certain drugs and medications can cause nerve damage.                                                          TRAUMA/INJURY:                                                                                                                               Trauma or injury to nerves, including prolonged pressure on a nerve or group of nerves, is a common cause of neuropathy. Decreased blood flow (ischemia) to the nerves can also lead to long-term damage.                                                                                                                                              TUMOURS:                                                                                                                                                 Benign or malignant tumours of the nerves or nearby structures may damage the nerves directly, by invading the nerves or cause neuropathy due to pressure on the nerves.  Neuropathy is often classified according to the types or location of nerves that are affected. Neuropathy can also be classified according to the disease causing it. Neuropathy from the effects of diabetes is called diabetic neuropathy. It is the most common as the percentage of people becoming DIABETIC is alarming.    

NOW THE QUESTION ARISES HOW ANY PROBLEM LEADS TO NEUROPATHY                (ACCORDING TO MODERN SCIENCE)

Over the time, high blood glucose levels also called blood sugar or high levels of fats, such as triglycerides, in the blood can damage your nerves. High blood glucose levels can also damage the small blood vessels that nourish your nerves with oxygen and nutrients. Without enough oxygen and nutrients, your nerves cannot function well.  Due to any of the above problems or due to continuous wear tear of the body cells, dryness in the body increases. When a person knowingly or unknowingly keep on the ignoring the health status and his body don’t have all parameters in permissible values, he is vulnerable to neuropathy.                                                                         

If we do not take care of the symptoms and keep on ignoring the reasons of the ailments which we have listed above, then any problem can result in severe neuropathy, long-term complications such as kidney and heart failure or stroke, blindness, Nerve damage, exocrine glands insufficiency and other forms of complications. We can say the wear and tear of body cells and nerves is neuropathy, the region or portion of the body which gets affected possess neuropathy symptoms.

Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of diabetic neuropathy usually take several years to appear. Signs and symptoms will depend on which type of neuropathy and nerves it affects.

The symptoms of peripheral neuropathy include:

Numbness, pain, tingling, and burning sensations starting in the toes and fingers then continuing up the legs or arms

Loss of muscle tone in the hands and feet, not being able to feel heat, cold, or physical injury, loss of balance

Charcot's joint, in which a joint breaks down because of nerve issues, often in the feet Peripheral neuropathy that affects the feet can make it difficult for a person to stand and walk. It can increase the risk of falling. When a person cannot feel heat, cold or injury, this can lead to new problems.

For example, a blister on the foot can become ulcerated because the person did not feel pain in the early stages. As the infection progresses, gangrene can develop. Eventually, amputation may be necessary.

Autonomic Neuropathy:

The effects of autonomic neuropathy include:

Heartburn, bloating ,Nausea, Constipation or Diarrhoea

Hypoglycaemic unawareness, in which a person does not feel the effects of low sugar levels

Difficulties speaking or swallowing, feeling full after eating small amounts of food

Vomiting several hours after eating

Orthostatic hypotension or feeling light-headed and dizzy when standing up

A faster heart rate than normal

Excessive sweating, even in cool temperatures or while at rest

Bladder problems, for example, difficulty emptying the bladder completely when urinating, leading to incontinence.

Sexual dysfunction in men and women

Dysesthesia or a distorted sense of touch

Significant drooping of the face and eyelids

Muscle contractions and weakness, Proximal neuropathy can lead to pain in the lower body, often on one side, and weakness in the legs.

Symptoms of focal neuropathy:

These symptoms can vary widely, depending on the nerve affected. Focal neuropathy and cranial neuropathy can both lead to visual disturbances, such as double vision. People with diabetic neuropathy often do not realize they have it until the symptoms are more advanced.

DR. INDERJEET KAUR
9814205533
can write to drinderjitkaur.pious@gmail.com