Our body is controlled by nerve impulses. These are signals that are transmitted along the thin threads of nerves from the brain to each of the systems of the human body, and then make their way back. In this regard, it is not surprising that NS diseases lead to very unpleasant he alth consequences.
Medics united all neurological disorders under the general concept and gave it the name "neuropathy". These are diseases of the NS that occur due to non-inflammatory damage to the nerves due to injury or illness.
Classification
Neuropathy is a disease that can affect various parts of the body's nerve fibers. There is a certain classification of this disease, the creation of which took into account the type and location of the pathological zone. Thus, the types of such he alth disorders are:
- Peripheral neuropathy. This is an ailment that can be caused by both mechanical damage and one or another disease. This is strikingpathology of the peripheral nervous system. Its localization zones are the tips of the toes and hands, as well as the feet and palms.
- Proximal neuropathy. This pathology is distinguished by the presence of painful symptoms in the buttocks and thighs.
- 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 in case of damage to the auditory, and the second - to the optic nerve.
- Autonomic neuropathy. They talk about it in pathologies of the autonomic nervous system. This disease affects the function of the bladder and intestinal motility. Autonomic 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 in one part of the body.
- Post-traumatic neuropathy. Its cause is damage to the nerves 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 radial nerves and threatens subsequent muscle atrophy and reduced reflexes.
Post-traumatic neuropathy, in turn, includes tunnel and compression-ischemic types of neuropathy. The first of them appears as a result of compression of muscles or ligaments. The second (compression-ischemic neuropathy) - vessels and nerves. This happens when you squat for a long time or ifthe person fell asleep and was in the same position all the time of 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 present in a person lead to damage to one or more nerves. Such causes are called endogenous. These can be diseases of the endocrine type, as well as autoimmune and demyelinating.
The list of exogenous causes includes 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 mellitus occupies the main place. This disease can affect both individual nerve endings and entire nerve trunks.
Neuropathy of the lower extremities is most often formed in diabetes mellitus. The occurrence of this disease begins with a malnutrition of the nerve roots. This dysfunction is a consequence of damage to small vessels, which are the first to suffer in diabetes mellitus. As a result, the nervous tissue is rapidly destroyed, which leads to disruption of its work. Neuropathy of the lower extremities manifests itself in the form of goosebumps, heat or a feeling of cold. In addition to diabetes, such a pathology can be the result of Itsenko-Cushing's disease, diseases of the adrenal glands and the thyroid gland.
Another reasonendogenous nature can be demyelinating diseases. 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 back is disrupted. The appearance of such dysfunction is possible with:
- multiple and concentric sclerosis;
- Devic's disease;
- diffuse leukoencephalitis;
- acute disseminated encephalomyelitis.
In 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 the sensitivity of the face occurs, eye movements become limited and weakness appears in the facial muscles.
Autoimmune diseases can also cause neuropathy. Most often it is Guillain-Barré syndrome, which is caused by 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 the cellular structures of the neuron occurs. In both cases, this leads to pathology.
Neuropathy can also be caused by:
- rheumatoid arthritis;
- scleroderma;
- Sjögren's syndrome;
- Wegener's 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 a violation of gait. In this case, peripheral alcoholic neuropathy occurs, the cause of which is a symmetrical lesion of the extremities, primarily 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, the cranial nerves are often affected. In later stages of the disease, auditory, visual, or facial neuropathy occurs.
The development of pathology can be triggered by beriberi. 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 the nerve tissue. In this case, there is a violation of statics and sensitivity, as well as muscle weakness. In addition, the facial, abducens, and ophthalmic 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, the integrity of the nerve fiber is violated. 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. Nervous tissue experiences starvation and gradually begins to atrophy. Most often, a similar mechanism is observed in those people who, as a result of disasters, fell into the rubble, for a long time were in a stationary position. After rescue, they often developed sciatic and peroneal neuropathy. The areas of the lower third of the forearm, shin, hands, feet were also in the high-risk zone, since in these parts of the body, when squeezing or squeezing, the most significant lack of blood supply occurs.
Pathology of the cranial nerves is often observed in head injuries. Sometimes the disease causes surgery, as well as the treatment or extraction of a tooth. Poisoning with medicines, metal s alts and organophosphorus compounds also contribute to the occurrence of neuropathy. Such substances have a direct neurotoxic effect. Particularly dangerous in this case are:
- mercury;
- arsenic;
- isoniazid;
- phosphane derivatives;
- lead.
Different types of neuropathy can also occur after past infections. In this case, the mechanism for the development of pathology is associated with a toxic effect, which is directly on the nerve fibers by bacteria and viruses. Often the disease develops after suffering diphtheria. Malicious rods cause peripheral polyneurology, as well as neuropathy of the oculomotor nerves. The disease can be caused by the herpes virus type 3, as well as HIV infection.
Among the causes of neuropathy, there are also hereditary ones. In this case, the pathology is transmitted from generation to generation and occurs on its own. As a rule, tosensory and motor neuropathies are hereditary.
Signs of pathology
What are the symptoms of neuropathy? Symptoms of the disease are very diverse and appear depending on the type of the affected nerve. In addition, the symptoms of neuropathy depend on the type of fibers that make up this nerve. So, with the defeat of motor fibers, motor disorders begin to develop. They manifest themselves in the form of gait disturbance, weakness in the muscles. With a severe nature of neuropathy, the patient develops paralysis with the development of atrophy of the corresponding muscles.
When sensory fibers are disturbed, a person loses sensitivity. He gets goosebumps, coldness, etc.
Signs of facial neuropathy
Symptoms of this type of disease are very diverse and depend on the affected area. The main signs of neuropathy of the facial nerve include:
- facial asymmetry;
- dry mouth and lack of taste;
- hearing disorder.
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 the neuropathy shows its main signs. At the same time, the patient complains of dry mouth, caused by a disorder of the salivary glands.
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;
- paralysis involving masticatory muscles;
- loss of sensation in 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:
- development of contractures;
- inability to bring and spread fingers, as well as bend the hand;
- loss of sensation in fingers and little finger eminence.
As with many types of neuropathy, this disease begins with a feeling of numbness, as well as crawling. And only a little later, pain joins these symptoms, forcing a person to keep his arm in a bent position. After that, the muscles of the hand atrophy. The patient cannot hold a bag, pick up a kettle, etc. Long-term neuropathy leads to the development of contracture, which is expressed in a persistent limitation of joint mobility.
Drug therapy
How to deal with a disease like neuropathy? Treatment of pathology begins with the elimination of the root causes. For example, they conduct a course of therapy for infectious diseases, diabetes, beriberi, etc. This will significantly improve the patient's condition. Neuropathy is treated with antidepressants and opiates, tropical medicines, and anticonvulsants. The list of prescribed drugs is veryis 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 attacks. To eliminate this symptom, anticonvulsants are prescribed. The list of them is quite impressive, but the most widely used are:
- Carbamazepine.
- Gabantin.
- Gabagamma.
- Finpepsin.
- Tebantine.
The most commonly prescribed anticonvulsant drug is Carbamazepine. Analogues of this remedy are also sold in Russian pharmacies. The drug "Carbamazepine" is most effective in treating trigeminal neuropathy, preventing the occurrence of painful attacks. It is also prescribed for post-herpetic neuralgia, post-traumatic paresthesias and spinal cord tacis.
Has the drug "Carbamazepine" analogues: "Actinerval" and "Stazepin", "Zeptol" and "Apo-Carbamazepine", "Karbapin" and "Storilat", "Tegretol" and "Epial", etc.
Therapeutic physiotherapy
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 7 to 10 treatments.
