All posts by : Neuro Consult

Nerve damage is known as Peripheral Neuropathy and it’s caused by damage to the nerves in the extremities of the body, such as in the limbs (hands, feet and arms).

The peripheral nervous system forms a network of nerves that lies outside the central nervous system of the human body. Diagnosis for peripheral neuropathy depends on the nerve that is affected.

The Human Peripheral Nervous System:

There are differnet types of peripheral nerves and their functions. They include:

Sensory Nerves: These nerves are connected to the skin and are responsible for transmitting touc, feel or sensation.

Motor Nerves: These are connected to the muscles and are responsible for muscle co-ordination

Autonomic Nerves: These nerves are connected to the internal organs and are responsible for regulating bodily functionsand unconscious acts such as blood preassure, bladder function, heart rate, sexual arousal, digestion, urination etc

Symptoms of Peripheral Neuropathy:

• Weakness in muscles, especially feet
• Loss of balance or co-ordination
• Tingling
• Numbness
• Loss of sensation in limbs
• Burning sensation in feet or hands

When to See Your Doctor:

With the onset of any of the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy and having an ulcer or a cut that never gets better, then it is much important to rush to Medical Practitioner (neurologist) for proper diagnosis and treatment. This may involve undergoing some tests and answering questions on your health.

A Doctor may order for tests such as:

• Blood tests
• Imaging tests (CT or MRI)
• Nerve function tests
• Biopsy

Treatment

Treatment goals are to manage the condition causing your neuropathy and to relieve symptoms. If your lab tests indicate no underlying condition, your doctor might recommend watchful waiting to see if your neuropathy improves.

Medications

• Pain relievers: OTC drugs, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, may help alleviate mild symptoms. Painkillers may be prescribed for more severe symptoms.

Medications such as tramadol or oxycodone, may lead to over-dependence or addiction, hence are only prescribed when the other treatments fail.

• Anti-seizure medications: Medication like pregabalin (Lyrica), which was developed to treat epilepsy, may help alleviate nerve pain. Its side effects however, may include drowsiness and dizziness.
• Topical treatments: Capsaicin cream, which has an active substance that can be found in hot pepper, may help bring about improvements in peripheral neuropathy symptoms. Though it can be intolerable at times, it may help lessen skin burning and irritation over time when applied on the affected area.
• Some tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline, nortriptyline (Pamelor) and doxepin, have been found to help alleviate pain chemically, by interfering with some processes in the central nervous system that causes us to feel pain.

Some side effects of these medications may include dry mouth, drowsiness, dizziness, decreased appetite, nausea and constipation.

Therapies

Below are some therapies and procedures for alleviating peripheral neuropathy:

• Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)
• Plasma exchange and intravenous immune globulin
• Physical Therapy
• Surgery

The spine, also known as the backbone or vertebral column is an integral part of the Axial Skeleton. Normally, there are about thirty-three (33) vertebrae in a human’s spine.

The vertebrae are responsible for defining the posture of an individual. It allows an individual to stand, bend, sit, lie and also, protect the spinal cord. But with the onset of a problem, the structure of the spine may change or damage to surrounding tissues and vertebrae may be caused.

Spinal damage or diseases cause pain when the damage or disease puts pressure on the spinal cord and nerves around the spine.

Treatment or surgery for a spinal damage, defect or disease depends on the location of the damage or defect, or the severity of the disease’s signs and symptoms.

Some diseases or medical conditions of the spine include:

Spinal Stenosis                                      Neck pain                                      Osteoporosis

Spondylosis                                           Spondylolithesis                           Radiculopathy

Spina Bifida                                           Myelopathy                                   Chronic pain

Spinal Disease                                      Cervical Spine Disorder               Osteoarthritis

Scoliosis                                                 Kyphosis                                        Paralysis

Spinal Injury                                          Spinal Tumour                              Vertebral Compression Fracture

Spinal Disc Herniation                         Sciatica                                           Whiplash

Degenerative Disc Disease                 Low Back Pain                               Lordosis

Radicular Pain                                       Syringomyelia                               Scheuermann’s Disease

Facet Syndrome                                   Meningitis                                      Lumbar Disc Disease

Below Are some Treatments and Therapies:

• Epidural Injections for Spinal Pain
• Chiropractic
• Artificial Disc Replacement
• Back Surgery
• Vertebroplasty for Spine Fracture Pain
• Lumbar (Open) Microscopic Disectomy

The Under-listed Are some Diagnosis and Tests:

• X-Ray
• Computed Tomography (CT) – Spine
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) – Spine
• Discography

The brain together with the spinal cord makes up the nervous system. It can be said to be the central organ of the human nervous system. The constituents of the brain includes; the Cerebrum, Cerebellum and Brainstem.

With the protection given the brain, that is, by the skull, the cerebrospinal fluid (in which it suspends), and the blood-brain barrier which isolates it from the blood stream, it is still susceptible to damage, disease, infections and degenerative disorders. Damage to the brain may be caused through trauma or stroke (lack of blood supply). The brain can also be a site for malignant (cancerous) or benign (non-cancerous) tumours, which mostly originate from different parts of the body. Doctors are still researching to know the exact cause of brain tumours.

Brain tumours that form in the brain are called primary brain tumours, whiles those in the brain that were caused due to cancer that spread from other parts of the body are called secondary brain tumours.

Some common symptoms of brain tumours are:

• headaches
• nausea
• numbness or tingling in the limbs
• seizures
• vomiting
• imbalance (difficulty with movement)
• changes in hearing, speech, or vision

And the main types of treatment for brain tumours include the following:

• chemotherapy
• radiation therapy
• surgery

However, neurodegenerative diseases destroy the tissues and nerves of the brain over time. This deterioration may cause confusion and change a person’s personality entirely. Some of them are genetic, hence may occur from birth or infancy, whiles others occur as a person ages. And can cause severe impairments of the memory and thoughts of an individual.

Some common symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases are:

• memory loss
• forgetfulness
• anxiety
• apathy
• agitation
• loss of inhibition
• mood swings

And some common neurodegenerative diseases are:

• Huntington’s disease
• ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) / Lou Gehrig’s disease
• Parkinson’s disease
• Dementia

With neurodegenerative diseases symptoms other than what was initially experienced are likely to develop. It has no cure but treatments are likely to alleviate the symptoms and improve life’s quality.