Polyneuritis Health Dictionary

In?ammation affecting a nerve or nerves which may be localised to one part of the body – as, for instance, in SCIATICA – or which may be general, being then known as multiple neuritis, or POLYNEURITIS. Owing to the fact that the most peripheral parts of the nerves are usually affected in the latter condition (i.e. the ?ne subdivisions in the substance of the muscles), it is also known as peripheral neuritis.

Causes In cases of localised neuritis, the ?brous sheath of the nerve is usually at fault, the actual nerve-?bres being only secondarily affected. This condition may be due to in?ammation spreading into the nerve from surrounding tissues; to cold; or to long-continued irritation by pressure on the nerve. The symptoms produced vary according to the function of the nerve, in the case of sensory nerves being usually neuralgic pain (see NEURALGIA), and in the case of motor nerves some degree of paralysis in the muscles to which the nerves pass.

In polyneuritis, usually due to some general or constitutional cause, the nerve-?bres themselves in the small nerves degenerate and break down. The condition is protracted because, for recovery to occur, the growth of new nerve-?bres from the healthy part of the nerve has to take place. The cause of polyneuritis may be infection by a virus – for example, HERPES ZOSTER – or a bacterium, as in LEPROSY. Neuritis may also be the result of agents such as alcohol, lead or products from industrial or agricultural activities. ORGANOPHOSPHORUS insecticides are believed by some to be a factor in neuritis and other neurological conditions.... neuritis

A form of PARAESTHESIA, or disturbed sensation, such as may occur, for example, in NEURITIS or POLYNEURITIS.... pins and needles

 Bee Balm. Oswego tea. Monardo didyma L. Part used: herb.

Action: Antiseptic, Carminative, Expectorant.

Use s. Flatulence. Stomach cramp. Intestinal colic. Weak digestion. Nausea. Headache. menstruation.

Preparation. Tea. 1 teaspoon to each cup boiling water; infuse 5-10 minutes. Half-1 cup as necessary. Bergamot imparts the distinctive flavour to Earl Grey tea.

Aromatherapy. Diluted oil for shingles: 6 drops to 2 teaspoons Almond oil as a soothing lotion.

BERI BERI. A disease caused by a deficiency of thiamine (Vitamin B1) by eating polished rice from which the husk (in which the vitamin is found) is discarded. Others at risk from Vitamin B1 deficiency are alcoholics, hypothyroids, pregnant women and those with a high intake of refined sugar but a low intake of fresh fruits and vegetables. Heavy coffee drinkers suffer temporary wastage.

Symptoms: weight loss, poor appetite, loss of sensation in arms and legs. Polyneuritis, muscular atrophy. Mood changes.

Painful Of value. Slippery Elm. Dandelion. Alfalfa sprouts or tea. Psyllium husks.

Diet. Vitamin B1 is present in green vegetables, eggs, meat, nuts, yeast, natural unprocessed brown rice, cereal germ and husks, oatmeal, peas, beans, asparagus, brewer’s yeast, desiccated liver.

Supplements. Vitamin B-complex. Vitamins B1 and C. ... bergamot, red

Named after the French neurologist. A type of polyneuritis, causing sensory loss and muscle weakness. May follow minor viral infections. Recovery usually spontaneous, but death may result if paralysis affects the respiratory system. Antibodies produced during an infection may attack the myelin sheath of the nerves which weakens muscle control.

Symptoms: muscle weakness. A hand may drop objects. Legs too weak for walking. Asks himself: “Will I ever walk again?” Pain is similar to banging a ‘funnybone’ – but never lets up.

Treatment. Good nursing and family support. Agents that recoat the nerves. A warm bath helps relieve pains.

Alternatives:– Tea: mix equal parts: Skullcap, Oats, Catmint. 1 heaped teaspoon to each cup boiling water; infuse 5 minutes. Dose: half-1 cup, freely.

Tablets, tinctures or extracts: Cramp bark, Valerian, Mistletoe. Ginseng.

Vitamins. B1, B2, B6, B12, B-complex. Pantothenic acid.

Minerals. Magnesium. Dolomite. Zinc. ... guillain-barre syndrome (gbs)

Disease or inflammation of, or damage to, the peripheral nerves, which connect the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord), to the muscles, glands, sense organs, and internal organs. The term neuritis is now used more or less interchangeably with neuropathy. Most nerve cell axons (the conducting fibres that make up nerves) are insulated by a sheath of the fatty substance myelin. Most neuropathies arise from damage to, or irritation of, either the axons or their myelin sheaths, which may cause slowing or a complete block of the passage of electrical signals. Polyneuropathy (or polyneuritis) means damage to several nerves; mononeuropathy (or mononeuritis) indicates damage to a single nerve; neuralgia describes pain caused by irritation or inflammation of a nerve.

Some cases of neuropathy have no obvious cause. Among specific causes are diabetes mellitus, dietary deficiencies, excessive alcohol consumption, and metabolic upsets such as uraemia.

Nerves may become acutely inflamed after a viral infection, and neuropathies may also result from autoimmune disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis. Neuropathies may occur secondarily to cancerous tumours, or with lymphomas and leukaemias. There is also a group of inherited neuropathies, the most common being peroneal muscular atrophy.

The symptoms of neuropathy depend on whether it affects mainly sensory nerve fibres or mainly motor nerve fibres. Damage to sensory nerve fibres may cause numbness, tingling, sensations of cold, and pain. Damage to motor fibres may cause muscle weakness and muscle wasting. Damage to autonomic nerves may lead to blurred vision, impaired or absent sweating, faintness, and disturbance of gastric, intestinal, bladder, and sexual functioning.

To determine the extent of the damage, nerve conduction studies are carried out together with EMG tests, which record the electrical activity in muscles.

Diagnostic tests such as blood tests, MRI scans, and nerve or muscle biopsy may also be required.

When possible, treatment is aimed at the underlying cause.

If the cell bodies of the damaged nerve cells have not been destroyed, full recovery from neuropathy is possible.... neuropathy