Multiple lesions of peripheral nerves are called polyneuropathy. The disease can also be found under the names of polyneuropathy and polyradiculoneuropathy.
The defeat of peripheral nerves is accompanied by vegetative vascular disorders of distal limbs, sensitivity disorders and peripheral flaccid paralysis.
Forms and types of violation of
There are several classifications of the disease.
On the mechanism of damage polyneuropathy happens:
- Axonal .It occurs due to disruption of the axon. This variety has an exchange or toxic origin. Symptoms develop gradually. The course of the disease is usually severe. Axonal polyneuropathy has an unfavorable prognosis.
- Neuropathic .In this case, the bodies of nerve cells are affected.
- Demyelinating .It is caused by a violation of the structure of the myelin sheath of nerve fiber. In contrast to the axonal variety, it has a favorable prognosis.
By the type of nerve fiber:
- Motor .With this form, the lesion extends to the motor fibers. Clinically expressed in the form of paralysis and paresis.
- Touchscreen .Affected are the sensitive fibers. The patient usually complains of numbness.
- Sensor-motor .As the name implies, both sensory and motor fibers are affected.
- The vegetative .With this form, the nerves responsible for the work of internal organs suffer.
- Mixed .With mixed polyneuropathy, one can observe the presence of a lesion of all kinds of nerve fibers.
Polyneuropathies come in a variety of aetiology:
- Alcoholic .A person who consumes alcohol frequently and in large quantities can occur. The lower the quality of alcoholic beverages, the higher the likelihood of a disease.
- Diphtheria .It occurs as a result of infection with diphtheria. The injured are mainly the cranial nerves.
- Guillain-Barre Syndrome .The etiologic factor of occurrence of this form of the disease is not established. The form refers to autoimmune. Affected is the myelin sheath.
- Diabetic .It occurs either at the initial stages of the development of diabetes, or a few years after the onset of the disease.
- Idiopathic .The etiologic factor of occurrence is not established.
The reasons for the development of polyneuropathy
In addition to the previously listed reasons, some infections can provoke the disease. Very often, the disease occurs due to disruption of the liver and thyroid gland.
The appearance of polyneuropathy can be caused by the introduction of a vaccine or serum, that is, a consequence of an allergic reaction. Malnutrition also often becomes one of the causes of polyradiculoneuropathy. Excess vitamin B6 and lack of B12 lead to the onset of the disease.
The disease can become a consequence of poisoning by some substances, for example, lead and low-quality products. In the risk group are people who have a corresponding hereditary predisposition, as well as those whose work is associated with a long stay in the cold, assumes strong vibrations and noise or is associated with heavy physical labor.
Polyneuropathy occurs with certain systemic diseases.
Symptoms depending on the form of the disorder
To determine this or that variant of polyneuropathy it is possible by external symptoms:
- Muscle weakness .This symptom is typical for many types of disease. It indicates the damage to motor fibers.
- Foot lethargy .You can observe such a defeat of the leg muscles in two cases. First of all, it can be associated with a violation of the axon. In addition, the symptom is manifested with a hereditary predisposition to the disease.
- Painful sensations in calves .Pain, numbness, or tingling may indicate inflammation( acute inflammatory polyneuropathy).In this case, the patient feels symmetrical lethargy in the limbs.
- Sensitivity disorders in the limbs and their movement disorders .In most cases, it is a chronic inflammatory polyneuropathy. Patients lose or weaken one or more reflexes. The severe course of the disease leads to serious complications. Usually, one year after the onset of the disease, patients partially or completely lose their ability to work.
In axonal polyneuropathy, vegetative dysfunction is often observed. In such cases, the patient develops palpitations, increased dryness of the skin, a disorder of regulation of vascular tone and dysfunction of the digestive system.
Vegetative insufficiency is more typical for those patients in whom polyradiculoneuropathy was caused by a hereditary predisposition or the presence of diabetes mellitus. Disorders of autonomic regulation are especially dangerous, as they often cause sudden death.
Diagnosis and treatment of
If a doctor is diagnosed, the presence or absence of a hereditary predisposition should be established. Also it is necessary to find out whether the patient has recently received lead poisoning.
Toxic polyneuropathy can be characterized by increased weakness and general fatigue. You can get poisoning not only, for example, in the workplace, but also when taking certain medications. That's why the doctor should know if the patient has taken the medicine the last time.
Polyneuropathy often becomes a consequence of one of the chronic diseases. The patient must provide all information about their availability. Kidney diseases lead to the appearance of uremic variety of the disease. Diabetic polyneuropathy is a consequence of the patient's diabetes.
Physiotherapy is one of the ways of effective treatment used on a par with taking medications. LFK can not eliminate the causes of polyneuropathy, but physical exercises help maintain atrophied muscles in tone and avoid contracture of the muscles of the lower limbs. For the same purposes, periodic massage courses are also used.
Medical treatment, which would guarantee complete healing, does not exist. The attending physician may prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, antidepressants, analgesics, anesthetics and anticonvulsants.
Anticonvulsants( mainly Gabapentin, Pregabalin and Carbamazepine) are necessary to inhibit impulses that come from the of a damaged nerve. Analgesics and anesthetics are used to relieve pain. The dosage of this or that drug is determined by the attending physician.
Reflexotherapy is considered one of the most effective methods of treatment. Sometimes plasmapheresis is used. This method is necessary in those cases when the problem arose as a result of intoxication of the body. Magnetotherapy and electrostimulation are used in the most severe cases.
Explicit and hidden dangers of
The consequences will depend on what was caused by polyneuropathy. With a timely treatment, the prognosis in patients is generally favorable. Complete recovery is almost impossible, however, mortality from polyneuropathy is relatively low. The patient needs constant monitoring of the attending physician.
In the hereditary form of the disease, it is very difficult to improve the patient's health. The disease is slowly progressing, and all that the doctor can do is to ease its course. Patients are able to quickly adapt to their new condition. Even at later stages they remain capable and continue to service themselves independently.
Severe effects of various types of polyneuropathy include disorders of motor activity caused by muscle weakness. With some types of disease, respiratory disturbances occur.
Because of the dysfunction of the nerves that provide the movement of the respiratory muscles, a person practically loses the ability to supply himself with oxygen independently. In case of impaired function of the nerves that provide the work of cardiac activity, the patient risks to die from sudden cardiac arrest. However, such consequences occur infrequently.
Preventive measures
Avoiding the appearance of the disease will help complete refusal of alcohol or its limited use. Workers of the chemical industry must use special protective equipment when working with hazardous chemicals.
Suffering chronic diseases need to undergo a regular examination. Especially this applies to those who have diabetes or have kidney disease. Medical examination is also necessary for those who have a hereditary predisposition.
There are a number of diseases that are only the consequence of a more serious illness. These include polyneuropathy. You need to get rid of the patient, first of all, from the cause, and not from the investigation. A timely visit to a specialist will help to identify the disease at an early stage and determine the presence of what disease it indicates.