Infectious lesions of the nervous system are a group of diseases of the brain (both brain and spinal cord) caused by bacterial, viral or fungal infection or protozoan invasion. They are dangerous because they can lead to severe deterioration in a person’s cognitive abilities, disruption of the sensory organs and motor system, loss of speech and no less serious consequences, including death.
General characteristics
In addition to the above-mentioned classification according to the type of pathogen, such diseases are also divided according to other criteria:- According to the method of infection entering the body: airborne, contact, hematogenous, lymphogenous, perineural.
- According to pathogenesis: primary or developed as a complication of another disease of the body.
- According to the lesion: meningitis (damage affects the meninges), encephalitis (the brain substance is infected), myelitis (infection affects the spinal cord).
- severe and prolonged headache;
- dizziness;
- nausea, often accompanied by vomiting;
- loss of consciousness (from short-term to long-term coma);
- a sharp and strong increase in temperature;
- overexcitation or, conversely, a lethargic or constantly drowsy state;
- increased sensitivity to sound and light
- significant changes in the sensitivity of individual parts of the body;
- paralysis;
- convulsions.
The prognosis depends on the severity of the damage to the body, the degree of its resistance, how timely the diagnosis was made, how adequate the treatment was prescribed and how much the patient follows all the recommendations of the attending physician.
Infections affecting the nervous system
Encephalitis
Encephalitis is a group of neurological diseases in which infection affects the substance of the brain. Although people of all ages are susceptible to them, children suffer most acutely and severely. The most common variant of infection is hematological, i.e. through blood.Regardless of the form and type of this disease, during the acute period, swelling, excessive amounts of blood in the vessels and capillaries, small local hemorrhages and destruction of nerve cells are observed. Subsequently, cysts, cavities, areas with overgrown connective tissue and scars may appear.
Varieties
Primary encephalitis is the result of infection with neurotropic viruses that penetrate directly into the nerve cells of the body. This group includes the following types:- epidemiological;
- tick-borne;
- mosquito;
- caused by polio-like viruses;
- herpetic;
- caused by the rabies virus;
- with typhus;
- with neurosyphilis.
Symptoms
The disease is characterized by all the previously listed general signs of infectious lesions of the nervous system: headache, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, convulsions, all kinds of disturbances of consciousness from clouding to deep coma. The coma state is characterized by the patient’s lack of response to external stimuli and reduced activity of key body functions such as breathing and heartbeat.
Specific symptoms of encephalitis are paresis, severely impaired coordination of movements, deterioration in speech and memory. In this case, the epidemiological type of the disease is characterized by sleep disturbances, strabismus, double vision, and changes in the shape and size of the pupils. Breathing is also impaired, heart rate changes, blood pressure fluctuations are observed, and the patient is often thirsty. With tick-borne encephalitis, disturbances in the swallowing reflex, paralysis of the tongue muscles, a change in the timbre of the voice or its disappearance altogether are possible.
Treatment
Therapy for encephalitis includes several areas:- Ensuring the patient’s normal breathing, in particular, monitoring the airway, and oxygen therapy if necessary. In case of respiratory disorders - intubation, artificial ventilation.
- Combating cerebral edema: osmotic diuretics and saluretics are administered.
- Desensitization is a reduction in the body’s increased sensitivity to light, sound and other irritants. The patient is administered tavegil, suprastin, diphenhydramine and similar drugs.
- Supporting homeostasis and water balance in the body through the introduction of nutritional mixtures enterally (i.e. through the digestive system) or parenterally (through injections), calcium chloride, sodium bicarbonate, etc.
- Elimination of disorders in the cardiovascular system.
- Hormonal therapy.
- Restoration of metabolism in the brain (introduction of vitamins C, B, D and P, neuroprotectors and antipsychotics).
- Symptomatic therapy: elimination of convulsive phenomena, elevated temperature, intoxication of the body, prevention of secondary infections with broad-spectrum antibiotics, etc.
Myelitis
This group of infectious diseases of the central nervous system includes inflammatory processes in which the white (leukomyelitis) or gray (poliomyelitis) substance of the spinal cord is affected. The most common method of infection is through the blood, including through penetrating trauma. Less common are contact and airborne transmission options.Varieties
Primary myelitis is provoked by neurotropic viruses, including herpes, rabies, and polio. Secondary ones arise:- for other infectious diseases in the form of their complications (measles, scarlet fever, typhoid, syphilis, blood poisoning);
- against the background of foci where the infection is accompanied by suppuration (osteomyelitis);
- for oncological diseases;
- as a side effect of vaccination.
Symptoms
For myelitis, all the previously mentioned general symptoms of infectious diseases of the nervous system are fully typical - nausea and vomiting, headaches, disturbances in consciousness, a sharp and significant increase in body temperature, etc.Against their background, specific manifestations of the disease develop: pain and paresthesia begin in the extremities - sensory disturbances, manifested in burning, stabbing sensations, numbness and a sensation of “pins and needles”. Muscle tone deteriorates, and disturbances in the functioning of different muscle groups are possible, mainly in the lower body, back and thoracic region. Pelvic disorders are fraught with delayed excretion of urine and feces or, conversely, their incontinence. With lesions of the spinal cord in the cervical region, breathing disorders are possible. During the first few days of the disease, bedsores actively develop.
Treatment
Therapy is determined by the nature of the disease. Thus, for a purulent infection, broad-spectrum antibiotics are needed in high doses, and treatment with them should begin even before the pathogen is identified. When it is identified, specific antibiotics are used.
To prevent bedsores and urological infections, anti-bedsore mattresses are used, the patient’s position in bed is changed, and his body is wiped with camphor alcohol. Ultraviolet irradiation of the areas most susceptible to bedsores - feet, buttocks, and sacral area - is also effective. From the very first days of illness, passive therapeutic exercise is recommended, and during the recovery period, exercise therapy should be combined with massage, physiotherapy, and myostimulation.
The prognosis for the patient's condition after restorative procedures, lasting from several months to 1-2 years, depends on the location of the inflammation and the severity of the disease. Cervical myelitis is the most dangerous in the long term; respiratory disorders often develop against its background. Lesions of the lumbosacral zone are fraught with dysfunction of the pelvic organs, as well as the addition of a secondary infection, so the prognosis for them in general is also unfavorable.
Meningitis is an inflammation of the lining of the spinal cord and brain. Usually the name refers to inflammation of the soft meninges (in this case it is leptomeningitis), but sometimes the hard meninges are also inflamed (this is pachymeningitis).
Classification
There are several main varieties. If the classification is carried out on the basis of which pathogens caused the disease, then the following groups can be distinguished:- viral;
- bacterial (staphylococcal, tuberculosis, pneumococcal, staphylococcal and others);
- fungal (candidiasis, cryptococcosis and others);
- protozoans (for malaria and toxoplasmosis).
- generalized (distributed over the entire surface);
- limited (extended to parts, for example, basal, which are located at the base of the brain or convexital, which are located on the convex surface of the cerebral hemispheres) meningitis.
Routes of infection
A person can become infected with meningitis by getting an infectious agent into the body. People who already suffer from other infectious diseases often get sick; the localization simply shifts, and the infection spreads to the meninges. Secondary infection occurs mainly against the background of mumps, tuberculosis, suppuration and inflammation localized in the head area, and traumatic brain injuries. The most common route of infection is through the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx and gastrointestinal tract; the pathogen subsequently moves through the body along with the blood or lymph flow.It is impossible to clearly identify the most likely causative agent of meningitis, but, according to statistics, newborns and elderly people are most often affected by streptococci, older children and adults - by meningococci.
Symptoms
Along with the common to all infectious brain lesions, meningitis has its own symptoms. Its most striking manifestation is a very severe headache, in which a person feels as if something is bursting his head and tearing it from the inside. To alleviate this symptom, patients often instinctively strive to take a specific position - they lie on their side, pulling their knees to their chest or stomach, and bend their head back, thereby trying to relieve the tension in the inflamed meninges.Also, regardless of the pathogen that caused the disease, other characteristic signs are typical for meningitis:
- skin rash;
- persistent increase in temperature above 37 degrees;
- increased muscle tone in the back of the head;
- tachycardia (strong acceleration of the heartbeat in the absence of physical activity);
- tachypnea (very rapid and shallow breathing);
- myalgia (muscle soreness);
- skin rash.
Treatment
Treatment approaches and prognosis vary depending on what type of meningitis a person has. Only the attending physician can select a specific method of therapy based on preliminary diagnosis.- Meningitis caused by bacteria is treated with antibiotics selected for the specific infectious agent (for example, streptococcus is usually treated with penicillin).
- For other types of meningitis, drugs are selected that correspond to the type of lesion - for example, tuberculous meningitis is treated with anti-tuberculosis drugs, viral meningitis is treated with various nucleases, and so on.
The average duration of treatment is from a week to a week and a half, but the exact duration depends on the person’s body’s response to therapy and how severe the disease is in a particular case. It stops in the event of a noticeable improvement in the person’s condition, consisting in a stable normal temperature and equalization of the content of leukocytes in the blood.
If treatment is not started on time, this is fraught with the appearance of mental disorders, severe visual impairment, damage to the cranial nerves, and periodic epileptic seizures. The mortality rate with the modern level of medicine is low, but if you delay going to the hospital and diagnosing it, death is also possible.
Protecting the body from infections of the nervous system
Prevention of infectious diseases of the central nervous system generally comes down to:- General, including a balanced diet, physical activity and walks in the fresh air, as well as, if necessary, taking additional vitamin complexes.
- Timely and complete treatment of all those diseases against which neurological infections can develop.
- Limit contact with pathogens (for example, ticks that carry encephalitis), as well as people who are already sick. If it is necessary to stay in places with a high epidemiological load, vaccination is necessary.
Next article.
The nervous system is a complex structural network. It permeates our entire body and ensures its interaction with the internal and external world, that is, with the environment. It connects all parts of the body into a single whole. The nervous system contributes to human mental activity; with its help, movements are controlled and all functions performed by various organs are regulated. But when failures occur, diseases of the nervous system arise that must be treated.
Varieties
The nervous system is:
- Central. It consists of the brain: the brain, located in the skull, and the spinal cord, the location of which is the spinal column.
- Peripheral. This is a huge number of nerves that penetrate all human organs and tissues. They pass in close proximity to blood and lymphatic vessels. This system consists of sensory and motor fibers.
Nerve cells are distinguished by their ability to be excited and carry out this state. Irritation of the nerve endings of the skin, tissue of some internal organ or muscle is perceived by sensory fibers and transmitted first to the spinal cord and then to the brain. The central nervous system processes this information, and the decision made is transmitted to the motor fibers.
This is why muscles can contract, the pupils of the eyes change in size, juice is released in the stomach, and so on. These actions are called reflex actions. They permeate all the activities of our body, which, thanks to this mechanism, are constantly regulated. This is how a person adapts to any environmental conditions. Any disease of the nervous system disrupts its functioning. They definitely need to be treated.
Central nervous system diseases
The most common central nervous system disease is Parkinson's disease. It occurs because the production of a special substance (dopamine), through which impulses are transmitted to the brain, is disrupted. This leads to the fact that the cells responsible for various movements begin to change. The disease is inherited.
The first symptoms often go unnoticed. Usually no one pays attention to the fact that the expressiveness of the face has changed, movements have become slow while walking, eating, dressing, until the person himself notices it. Soon difficulties arise in writing text, brushing teeth and shaving. The facial expressions of a person become poorer, and it becomes like a mask. Speech is impaired. A person with this disease may suddenly run while walking slowly. He cannot stop himself. Will run until it meets an obstacle or falls. The mobility of the pharyngeal muscles is impaired, and the person swallows less often. Because of this, spontaneous leakage of saliva occurs.
Treatment of diseases of the nervous system of this group is carried out with the drug Levodopa. Each patient receives the dosage, time and duration of treatment individually. However, the medicine has side effects. But recently, the possibilities of treating Parkinson’s disease with a surgical method have been studied: by transplanting healthy cells that are capable of producing dopamine into a sick person.
Multiple sclerosis
It is a chronic nerve disease that is progressive and is characterized by the formation of plaques in the spinal cord and brain. It begins at the age of twenty to forty. Sclerosis is more often observed in men than in women. Its course occurs in waves: improvement is replaced by exacerbation. In patients, tendon reflexes increase, vision is disrupted, speech is scanned, and intentional trembling appears. The disease occurs in various forms. In acute and severe cases, blindness and cerebellar disorders quickly develop. In mild cases of the disease, the nervous system recovers quickly.
They constitute a large group of diseases. They are characterized by a certain localization. The reasons for their occurrence are varied: infection, vitamin deficiency, intoxication, circulatory disorders, injuries and much more.
Peripheral nervous system diseases are very common among lost time illnesses. These include neuritis and neuralgia. The former are characterized by pain and disruption of various functions: sensitivity, range of motion and reflexes change.
With neuralgia, the functions of the damaged nerve areas are preserved. They are characterized by sharp pain, in which sensitivity and range of motion are not impaired.
Neuralgia
This group of diseases includes trigeminal neuralgia. It develops as a result of pathological processes in the sinuses, eye sockets, and oral cavity. The cause of neuralgia can be various diseases of the bone tissue of the skull and meninges, infections, and intoxications. There are times when the cause of the disease cannot be determined.
This disease is characterized by attacks of pain that occur in the area of the trigeminal nerve: in the eyeball, orbit, jaw, chin. Excruciating pain in the area of one nerve branch can spread to another and last for several tens of seconds. It occurs for no reason, but various factors can provoke it: brushing teeth, swallowing, chewing, touching the affected area of the nerve. During attacks of pain, sensitivity and reflexes are not impaired, but sometimes there is separation of saliva and tears, redness of the eyes and skin of the face, and skin temperature may change.
Diseases of the nervous system such as neuralgia are curable if the causes of their occurrence are known. Diseases with unknown causes can cause anxiety for the patient for many years.
Nervous system. Infectious diseases
These neurological diseases are classified according to various criteria:
- Based on the type of pathogen, they are divided into fungal, viral and bacterial.
- Depending on the method of infection penetration: contact, airborne, hematogenous, perineural, lymphogenous.
- From the localization of the source of infection - meningitis, in which the soft or dura mater is affected. If the infection has spread to the substance of the brain, the disease is classified as encephalitis, and spinal - myelitis.
Meningitis
These are diseases of the nervous system in which the membranes of the brain become inflamed: the spinal cord and the brain. Meningitis is classified according to the following criteria:
- According to the localization of the lesion - limited and generalized, basal and convexital.
- According to the rate of development and course of the disease - acute, subacute, fulminant, chronic.
- By severity - mild, moderate, severe, extremely severe.
- According to the origin of the pathogen, they are bacterial, fungal, viral, protozoal.
Diseases of the human nervous system arise due to various infections, and meningitis is no exception. Most often, purulent foci provoke infectious inflammatory processes. The most common is staphylococcal meningitis. But there are cases when the disease progresses against the background of gonorrhea, anthrax, dysentery, typhus and even plague. This type of meningitis is called purulent.
Serous meningitis can be of primary or secondary origin, so it can be a consequence of such serious diseases as influenza, brucellosis, syphilis and tuberculosis.
Infectious diseases of the nervous system are transmitted by airborne droplets and fecal-oral routes, as well as through dust particles. Therefore, not only sick people, but also ordinary rodents can be carriers of the infection.
Encephalitis
This is a disease of the brain, it is inflammatory in nature. Encephalitis is a disease of the central nervous system. They are caused by viruses or other infectious agents. Therefore, depending on the nature of the pathogen, the symptoms of various encephalitis differ. However, for this group of infectious diseases there are common signs by which they can be recognized: the temperature rises, the respiratory tract or gastrointestinal tract is affected. General cerebral symptoms are: headache accompanied by vomiting, fear of light, lethargy, drowsiness, and coma may occur.
There are asymptomatic and fulminant forms of encephalitis. The first type is characterized by the same symptoms as those of an acute respiratory disease or gastrointestinal infection. The temperature is usually low, the headache is moderate.
The fulminant form is characterized by a rapid rise in temperature, severe headaches, rapid loss of consciousness, and the person falls into a coma. The disease lasts from several hours to a few days. The prognosis is disappointing: the patient will die.
Diagnosis of diseases of the nervous system includes various studies, but the most valuable are studies of cerebrospinal fluid. During the disease, the pressure under which it flows out increases, and the indicators of leukocytes and ESR change. Bacteriological and serological studies are being carried out. They are used to detect viruses or antibodies. Currently, topical diagnosis of diseases of the nervous system is widely used. Based on the evidence of all studies and clinical manifestations, the specialist makes a conclusion and makes an accurate diagnosis.
Tick-borne encephalitis
Diseases of the central nervous system have many varieties. One of them is tick-borne encephalitis, caused by a virus that can survive at low temperatures and be destroyed at high temperatures (70 degrees and above). Its carriers are ticks. Encephalitis is a seasonal disease, common in the Urals, Siberia and the Far Eastern region.
The virus enters the human body through a tick bite, or consumption of raw milk and its products, if the animals have been infected. In both cases, it penetrates the central nervous system. When bitten by a tick, the incubation period lasts up to 20 days; with another method of infection, a week. The greater the amount of virus that enters the body, the longer and more severe the disease. The most dangerous are multiple bites. Geographical features are directly related to the form and course of the disease. So, in Siberia and the Far East they are much more severe.
The disease begins with pronounced cerebral symptoms. Possible pain in the abdomen and throat, loose stools. On the second day, a high temperature is observed, which remains this way for a week. But, in most cases, the temperature has two rises, the interval between which is 2-5 days.
The chronic course of tick-borne encephalitis is manifested by epilepsy. There is constant twitching of the muscles of certain groups. Against this background, seizures with convulsions and loss of consciousness occur.
Nervous system. Congenital diseases
There are a lot of them, they can affect various organs and systems. Congenital diseases of the nervous system are a pressing problem. They develop simultaneously with the intrauterine development of the fetus, and are persistent defects of the whole organ or some part of it. The most common congenital diseases of the nervous system: cranial hernia, anencephaly, heart defects, esophagus, cleft lip, limb defects, hydrocephalus and others.
One of them is syringomyelia. This is a type of nervous system disease in children. They are characterized by the fact that connective tissues grow and cavities form in the gray matter of the spinal cord and brain. The cause of the disease is a defect in the development of the embryonic brain. This pathology is provoked by infections, injuries, and heavy physical labor. Congenital diseases of the nervous system in children are characterized by the identification of not only defects of the nervous system, but also malformations of other systems and organs: “cleft palate”, “cleft lip”, fusion of fingers on the limbs, changes in their number, heart defects and others.
Disease prevention and treatment
Prevention of diseases of the nervous system consists, first of all, in a correct lifestyle, in which there is no place for stressful situations, nervous excitement, or excessive worries. To eliminate the possibility of some kind of nervous disease, you need to regularly monitor your health. Prevention of diseases of the nervous system consists of leading a healthy lifestyle: do not abuse smoking and alcohol, do not take drugs, engage in physical exercise, actively relax, travel a lot, and get positive emotions.
Traditional medicine is of great importance in treatment. Recipes for some of them:
- A drink made from common hops helps with insomnia and relieves nervousness and irritability. Two dried cones of raw material are poured with a glass of boiling water and left for 15 minutes. It is enough to drink a couple of glasses of the prepared drink a day. You can add it to tea.
- Take trefoil leaves, peppermint, valerian root, hop cones in a ratio of 2:2:1:1, chop, mix, pour a glass of boiling water and cook in a water bath for 15 minutes. Leave for 45 minutes, strain and take a quarter glass after taking food twice a day.
Traditional medicine recipes
The central organ of the nervous system is the brain. To preserve his health for a long time, there are proven recipes for traditional medicine. Some of them:
- If you rinse your mouth for five to ten minutes every day (you can use plain drinking water), the brain will receive a massage procedure.
- The mind and memory will be sharpened if you rub ghee into your temples once every day. This needs to be done for 2-3 weeks.
- One almond a day for an entire month can activate memory and various creative abilities.
- The root of Manchurian aralia helps to tone and regulate the activity of the nervous system. To do this, you need to infuse five grams of raw material in fifty milliliters of alcohol or high-quality vodka for twenty-one days. Take orally for a month 2-3 times a day, forty drops per dose.
- You can strengthen your brain by rubbing the tincture into your temples and head. It is prepared at home as follows: Veronica herb is poured with alcohol in a ratio of 1:5 and infused for nine days in a place protected from light.
- Eating a few ripe apples daily helps relieve brain fatigue. You need to eat them in the morning.
Diseases of the nervous system form an extensive list, which consists of various pathologies and syndromes. The human nervous system is a very complex, branched structure, the sections of which perform different functions. Damage to one area affects the entire human body.
Disruption of the central and peripheral nervous systems (CNS and PNS, respectively) can be caused by various reasons - from congenital developmental pathologies to infectious lesions.
Diseases of the central nervous system can be accompanied by various symptoms. A neurologist treats such diseases.
All disorders of the central nervous system and PNS can be divided into several broad groups:
- vascular diseases of the nervous system;
- infectious diseases of the nervous system;
- congenital pathologies;
- genetic disorders;
- oncological diseases;
- pathologies due to injury.
It is very difficult to describe all kinds of diseases of the nervous system with a list, since there are a great many of them.
Vascular diseases of the central nervous system
The center of the central nervous system is the brain, so vascular diseases of the nervous system are characterized by disruption of its functioning. These diseases develop due to the following reasons:
- impaired blood supply to the brain;
- damage to cerebral vessels;
- pathologies of the cardiovascular system.
As you can see, all these reasons are closely interrelated and often one stems from the other.
Vascular diseases of the nervous system are lesions of the blood vessels of the brain, for example, stroke and atherosclerosis, aneurysms. A feature of this group of diseases is the high probability of death or disability.
Thus, a stroke provokes the death of nerve cells. After a stroke, complete rehabilitation of the patient is most often impossible, which leads to disability or death.
Atherosclerosis is characterized by hardening of the walls of blood vessels and further loss of elasticity. The disease develops due to cholesterol deposits on the vascular walls and is dangerous due to the formation of blood clots that provoke a heart attack.
An aneurysm is characterized by thinning of the vascular wall and the formation of a thickening. The danger of the pathology is that the seal can burst at any moment, which will lead to the release of a large amount of blood. Aneurysm rupture is fatal.
Infectious diseases of the central nervous system
Infectious diseases of the nervous system develop as a result of the impact of an infection, virus or fungus on the body. The central nervous system is affected first, followed by the PNS. The most common pathologies of an infectious nature:
- encephalitis;
- syphilis of the nervous system;
- meningitis;
- polio.
Encephalitis is called inflammation of the brain, which can be triggered by viruses (tick-borne encephalitis, brain damage by the herpes virus). Also, the inflammatory process can be bacterial or fungal in nature. The disease is very dangerous and if left untreated can lead to dementia and death.
Neurosyphilis occurs in 10% of cases of infection with this venereal disease. The peculiarity of neurosyphilis is that the disease affects all parts of the central nervous system and PNS without exception. Syphilis of the nervous system causes the development of changes in the structure of the cerebrospinal fluid. The disease is characterized by a wide variety of symptoms, including those of meningitis. Syphilis of the nervous system requires timely antibacterial therapy. Without treatment, paralysis, disability, and even death may develop.
Meningitis is a whole group of diseases. They are distinguished by the localization of inflammation, which can affect both the lining of the brain and the patient’s spinal cord. Pathology can be due to various reasons - from inflammatory processes in the middle ear to tuberculosis and trauma. This disease causes severe headaches, symptoms of intoxication and weakening of the neck muscles. The disease can be triggered by a virus and then there is a high probability of infecting others through contact. Such infections of the nervous system develop very rapidly. Without timely treatment, the likelihood of death is very high.
Poliomyelitis is a virus that can infect the entire human nervous system. This is a so-called childhood disease, which is characterized by the ease of transmission of the virus by airborne droplets. The virus quickly affects the entire body, causing various symptoms - from fever at the beginning of infection to paralysis. Very often, the consequences of polio do not go away without leaving a trace and a person remains disabled for life.
Congenital pathologies
Pathologies of the nervous system in a child can be caused by a genetic mutation, heredity, or birth trauma.
The causes of the pathology may be:
- hypoxia;
- taking certain medications in early pregnancy;
- trauma during passage through the birth canal;
- infectious diseases suffered by a woman during pregnancy.
As a rule, childhood diseases of the nervous system appear from birth. Genetically determined pathologies are accompanied by physiological disorders.
Among the genetically determined pathologies:
- epilepsy;
- spinal muscular atrophy;
- Canavan syndrome;
- Tourette's syndrome.
Epilepsy, as we know, is a chronic disease that is inherited. This disease is characterized by convulsive seizures, which cannot be completely eliminated.
Spinal muscular atrophy is a severe, and often fatal, disease associated with damage to the spinal cord neurons responsible for muscle activity. The patients' muscles are not developed and do not work, movement is impossible.
Canavan syndrome is a disorder of brain cells. The disease is characterized by an increase in the size of the skull and mental retardation. People with this pathology cannot eat due to impaired swallowing function. The prognosis is usually unfavorable. The disease cannot be cured.
Huntington's chorea is characterized by impaired motor skills, development of tics, and progressive dementia. Despite the genetic prerequisites for development, the disease manifests itself at an older age - the first symptoms appear at 30-60 years of age.
Tourette's syndrome is a disorder of the central nervous system that causes involuntary movements and shouting (tics). The first symptoms of pathology appear in preschool age. In childhood, this disease causes a lot of discomfort, but with age the symptoms become less pronounced.
You can suspect a dysfunction of the central nervous system in an infant if you carefully monitor the child's development. The reason for contacting a neurologist is delayed mental and physical development, vision problems or weakened reflexes.
Peripheral disorders
Peripheral diseases of the nervous system can occur as a complication of other pathologies, as well as due to tumors, surgical interventions or injuries. This group of disorders is very extensive and includes such common diseases as:
- neuritis;
- polyneuritis;
- radiculitis;
- neuralgia.
All these diseases develop as a result of damage to peripheral nerves or nerve roots, as a result of exposure to some negative factor.
As a rule, such disorders develop as a secondary disease against the background of infectious or viral lesions of the body, chronic diseases or intoxication. These pathologies often accompany diabetes mellitus and are observed in drug and alcohol addicts due to intoxication of the body. Vertebrogenic syndromes are distinguished separately, which develop against the background of spinal diseases, for example, osteochondrosis.
Treatment of pathologies of peripheral nerves is carried out using drug therapy, less often – surgery.
Tumor pathologies
Tumors can be located in any organ, including the brain and spinal cord.
Oncological disease of the human nervous system develops between the ages of 20 and 55 years. Tumors can affect any part of the brain.
Tumors can be either benign or malignant. Lymphoma of the central nervous system is common.
The presence of a brain tumor is accompanied by various symptoms. To diagnose the disease, it is necessary to conduct an MRI examination of the brain. Treatment and prognosis largely depend on the location and nature of the tumor.
Psycho-emotional disorders
There are a number of diseases of the nervous system that are accompanied by psychoemotional disorders. Such diseases include dystonia, chronic fatigue syndrome, panic disorders and other disorders. These diseases develop as a result of the negative effects of stress, lack of nutrients and nervous overstrain, and are characterized by depletion of the human nervous system.
As a rule, the inert nervous system, which is characterized by excessive sensitivity, is more susceptible to such disorders. This type is characterized by low mobility of nervous processes. Inhibition in the central nervous system is slowly replaced by excitation. People with such a nervous system are often susceptible to melancholy and hypochondria. This type of nervous activity is characteristic of people who are slow, sensitive, easily irritated and also easily depressed. Inhibition in the central nervous system in this case is weakly expressed, and excitation (reaction to the stimulus) is inhibitory in nature.
Treatment of psycho-emotional disorders accompanying somatic symptoms involves relieving tension in the nervous system, stimulating blood circulation and normalizing lifestyle.
Symptoms of diseases of the nervous system
In diseases of the nervous system, symptoms are divided into several groups - signs of motor disorders, autonomic symptoms and signs of a general nature. When the PNS is damaged, a characteristic symptom is impaired skin sensitivity.
Nervous diseases are characterized by the following general symptoms:
- pain syndrome localized in different parts of the body;
- speech problems;
- psychoemotional disorders;
- motor impairment;
- paresis;
- tremor of fingers;
- frequent fainting;
- dizziness;
- fatigue.
Movement disorders include paresis and paralysis, convulsions, involuntary movements, and a feeling of numbness in the limbs.
Symptoms of autonomic disorder include changes in blood pressure, increased heart rate, headache and dizziness.
Common symptoms are psycho-emotional disorders (apathy, irritability), as well as sleep problems and fainting.
Diagnosis and treatment of disorders
If you find any alarming symptoms, you should visit a neurologist. The doctor will conduct an examination and check the patient’s reflex activity. Then you may need additional examination - MRI, CT, Dopplerography of cerebral vessels.
Based on the results of the examination, treatment is prescribed, depending on what disorder is diagnosed.
Pathologies of the central nervous system and PNS are treated with drugs. These may be anticonvulsants, drugs to improve cerebral circulation and improve vascular permeability, sedatives and antipsychotics. Treatment is selected depending on the diagnosis.
Congenital pathologies are often difficult to treat. In this case, treatment involves measures aimed at reducing the symptoms of the disease.
It should be remembered that the chances of getting rid of an acquired disease at the beginning of its development are much higher than when treating the disease in its final stages. Therefore, if you notice symptoms, you should visit a specialist as soon as possible and not self-medicate. Self-medication does not bring the desired effect and can significantly aggravate the course of the disease.
Nervous diseases- these are pathological changes of various etiologies in the functionality of the nervous system. These diseases are the subject of study of a special science - neurology.
The nervous system (NS) includes the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord), peripheral nervous system (nerve branches from the spinal cord and brain) and ganglia (nerve ganglia).
The nervous system is branched and interconnects human systems and organs. It is for this reason that nervous diseases directly affect the state of every system of the body, primarily the immune, endocrine and cardiovascular. A reverse relationship is also observed: dysfunction of any of the systems (mainly the immune) causes various nervous diseases.
Diseases of the nervous system: classification
Diseases of the nervous system, depending on their etiology, are divided into 5 groups.
1. Vascular diseases of the nervous system.
These pathologies arise due to disturbances in brain structures due to cerebrovascular insufficiency and circulatory disorders. The danger of these diseases is that they lead to disability and even premature death of a person, if, of course, they are not treated. These nervous diseases arise and develop, as a rule, as a result of atherosclerosis or hypertension and are manifested by headaches, nausea, impaired sensitivity and coordination of movement. Prominent representatives of this group of nervous diseases: stroke, dyscirculatory encephalopathy, Parkinson's disease...
3. Hereditary diseases of the nervous system.
This type of nervous disease, in turn, can be genomic or chromosomal. With genomic pathologies, the neuromuscular system is affected, resulting in dysfunction of the musculoskeletal system and endocrine system. And the “representative” of chromosomal pathology is Down's disease.
4. Chronic diseases of the nervous system.
These pathologies arise as a result of complex causes: the specific structure of the nervous system and infectious effects on it, which leads to disturbances in the body's metabolic processes. These are nervous diseases such as myasthenia gravis, sclerosis. This type of disease is systemic in nature and lasts for a long time, which leads to a decrease in the normal functionality of some body systems.
5. Traumatic diseases of the nervous system.
Well, from the name it’s easy to guess that this group of pathologies arises as a result of injuries, bruises, and other mechanical effects on the organs of the nervous system. This group includes, for example, nervous diseases such as concussion, traumatic neuritis, and spinal cord injury.
Nervous diseases: causes
The human nervous system “penetrates” the organs of the immune, endocrine, cardiovascular and other systems, and for this reason, diseases of any of these systems, primarily the immune system, are the cause of nervous diseases.
These infections cause nervous diseases of any type: hereditary, traumatic, chronic, vascular... They (infections) affect our nervous system through the placental route (from mother to child), or through the peripheral nervous system, this is how damage occurs, for example, to herpes virus infection, rabies virus , polio...
Other causes of nervous diseases:
- mechanical damage to the NS organs;
- brain tumors and their metastases;
- reasons of a hereditary nature;
- chronic pathologies (Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, chorea...).
There are causes of nervous diseases that underlie a violation of a healthy lifestyle:
- unhealthy diet;
- lack of useful substances in the body (vitamins, drugs, various bioactive compounds...);
- incorrect attitude towards life, which leads to various stressful situations and depressive states;
- excessive use of various medications, incl. antidepressants, barbiturates, opiates, antibiotics, anticancer drugs...
Also, any immune disease or disease of the endocrine system can cause diseases of the nervous system- this is revealed using appropriate diagnostics.
Nervous diseases: symptoms
The manifestation of a particular disease of the nervous system depends on which “section” of the nervous system has undergone pathological damage.
So, for example, nervous diseases with brain damage have symptoms:
- dizziness;
- headache ;
- poor coordination when walking;
- speech impairment;
- decreased visual function;
- hearing impairment;
- paresis;
- violation of the psycho-emotional state.
Nervous diseases that arise due to damage to the spinal cord are manifested by symptoms:
- impaired sensitivity below the lesion;
- impaired motor function (up to paralysis).
Pathologies of the peripheral nervous system manifest themselves:
- loss of sensation in the limbs;
- muscle atrophy;
- somatics in affected areas;
- impaired motor skills of the arms and legs;
- trophic disorders in the affected area.
Among other things, obvious symptoms of nervous diseases: sleep disturbances, decreased memory, intelligence, psycho-emotional breakdowns, hysterics, epileptic seizures, disruption of habitual mental activity.
Diagnosis of diseases of the nervous system
Diagnosis of these pathologies begins with interviewing the patient. They find out his complaints, attitude to work, the environment, find out the current diseases (especially infectious ones), analyze the patient for the adequacy of reactions to external stimuli, his intelligence, orientation in space and time. If nervous diseases are suspected, instrumental diagnostics of diseases of the nervous system are performed.
The basis for instrumental diagnosis of these pathologies:
- Echo-EG;
- radiography of the spine;
- EEG;
- electromyography;
- REG;
- neurosonography (for a child of the first year of life).
But today there are other accurate methods for diagnosing nervous diseases: magnetic resonance and computed tomography, positron emission tomography of the brain, duplex scanning, ultrasound of head vessels...
Since the nervous system is interconnected and depends on other systems of the body, when diagnosing diseases of the nervous system, consultations with a cardiologist, endocrinologist, immunologist, ophthalmologist, orthopedist are required... And it is for these purposes that a blood test, urine test, biopsy and other general diagnostic data are taken.
Nervous diseases: treatment
The choice of treatment method for diseases of the nervous system depends on many factors: the type of pathology, the immune status of the patient, symptoms of the disease, characteristics of the patient’s body, etc.
Nervous diseases, the treatment of which gives the desired result in combination with a certain lifestyle, as a rule, go away with changes in human psychology. Optimists, as scientists state, suffer from nervous diseases less often than pessimists.
To treat these diseases, exercise therapy, physiotherapy, reflexology, mechanotherapy, and manual therapy are used. Surgical intervention is used for brain tumors, abscesses, aneurysms, intracerebral hematomas, as well as certain cases of Parkinson's disease.
To solve psycho-emotional problems, doctors recommend antidepressants. We are against the use of such drugs for the reason that they do not solve the problem, but only “push it back” for a while, while causing side effects.
In the complex treatment of nervous diseases, we recommend taking Transfer Factor. This drug is a component of our immune system, it is an “extract” from cow colostrum and chicken egg yolks of transfer factors - immune molecules - carriers of immune “memory”. When these particles enter the body:
Restore the normal functioning of the nervous and immune systems and metabolic processes of humans;
- enhance the therapeutic effect of medications that a person takes, and at the same time neutralizes their side effects on the body (which is important);
- transfer factors “record” cases of invasion of foreign bodies into the body, information about these agents and methods for their neutralization. When these foreign agents invade again, transfer factors “extract” information about them and the immune system, using this information, destroys them.
This algorithm of action is available only for this immunomodulator, which, today, has no analogues in the world, either in terms of effectiveness or safety for humans.
When treating nervous diseases by any method, it is advisable to use Transfer Factor Advance or Classic - this increases the chance of successfully getting rid of this disease. This immune drug is necessary when using antibiotics or antidepressants.
As you know, the activity of all systems and organs of our body is controlled by the nervous system. Therefore, problems in its activity quite quickly affect the general condition of our body. Problems in the functioning of the central nervous system are quite serious diseases that can cause disability and even death. That is why it is extremely important to recognize problems at an early stage of their development and promptly take the right measures to correct them and prevent various kinds of complications.
How do central nervous system disorders manifest themselves? Symptoms
Manifestations of lesions of the central nervous system can be very different, depending on the specifics of the disease, the presence of additional pathological conditions and the individual characteristics of the patient.
Symptoms can be expressed in different types of impairment of consciousness, with coma considered to be the most complex manifestation of such a pathological condition. It can vary in severity, and can be triggered by a variety of factors - trauma, stroke, meningitis, tumors, intoxication, epilepsy, various somatic diseases, endocrine lesions, etc.
Also, pathological processes can make themselves felt by confusion and disorientation, as a result of which the patient cannot adequately assess his condition and the environment.
Problems with the nervous system can cause pathological drowsiness, and in some cases, stupor. This symptom is accompanied by a loss of consciousness, but the patient reacts to various types of irritability. Stupor most often develops as a result of serious brain damage.
Another symptom of this type is considered to be twilight disturbances of consciousness, which are characteristic of epilepsy and organic brain lesions.
Disorders of higher nervous activity
Such symptoms also indicate disorders in the central nervous system. They manifest themselves as a violation of the ability to speak correctly, as well as read, making logical thinking, expression of thoughts, emotions, and feelings impossible. Thus, manifestations of disorders of higher nervous activity are considered to be various aphasia - speech disorders, apraxia - the inability to perform basic everyday or professional actions, as well as agnosia, in which a person does not recognize familiar people and objects, despite the preservation of vision. In addition, the patient may develop astereognosis - a violation of the ability to feel objects by touch, quite often this results in the feeling of an extra leg, finger, as well as confusion of the right and left sides.
Movement disorders
These symptoms are the most common manifestations of central nervous system disorders. They can be represented by quite complex conditions, for example, paralysis and paresis. Sometimes illnesses lead to the development of muscle problems, spasticity occurs - an increase in muscle tone, or rigidity - muscle compaction and tension. The patient may also be bothered by myoclonus - rhythmic contractions of the facial muscles, spastic torticollis caused by contraction of the neck muscles, as well as atheosis, which is expressed in slow involuntary flexion or extension movements of the fingers. Also quite common manifestations of muscle disorders are extrapyramidal disorders, tremors, writer's cramp and blepharospasm.
In certain cases, movement disorders are manifested by the occurrence of ataxia, which is impaired coordination of movements. In some cases, such a problem leads to the patient completely losing the ability to stand, his gait and speech may change significantly, dizziness, nausea, etc. may develop.
Sensitivity disorders
Another large group of symptoms of disorders of the central nervous system is considered to be various problems in the activity of the sensory organs, which is expressed in the inability to normally perceive pain, cold, feel your body, tastes and smells, see and hear. The specificity of the symptoms that arise depends on the type of illness that provoked them.
Pain
Disorders of the central nervous system quite often cause a wide variety of painful sensations. Patients may complain of various headaches, discomfort in the lower back and limbs. In addition, they may be bothered by pain in the neck, etc. As in other cases, the specificity of this symptom depends solely on the type of lesion.
How are central nervous system disorders corrected? Treatment
Therapy for central nervous system disorders is selected depending on the type of disease, as well as the symptoms of the lesion. Treatment is selected only by a doctor who takes into account all the patient’s characteristics. It may include taking a variety of medications, changing lifestyle, and performing various surgical interventions, including minimally invasive ones. Restorative and rehabilitative treatment methods are highly popular in the treatment of such pathological conditions, which help the patient recover even after very complex injuries or strokes, as well as in cases of serious neuromuscular disorders.
If you experience any warning symptoms indicating problems with the central nervous system, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible.
