Chronic neurological conditions

Neurological disorders are disorders that affect the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. Such disorders can occur as a result of structural, chemical, or electrical abnormalities within the nervous system. There are many types of neurological disorders. While some are relatively benign and temporary, others are more serious and may require ongoing or emergency treatment. This article explores five common neurological disorders, including their associated causes, symptoms, and treatments. Share on Pinterest akinbostanci/Getty Images Neurological disorders are a group of illnesses that affect the central and peripheral nervous systems. The The nervous system is responsible for multiple bodily processes. Depending on the part of the nervous system the neurological condition affects, a person may experience difficulties with the following: • movement • sensations • eating and drinking • swallowing • breathing • speech • learning • memory • mood There are more than • • • • • • • The most common type of headache is • neck • jaw • scalp • shoulders Common triggers include: • • • missing meals • alcohol consumption Treatment People may find relief from tension headaches by taking an People can usually treat headaches at home. However, some headaches can signal a more serious underlying condition that requires medical attention. A person should inform their doctor if they experience any of the following: • regular headaches occurring more than 15 days within a month • a sudden, severe ...

What is the nervous system? The nervous system is a complex, sophisticated system that regulates and coordinates body activities. It is made up of two major divisions, including the following: • Central nervous system. This consists of the brain and spinal cord. • Peripheral nervous system. This consists of all other neural elements, including the peripheral nerves and the autonomic nerves. In addition to the brain and spinal cord, principal organs of the nervous system include the following: • Eyes • Ears • Sensory organs of taste • Sensory organs of smell • Sensory receptors located in the skin, joints, muscles, and other parts of the body What are some disorders of the nervous system? The nervous system is vulnerable to various disorders. It can be damaged by the following: • Trauma • Infections • Degeneration • Structural defects • Tumors • Blood flow disruption • Autoimmune disorders Disorders of the nervous system Disorders of the nervous system may involve the following: • Vascular disorders, such as stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), subarachnoid hemorrhage, subdural hemorrhage and hematoma, and extradural hemorrhage • Infections, such as meningitis, encephalitis, polio, and epidural abscess • Structural disorders, such as brain or spinal cord injury, Bell's palsy, cervical spondylosis, carpal tunnel syndrome, brain or spinal cord tumors, peripheral neuropathy, and Guillain-Barré syndrome • Functional disorders, such as headache, epilepsy, dizziness, and neur...

Overview The term movement disorders refers to a group of nervous system (neurological) conditions that cause either increased movements or reduced or slow movements. These movements may be voluntary or involuntary. Common types of movement disorders include: • Ataxia. This movement disorder affects the part of the brain that controls coordinated movement. Ataxia may cause uncoordinated or clumsy balance, speech or limb movements, and other symptoms. There are many causes of ataxia, including genetic and degenerative disorders. Ataxia may also be caused by an infection or another treatable condition. • Cervical dystonia. In cervical dystonia, the neck muscles contract involuntarily, causing the head to pull to one side or to tilt forward or backward. There may be shaking. • Chorea. Chorea is characterized by repetitive, brief, irregular, somewhat rapid, involuntary movements. The movements typically involve the face, mouth, trunk and limbs. Chorea can look like exaggerated fidgeting. • Dystonia. This condition involves sustained involuntary muscle contractions with twisting, repetitive movements. Dystonia may affect the entire body or one part of the body. • Functional movement disorder. This condition may resemble any of the movement disorders. Functional movement disorder isn't due to neurological disease and is treatable. • Huntington's disease. This is an inherited, progressive disease that can be confirmed with genetic testing. Huntington's disease has three component...

Overview What is neuropathic pain? Neuropathic pain can happen if your Damaged nerve fibers send the wrong signals to pain centers. Nerve function may change at the site of the nerve damage, as well as areas in the central nervous system (central sensitization). Neuropathy is a disturbance of function or a change in one or several nerves. Symptoms and Causes What are some of the sources of neuropathic pain? Neuropathic pain can be caused by diseases, including: • • Diabetes. • Facial nerve problems. • • Central nervous system disorders (stroke, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, etc.) • • Other causes include: • Chemotherapy drugs (cisplatin, paclitaxel, vincristine, etc.). • • Amputation, which can cause phantom pain. • Spinal nerve compression or inflammation. • Trauma or surgeries with resulting nerve damage. • Nerve compression or infiltration by tumors. What are the symptoms of neuropathic pain? Many symptoms may be present in the case of neuropathic pain. These symptoms include: • Spontaneous pain (pain that comes without stimulation): Shooting, burning, stabbing, or electric shock-like pain; tingling, numbness, or a “pins and needles” feeling • Evoked pain: Pain brought on by normally non-painful stimuli such as cold, gentle brushing against the skin, pressure, etc. This is called allodynia. Evoked pain also may mean the increase of pain by normally painful stimuli such as pinpricks and heat. This type of pain is called hyperalgesia. • An unpleasant, abnormal ...

Overview Dizziness is a term used to describe a range of sensations, such as feeling faint, woozy, weak or unsteady. Dizziness that creates the false sense that you or your surroundings are spinning or moving is called vertigo. Dizziness is one of the more common reasons adults visit their doctors. Frequent dizzy spells or constant dizziness can significantly affect your life. But dizziness rarely signals a life-threatening condition. Symptoms People experiencing dizziness may describe it as any of a number of sensations, such as: • A false sense of motion or spinning (vertigo) • Lightheadedness or feeling faint • Unsteadiness or a loss of balance • A feeling of floating, wooziness or heavy-headedness These feelings may be triggered or worsened by walking, standing up or moving your head. Your dizziness may be accompanied by nausea or be so sudden or severe that you need to sit or lie down. The episode may last seconds or days and may recur. When to see a doctor Generally, see your doctor if you experience any recurrent, sudden, severe, or prolonged and unexplained dizziness or vertigo. Get emergency medical care if you experience new, severe dizziness or vertigo along with any of the following: • Sudden, severe headache • Chest pain • Difficulty breathing • Numbness or paralysis of arms or legs • Fainting • Double vision • Rapid or irregular heartbeat • Confusion or slurred speech • Stumbling or difficulty walking • Ongoing vomiting • Seizures • A sudden change in hearing...

Neurological diseases are conditions that affect your nervous system. Your nervous system includes your brain and spinal cord as well as all the nerves that branch out to the rest of your body. There are many different types of nervous system diseases, each with different causes. Your nervous system is responsible for sending signals from your brain to the rest of your body and vice versa. It’s vital for regulating many body functions as well as processing and responding to various internal and environmental factors. There are many diseases that can impact your nervous system. This article will look at the different types of diseases and how they affect your nervous system. Your While you only have one nervous system, it’s divided into two different parts. These are your: • Central nervous system (CNS): Your CNS is made up of your • Peripheral nervous system (PNS): Your PNS includes the rest of the nerve tissue outside of your brain and spinal cord. It helps to transmit information from your CNS to the rest of your body and vice versa. It also has two parts, which include your: • Somatic nervous system: Your somatic nervous system sends signals from your CNS to your • Autonomic nervous system: Your autonomic nervous system controls your involuntary body functions, such as your There are A • stroke • Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias • migraine There are many different types of neurological diseases. These are broken down by each type below, along with examples of com...

Neurological disorders are diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system. In other words, the brain, spinal cord, cranial nerves, peripheral nerves, nerve roots, autonomic nervous system, neuromuscular junction, and muscles. These disorders include epilepsy, Alzheimer disease and other dementias, cerebrovascular diseases including stroke, migraine and other headache disorders, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, neuroinfections, brain tumours, traumatic disorders of the nervous system due to head trauma, and neurological disorders as a result of malnutrition. Many bacterial (i.e. Mycobacterial tuberculosis, Neisseria meningitides), viral (i.e. Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Enteroviruses, West Nile Virus, Zika), fungal (i.e. Cryptococcus, Aspergillus), and parasitic (i.e. malaria, Chagas) infections can affect the nervous system. Neurological symptoms may occur due to the infection itself, or due to an immune response. Please seek medical attention as soon as possible if you are unsure of your medical condition. • Dementia • Alzheimer's disease • Parkinson's disease • Dystonia • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) • Epilepsy • Multiple Sclerosis • Neurological disorders due to nutrient deficiency as soon as possible if you are unsure of you or your family's health condition. Dementia Dementia is a general term for loss of memory, language, problem-solving and other thinking abilities that are severe enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer's Disease...

People with neuropathic pain may experience shooting, burning pain. The pain may be constant or occur intermittently. A feeling of tingling, numbness, or a loss of sensation is also common. Neuropathic is usually caused by a chronic, progressive nerve disease, although it can also occur as the result of injury or infection. If you have chronic neuropathic pain, it can flare up at any time without an obvious pain-inducing event or factor. Acute neuropathic pain, while uncommon, can occur as well. Typically, non-neuropathic pain ( With neuropathic pain, the pain isn’t typically triggered by an event or injury. Instead, the body just sends pain signals to your brain unprompted. Neuropathic pain tends to get worse over time. About A Understanding the possible causes can help you find better treatments and ways to prevent the pain from getting worse over time. The most common causes for neuropathic pain can be divided into four main categories: disease, injury, infection, and loss of limb. Disease Neuropathic pain can be a symptom or complication of several diseases and conditions. These include Not everyone with these conditions will experience neuropathic pain, but it can be an issue for some. People with diabetes commonly experience loss of feeling and numbness, following by pain, burning, and stinging, in their limbs and digits. Long-term excessive alcohol intake can cause many complications, including chronic neuropathic pain. Lastly, cancer treatment may cause Injuries In...