Neuritis is the inflammatory reaction of a sensory or mixed nerve, as a result of which the nerve may undergo structural change.
Nerve plexuses are built up by individual neurons. Nerve cells – neurons have separate nuclei and different disorders can develop depending on where they’re affected when cells are damaged.
When sensory nerves are affected, tingling or numbness can occur, sending pain signals across the entire nerve. In mixed nerves, symptoms of weakness are also seen – muscle weakness, hypotrophy, loss of reflexes, paralysis.
Neuritis may be subdivided into mononeuritis and polyneuropathy. Depending on the affected group, nerve conditions may be divided into many subcategories, the most common being brachial neuritis, lumbosacral radiculopathy, vestibular neuritis, etc.
The main cause of local inflammation in certain nerves or entire nerve plexuses is traumatic injury, which gives rise to local inflammation of the nerve structures.
Chemical detergents and compressions may also be defined as traumatic injury in cases of joint or fracture dislocations. For example, radiation-induced neuritis is observed following radiation therapy in some cancer patients.
If you feel pain spreading across the upper or lower limb or notice weakness or hypotrophy in certain muscles, it’s a good idea to see a neurologist, who will examine you and do the right tests. A number of lab tests will need to be carried out. EMG is often used and aims to check the nerve’s conductivity. Sometimes diagnostic imaging is used, such as scans, MRI, etc.
We recommend that you do physiotherapy while following medical treatment (if prescribed) as it plays an important role in healing neuritis. It aims to regenerate the nerves and stimulate the affected muscles.
Electrotherapy, ultrasound and various heat therapies are used depending on whether the patient is in an acute, subacute or chronic phase of the illness.
It is important to note that the right diagnosis is vital to determining the right treatment of neuritis.
