neuritis
(noo-rī'tĭs, nū- 
)
[neuro- + -itis]
Inflammation of a nerve, usually associated with a degenerative process.
SEE: Guillain-Barré syndrome; polyneuritis.
Symptoms: There are many forms of neuritis, which produce a variety of symptoms, including neuralgia in the part affected, hyperesthesia, paresthesia, dysesthesia, hypesthesia, anesthesia, muscular atrophy of the body part supplied by the affected nerve, paralysis, and lack of reflexes.
Etiology: Neuritis may be caused by mechanical factors, e.g., compression or contusion of the nerve, or localized infection involving direct infection of a nerve. It may accompany diseases such as leprosy, tetanus, tuberculosis, malaria, or measles. Toxins, esp. poisoning by heavy metals (arsenic, lead, mercury), alcohol, or carbon tetrachloride, may also be a cause. Neuritis may accompany thiamine deficiency, gastrointestinal dysfunction, diabetes, toxemias of pregnancy, or peripheral vascular disease.
Patient Care: Changes in motor and sensory function are monitored. Correct positioning and prescribed analgesic drugs are used to relieve pain. Rest is provided, and affected extremities are rested by limiting their use and by using supportive appliances. Passive range-of-motion exercises are performed to help prevent contracture formation. Skin care is provided, and proper nutrition and dietary therapy are prescribed for metabolic disorders. Health care providers remove causative factors or counsel the patient about their avoidance. After pain subsides, prescribed activities are performed, e.g., massage, electrostimulation, and exercise.
adventitial n.Neuritis of a nerve sheath.
ascending n.Neuritis moving upward along a nerve trunk away from the periphery.
axial n.Inflammation of the inner portion of a nerve.
degenerative n.Neuritis with rapid degeneration of a nerve.
descending n.Neuritis that leads away from the central nervous system toward the periphery.
diphtheritic n.Neuritis following diphtheria.
disseminated n.Neuritis involving a large group of nerves.
interstitial n.Neuritis involving the connective tissue of a nerve.
intraocular n.Neuritis of the retinal fibers of the optic nerve causing disturbed vision, contracted field, enlarged blind spot, and fundus findings such as exudates, hemorrhages, and abnormal condition of the blood vessels. Treatment depends on the cause, e.g., brain tumor, meningitis, syphilis, nephritis, diabetes.
SEE: optic neuritis.
n. migrans Neuritis that ascends or descends, or neuritis that passes along a nerve trunk, affecting one area and then another.
multiple n.Neuritis that affects a number of peripheral nerves simultaneously. SYN: polyneuritis.
Symptoms are related to the suddenness of onset and severity. Usually, lower limbs are affected first, with weakness that may progress until the entire body is affected. Muscle strength, deep tendon reflexes, sensory nerves, and autonomic nerves become involved.
Causes include infectious diseases, e.g., diphtheria, metabolic disorders, e.g., alcoholism, diabetes, pellagra, beriberi, sprue, and various poisons, including lead. In some instances, the disease arises without apparent cause.
Causative factors should be removed if possible. Treatment includes skilled nursing, with particular care taken to prevent bedsores, and dietary therapy (depending upon the cause).
n. nodosa Neuritis with formation of nodes on nerves.
optic n.Neuritis of the optic nerve, causing varying degrees of visual loss. It is often the first recognized symptom in patients with multiple sclerosis.
parenchymatous n.Neuritis of nerve fiber substance.
peripheral n.Neuritis of terminal nerves or end organs.
retrobulbar n.Neuritis of the portion of the optic nerve behind the eyeball.
The main symptom is acute loss of vision in one or both eyes. Pain may be absent or may be unbearable, lasting for only a brief period or for days.
This type of neuritis may be caused by a variety of illnesses, but in adults it is most frequently associated with multiple sclerosis.
rheumatic n.Neuritis with symptoms of rheumatism.
sciatic n.Inflammation of the sciatic nerve.
SEE: sciatica.
segmental n.Neuritis affecting segments of a nerve interspersed with healthy segments.
sympathetic n.Neuritis of the opposite nerve without attack of the nerve center.
syphilitic n.Neuritis in locomotor ataxia caused by syphilis. SYN: tabetic neuritis.
tabetic n.Syphilitic neuritis.
toxic n.Neuritis resulting from metallic poisons, e.g., arsenic, mercury, and thallium, or nonmetallic poisons, e.g., various hydrocarbons and organic solvents.
traumatic n.Neuritis following an injury.
vestibular n.Neuritis accompanied by vertigo, nausea and vomiting, and gait disturbance of relatively acute onset, usually caused by inflammatory processes within the bony labyrinth of the ear.