Common clues and medical conditions indicating a troubled nervous system
Your nervous system may already be having problems and you’re just not aware of it yet. Below are some of the common clues that indicate you might have a neurological problem.
- Headache. Headaches with a sudden onset, chronic headaches or those that change should be of concern to you.
- Muscle wasting (atrophy). You may notice that your muscles seem like they have lost their mass, and no this isn’t because of disuse or you being lazy.
- Back pain which seems to radiate to your toes, feet or other parts of your body.
- Tremors. This is the most common form of involuntary movement which can affect your limbs, head, face, and body.
- Decrease in muscle strength or weakness in your muscles.
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- Rigid muscles. Continuous tension in your muscles forcing them to be stiff or rigid.
- Poor coordination when you move (known as ataxia). Reduced ability to coordinate your movements. No, poor coordination from being drunk isn’t included.
- Loss of memory or poor mental function.
- Loss of vision or double vision. When you lose your sight all of a sudden this may indicate neurological distress.
- Numbness, tingling or burning sensation. This can occur particularly in the extremities, but can also affect other areas of the body.
Note: These clues may also be experienced with diseases of other body systems. Remember symptoms can vary from person to person so always consult your healthcare practitioner.
Diseases which involve your nervous system can be broadly grouped into five main categories. They are degenerative disorders, vascular disorders, structural (traumatic) disorders, infectious diseases, and functional disorders. Here we have briefly described them and given common examples for each group.
- Degenerative disorders. Common examples of degenerative disorders include multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s chorea, and Parkinson’s disease.
This group of neurological disorders usually affects old people (Grandma and Grandpa) and affect most of the daily activities like talking, moving, balance, breathing, and heart functions These disorders are primarily characterised by the death of too many nerve cells in your central nervous system. There’s a multitude of causes, but the number one on the list is genetic. Other causes include chemicals, viruses, and certain toxins. Diet and lifestyle factors may also play a role.
- Vascular disorders. Transient ischemic attack (TIA), stroke, subdural haemorrhage, hematoma, and subarachnoid haemorrhage. Common diseases that cause problems for your blood vessels (like hypertension) contribute to vascular disorders by pestering your nervous system, especially your brain.
- Infectious diseases. Your nervous system, just like any other system in your body isn’t spared from the onslaught of disease causing microorganisms. These harmful microorganisms can affect your brain (e.g. encephalitis), your brain’s covering (e.g. meningitis), and other parts of your nervous system. These microorganisms can be viruses, bacteria, fungi and other less known critters.
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- Functional disorders. This group is composed mostly of symptoms connected to the other types of neurological disorders above and includes symptoms like headaches, dizziness and seizures as well as general nerve pain. These may impair function or keep you from doing your work, hence a functional disorder.
Read the other parts of this article by clicking on the following links:
Your Nervous System Part 1: A Sneak Peek At Your Body’s Own CPU (Central Processing Unit)
- Your Nervous System Part 3: Secrets For A Healthy Nervous System
Related Articles
References
- Louis, E. (2015). Merritt's neurology (Thirteenth ed.).
- Ropper, A., & Samuels, M. (2014). Adams and Victor's principles of neurology (Tenth ed.).
- http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Nervous_system
- https://www.news-medical.net/health/What-is-the-Nervous-System.aspx
- https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=85&ContentID=P00799
- https://www.msdmanuals.com/home/brain-spinal-cord-and-nerve-disorders/biology-of-the-nervous-system/overview-of-the-nervous-system
- https://www.msdmanuals.com/professional/neurologic-disorders/peripheral-nervous-system-and-motor-unit-disorders/overview-of-peripheral-nervous-system-disorders
- https://www.sth.nhs.uk/neurosciences/neurology/neurology-psychotherapy-service/functional-neurological-disorders
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