Multiple Neuritis

Categories: Diseases of The Nervous System

Other names: Polyneuritis, Disseminated Neuritis,
Peripheral Neuritis. Meaning--Multiple neuritis is an inflammatory disease

of the peripheral (toward the end of the nerves or external nerves)

nervous system. It varies much in extent and intensity and affects

symmetrical parts of the body.

Varieties. These arise from differences in the nature, causes, severity

and location of the disease process.

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Causes. They are many. (1.) The poison that comes from infectious

diseases such as typhoid fever, diphtheria, smallpox, leprosy, la grippe,

etc. (2) From poisons such as alcohol, lead, arsenic; phosphorus, mercury,

coal gas, etc. (3) From anemia, cancer, tuberculosis, syphilis,

septicemia, diabetes. (4) From cold, over-exertion, etc.

Symptoms. Acute febrile multiple neuritis. A typical case: This comes on

from exposure to cold, over-exertion, or in some cases spontaneously.

There are chills, headaches, pains in the back, limbs and joints, and the

case may be called rheumatism. Loss of appetite, coated tongue,

constipation, and other symptoms of stomach and bowel trouble. The

temperature rises rapidly, and may go to 103 to 104 degrees. The limbs and

back ache, but intense pain in the nerves are not always constant. The

pain is usually sharp, severe, and located in the limbs, and is worse from

moving and pressure. There are tingling feelings in the hands, feet and

body, and a feeling as if ants or insects were crawling over them, and

there is also increased sensitiveness of the nerve trunks or entire limb.

There is loss of muscular power, first marked, perhaps, in the legs, and

it extends upwards and reaches the arms. Sometimes it first begins in the

arms. In typical cases the extending muscles of the wrist and ankles drop.

(Wristdrop and foot-drop). In severe cases there is a general loss of

muscular power, producing a flabby paralysis. This may extend to the

muscles that control speaking, swallowing and hearing resulting in

impairment of these functions. The muscles soften and waste away rapidly.

Disorders of nutrition are frequent, like watery swelling (oedema), glossy

looking skin, sweating, hives, etc.

Recovery. The course of the disease varies considerably. In mild cases

the symptoms disappear very soon. In the worst form the patient may die in

a week or ten days. As a rule, in moderately severe cases after persisting

for five or six weeks, the condition remains about the same for a few

months, and then improvement slowly begins and recovery takes place in six

to twelve months. In neuritis from alcohol drinking there is a rapid onset

as a rule, with delirium and delusions. The result is usually favorable

and after persisting for weeks or months improvement gradually begins, the

muscles regain their power, and even in the most desperate cases recovery

may follow. The mental symptoms are very severe in alcoholic cases.

Delirium is common. It takes much longer for such cases to regain what

they call their normal condition.

Neuritis following diphtheria and other infectious diseases. The outlook

in cases from these diseases is usually favorable, and except in

diphtheria, fatal cases are uncommon. It is most common from diphtheria.

Recovery, in neuritis from diphtheria, takes place in about three months,

but some cases are fatal.

Mullein

MUMPS

Multiple Neuritis

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