Shingles Also Attacks The Nervous System

Today's post from health.clevelandclinic.org/ (see link below) talks about shingles, a form of neuropathy that is often not thought of as being nerve damage but if you've ever had an attack, you'll be pretty sure it is. It's cause by the virus varicella-zoster, which is a herpes virus and just like herpes, it will lie low for some time and then strike when your system is also at a low ebb. Most people who suffer from shingles have also had chicken pox at some time in their lives and that's one way the virus enters the body because chicken pox is also caused by varicella-zoster. For people already living with other conditions, including neuropathy, shingles can be doubly painful (and doubly depressing). Fortunately, there is a vaccine available but it won't remove shingles, it will just lessen the impact. For the full story see below.

Ever Have Chickenpox? Then You’re at Risk for Shingles. How to minimize your chances of getting this painful rash
December 14, 2016 / By Family Health Team

When you were a kid, did you scratch your way through a case of chickenpox? If so, you met the virus that causes shingles.

Called varicella-zoster, it didn’t leave after your chickenpox faded. Instead, the virus laid low in your nervous system.

For one in three adults, the zoster virus re-emerges decades later as shingles. Each year, about 1 million Americans develop the painful rash. Those over 60 are especially at risk.

“Anyone who has had chickenpox is at risk of developing shingles at some time in their life,” says Daniel Allan, MD.

How shingles develops

Sometimes a headache, nausea, fever or chills will herald shingles’ arrival. And the area the rash will be targeting can become painful, numb or tingly a few days in advance. Once the rash hits, blisters form, along with pain described as stabbing, shooting or burning.

“The initial rash is often confused with insect bites,” says Dr. Allan. ““The pain can show up before the rash, continue through the rash and most importantly, it can continue after the rash has healed up.”

The shingles rash typically appears as a band stretching across one side of the trunk. It can develop elsewhere, however. If the rash goes near the eye, immediate care is needed to avoid eye damage.

The shingles rash often lasts for a couple of weeks

Antiviral medication will shorten the duration and pain of shingles if given right away. “Generally, we recommend that patients see their doctor within two to three days of onset. That’s when the prescribed medications are more effective,” says Dr. Allan.

It’s important to keep an oozing rash covered. You can’t spread shingles itself. But you can spread the virus, which can cause chickenpox in those who haven’t had chickenpox or haven’t been vaccinated against it.

“Anyone with active shingles should also avoid pregnant women because of risk to the fetus,” he adds. “Once all the lesions have scabbed or crusted over, you’re no longer contagious.” 

Shingles can strike at any time

Unlike chickenpox, shingles can recur — though not always in the same spot.

Shingles can and does develop in younger people. But it is riskier for older people, who are more likely to develop chronic pain from nerve damage (post-herpetic neuralgia), and for those with autoimmune diseases, because getting shingles increases their risk of stroke.

“There is a shingles vaccine recommended for adults 60 and older,” says Dr. Allan. “This vaccine is extremely useful for reducing your chances of getting shingles, although it won’t eliminate them. Even more importantly, it drastically cuts the risk of developing post-herpetic neuralgia.”

Many patients with post-herpetic neuralgia require treatment with pain relievers, nerve blocks or implanted nerve stimulators to relieve pain.

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/2016/12/ever-have-chickenpox-then-youre-at-risk-for-shingles/

Rest and the Immune System

Following on from yesterday's post, this short video from Weimar TV talks about how vital it is to get enough rest. HIV patients will relate to any ideas on how to strengthen the immune system but HIV patients who also suffer from neuropathy, which frequently is at its worst at night, will feel somewhat between a rock and a hard place. In this case, we know what we should do but when you can't control your nervous system at night, it's difficult to achieve optimal sleep patterns.

Rest and the Immune System from WeimarTV on Vimeo.

BACTERIAL COMMUNICATION SYSTEM COULD BE USED TO STOP CANCER CELLS

Cancer, while always dangerous, truly becomes life-threatening when cancer cells begin to spread to different areas throughout the body. Now, researchers at the University of Missouri have discovered that a molecule used as a communication system by bacteria can be manipulated to prevent cancer cells from spreading. Senthil Kumar, an assistant research professor and assistant director of the Comparative Oncology and Epigenetics Laboratory at the MU College of Veterinary Medicine, says this communication system can be used to "tell" cancer cells how to act, or even to die on command.

"During an infection, bacteria release molecules which allow them to 'talk' to each other," said Kumar, the lead author of the study. "Depending on the type of molecule released, the signal will tell other bacteria to multiply, escape the immune system or even stop spreading. We found that if we introduce the 'stop spreading' bacteria molecule to cancer cells, those cells will not only stop spreading; they will begin to die as well."

In the study published in PLOS ONE, Kumar, and co-author Jeffrey Bryan, an associate professor in the MU College of Veterinary Medicine, treated human pancreatic cancer cells grown in culture with bacterial communication molecules, known as ODDHSL. After the treatment, the pancreatic cancer cells stopped multiplying, failed to migrate and began to die.

"We used pancreatic cancer cells, because those are the most robust, aggressive and hard-to-kill cancer cells that can occur in the human body," Kumar said. "To show that this molecule can not only stop the cancer cells from spreading, but actually cause them to die, is very exciting. Because this treatment shows promise in such an aggressive cancer like pancreatic cancer, we believe it could be used on other types of cancer cells and our lab is in the process of testing this treatment in other types of cancer."

Kumar says the next step in his research is to find a more efficient way to introduce the molecules to the cancer cells before animal and human testing can take place.

"Our biggest challenge right now is to find a way to introduce these molecules in an effective way," Kumar said. "At this time, we only are able to treat cancer cells with this molecule in a laboratory setting. We are now working on a better method which will allow us to treat animals with cancer to see if this therapy is truly effective. The early-stage results of this research are promising. If additional studies, including animal studies, are successful then the next step would be translating this application into clinics."

Acid Reflux Drugs Can Play Havoc With Your Nervous System

Today's post from naidw.org (see link below) looks once again at a subject that crops up quite frequently on the neuropathy message boards and that's the negative influence of commonly-used, acid-reflux drugs including:
Rabeprazole (Aciphex) Esomeprazole (Nexium) Lansoprazole  Prevacid)
Omeprazole (Prilosec, Zegerid) Pantoprazole (Protonix) exlansoprazole (Dexilant) on our nervous systems. It becomes especially relevant if you've been prescribed these drugs to protect your stomach from excessive acid production by other drugs, for other conditions (HIV combinations are a good example). It's surprising how many people are also prescribed these drugs and end up staying on them for years, long after the original need has passed. The consequences can be very serious indeed! Apart from the potential damage to your nervous system; if your stomach's natural acid production is suppressed, it means that certain drugs will never be allowed to work because the acid needed to break them down, is terminally suppressed by the acid-reflux medication. Reading this article will provide you with all the information you need and should help you decide if you need to have a serious discussion with your doctor or not. The less acid-reflux drugs, the better - certainly for your neuropathy problems.

Acid Reflux Drugs May Cause Dementia and Neuropathy
Thursday, 18 February 2016

Has your memory been slipping lately? Have you experienced unexplained pain, weakness, numbness or tingling in your arms of legs? Have you also been taking an acid reflux drug like Nexium, Prevacid or Prilosec for a couple years? If so, then you may be the latest victim of the pharmaceutical industry’s medical model of healthcare.

After that first paragraph, you may have expected to see an attorney’s phone number to call and join a class action lawsuit! Well, I am sure that it won’t be long before that actually happens. New research, published Monday in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), showed that certain acid reflux drugs are “significantly associated” with vitamin B12 deficiency. In turn, vitamin B12 deficiency causes serious health consequences including anemia, osteoporosis, depression, memory loss, dementia, neuropathy and cardiovascular disease.

If you have acid reflux, you need to understand what is causing it. Find the cause and correct the cause. Simply popping pills to block the natural production of stomach acid has proven to only cause even more serious health conditions. Read on to learn how to restore your health without these dangerous drugs!

Acid Reflux Drugs Linked to Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Acid reflux drugs, like Nexium, have long been known to cause some very serious side effects. Among them are problems such as anemia, heart problems, hypertension, osteoporosis and further digestive problems including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). In fact, drugs used to treat acid reflux do not treat the condition itself but only the symptoms. They are not designed to correct the cause of the problem. As a result, the problem continues to worsen over the years. Drug treatment is continued and the drug side effects continue to worsen as well.

This new research(1) sheds further light on this problem. It showed that people taking certain acid reflux drugs are far more likely to suffer from vitamin B12 deficiency. The study implicated proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) – Nexium, Prevacid and Prilosec – and histamine 2 receptor antagonists (H2RAs) – Pepcid, Tagamet and Zantac. Proton pump inhibitors proved to be the worst.

Unfortunately, the study’s senior author, Dr. Douglas Corley, stated(2) that patient’s should not stop taking the drugs but should get their B12 levels checked. If your levels are deficient, then presumably, you should treat that as another symptom as well. All the while, the underlying causes are left unaddressed. Vitamin B12 deficiency cannot be corrected unless the cause of the deficiency is addressed. In this case, the cause may be your acid reflux pill.

Left uncorrected, this leads to fatigue, anemia, irritable bowel syndrome, increased risk of bone fracture, hypertension, dementia, depression and neuropathy. It is dangerous, costly, and simply ridiculous to continue treating symptoms of any condition rather than addressing the cause. Wouldn’t it be much better to find what is causing the acid reflux and correct the cause? 

Why Do You Have Stomach Acid?

Stomach acid has been unjustly vilified as the cause of acid reflux and GERD. In a similar fashion,cholesterol was incorrectly pegged as the cause of deadly heart disease. Just as pharmaceutically lowering cholesterol increases the heart attack death rate, blocking stomach acid with drugs only makes the problem of reflux and GERD even worse!

You have acid in your stomach for a reason. The cells that line your stomach produce it. In fact, your stomach is specifically designed with a layer of cells that protect it from the otherwise damaging effects of the acid. This stomach acid is required by your body for:


proper digestion of food, especially carbohydrates


Absorption of nutrients (such as vitamin B12)


Killing harmful bacteria and limiting bacterial overgrowth

Without this acid in your stomach, you cannot properly digest carbohydrates or effectively absorb certain nutrients. Blocking this acid production also allows for overgrowth of bacteria and opens the door for H. pylori infections. Simply having the stomach acid is not the problem. In fact, most people suffering from acid reflux actually have too little stomach acid rather than too much.
What Causes Acid Reflux and GERD?

The problem is when the acid leaks (refluxes) into the esophagus. Your esophagus does not have the protective lining that your stomach has. When stomach acid gets into the esophagus, the burning pain of acid reflux results.

Your body has a very strong valve – called the Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES) – between the stomach and esophagus that is designed to prevent the reflux of acid. The cause of the acid reflux is adysfunctioning LES muscle which allows the acid to reflux into the esophagus.

It is not a problem of having too much acid. Again, most cases of acid reflux actually occur with low levels of stomach acid. The acid is just in the wrong place. Lowering acid levels or blocking its production does not fix the problem with the LES. As a result, the acid reflux continues and you are prescribed acid blocking drugs for the rest of your life.

So, the real question is what is causing the dysfunction with the LES muscle and how can your correct this cause of acid reflux?

Correcting the Cause of Acid Reflux

Your Nerve System and Chiropractic Care. The LES is an autonomic muscle. That means that it is automatically controlled by your autonomic nervous system. Stress on the nerves that control this muscle can cause it to malfunction. Additionally, production and secretion of stomach acid is controlled by your nerve system. Ensuring proper nerve system function is the first step to healing acid reflux and GERD naturally. Chiropractic physicians are trained to find and correct nerve interference such as this. As a result, many people experience significant relief simply from including regular chiropractic care in their wellness lifestyle.


Eliminating Drug Effects. It is also important to consider other prescription drugs that you are taking that may be causing the problem. Common culprits include steroid drugs, NSAIDs (such as Advil and Aleve), and aspirin. These drugs are commonly prescribed for various pain syndromes. However, there are many natural, safe, and more effective methods for correcting these conditions as well.


Excessive Carbohydrates. Consuming excessive carbohydrates – especially simple carbs like sugars, breads, pastas, pastries, etc. – create an inflammatory environment in your body. This can prevent normal production of stomach acid and allow bacterial overgrowth. This leads to gas production and increased intra-abdominal pressure. As a result the LES muscle becomes inhibited and acid reflux occurs. Simply switching to a low carbohydrate, anti-inflammatory dietnaturally corrects this cause of acid reflux.

Balancing Bacteria. Low stomach acid allows for bacterial overgrowth and disrupts the balance of healthy gut bacteria. Consuming foods rich in probiotics (healthy bacteria), such as raw fermented foods, restores this balance. Taking a probiotic supplement may be necessary as well. Restoring the normal, healthy bacteria in your gut helps to correct many digestive disorders, including acid reflux.

Natural Remedies for Acid Reflux

Using these methods addresses the actual cause of acid reflux and GERD and allows your body to heal itself naturally. While you are healing, you may need to use some natural remedies as well to help with the symptoms. As mentioned earlier, the problem is most often a result of not enough stomach acid production in order to digest food, absorb nutrients and kill harmful bacteria.

Bitter herbs can be used to increase production of stomach acid. These include herbs such as barberry bark, caraway, dandelion, fennel, ginger, goldenseal root, peppermint, and wormwood. They are typically taken in very small doses and made in a tincture of water. Consult an well-trained herbalist for best results.

While you are reconditioning your body to produce the proper amount of stomach acid, you may benefit from natural digestive enzyme supplements as well. Without proper levels of stomach acid, the pH is too high to stimulate the release of these enzymes naturally. These supplements can help provide your body with the support it needs to break down carbohydrates and proteins more effectively.
As with all health conditions, dangerous drugs are not the only option. It may seem easy to simply pop a pill and ignore the problem. However, your body and your long-term health will ultimately suffer the consequences. You can live a radiant and vibrantly healthy life! Simple lifestyle changes make a huge difference in your vitality and they will help you heal acid reflux naturally!

References for this Article:

(1) Proton Pump Inhibitor and Histamine 2 Receptor Antagonist Use and Vitamin B12 Deficiencyhttp://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1788456

(2) Stomach acid drugs may increase vitamin deficiency riskhttp://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/10/us-stomach-acid-drugs-vitamin-d-idUSBRE9B914Y20131210?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews

https://naidw.org/blog/members-myblogs/acid-reflux-drugs-may-cause-dementia-and-neuropathy

SYSTEM REVEALS HOW OUR BRAINS BODIES CHANGE AS WE FALL ASLEEP

Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators have developed a system to accurately track the dynamic process of falling asleep, something has not been possible with existing techniques. In their report in the October issue of the open-access journal PLOS Computational Biology, the research team describes how combining key physiologic measurements with a behavioral task that does not interfere with sleep onset gives a better picture of the gradual process of falling asleep. In addition to being a powerful tool for future research, the system could provide valuable insight into diagnosing and understanding sleep disorders.

"While our personal experience tells us that falling asleep is a gradual process, current clinical methods only define a single point in time at which one has fallen asleep," says Michael Prerau, PhD, of the MGH Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Management, lead author of the report. "Our new research shows that it's not simply when you fall asleep that's important, it's how you fall asleep that really matters. We now have the power to chart the entire trajectory of your neurological, physiological and behavioral activity as you transition from wake to asleep, rather than simply reporting the time it takes."

In their report, the investigators describe developing a method that continuously estimates the degree to which an individual is awake at each point during the sleep onset process. "This is a real paradigm shift in the way we study sleep onset," says Patrick Purdon, PhD, MGH Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Management and senior author of the study. "By quantifying the dynamic changes in brain activity and behavior during the transition from wakefulness to sleep, we now have a rigorous framework with which to study disorders of sleep onset, such as insomnia or narcolepsy."

To link changes in brain activity to loss of consciousness during sleep onset, the investigators developed a new, minimally disruptive means of tracking behavior as someone falls asleep. Earlier methods either used tasks in which a participant was asked to respond to auditory cues, something that could disrupt falling asleep, or actigraphy -- the method of measuring movement used in most clinical sleep devices and consumer wearables, which cannot distinguish between sleep and motionless wakefulness. To get around these problems the investigators developed an ingenious new behavioral task that is accurate without disturbing sleep.

Instead of responding to a sound, a participant holds a small rubber "stress ball" in one hand and is asked to squeeze the ball with every intake of breath and release it when exhaling. A special glove on that hand and electrodes on the forearm measure both the timing and the force of each squeeze. In this way, the participant's own breathing acts as the stimulus, and the squeezes act as the behavioral response. Tracking how well ball squeezes are aligned with an individual's breathing reflects a gradual process during which more and more squeezes are mistimed or totally absent. Measuring the force exerted by the forearm muscle also reflects how the strength of the squeezing motion drops with sleep onset.

At the same time as the ball-squeeze measurements are taken, EEG readings track three brain wave patterns previously associated with falling asleep, decreasing power in the alpha frequency range and increasing power in delta and theta frequencies. The combination of all of these measures -- the timing and strength of ball squeezes and the change in brain wave levels -- is used to calculate what the investigators call the wake probability, an estimate of the degree to which a participant is awake during the process of sleep onset.

Testing their model in healthy volunteers over several nights not only provided more accurate results than did traditional methods of sleep determination, it also revealed differences in the way sleep onset occurs in different individuals. Current clinical criteria define sleep as beginning when the power of an individual's alpha-range brainwaves disappears. While seven of the nine study participants followed this pattern, two participants continued to correctly time their ball squeezes for several minutes after alpha levels had dropped. Only when the power in their brainwaves at the theta and delta frequencies had risen did both the behavioral and physiological measures indicate that they were asleep.

"These participants continued to respond to the task, even though current clinical measures would say they were still asleep, which was clearly not the case," says Prerau. "These results suggest that it is the presence of delta and theta power, rather than the lack of alpha power, that is necessary for the cessation of behavior. We may need to carefully re-examine the way sleep onset is defined, since behavior is an essential component of the story that is not measured clinically."

By characterizing the trajectory of the sleep onset process in healthy individuals, Prerau and Purdon believe this study will ultimately shed light on what happens in patients who have trouble falling asleep, leading to an improved ability to understand and diagnose sleep disorders as well as to more precisely measure the effect of sleep medications. This method could also be used to track drowsiness in situations in which alertness is vital.

SARM1 The Lemmings Of The Nervous System That Cause So Much Pain

Today's interesting post from medicalxpress.com (see link below) explains the way that for some reason, axons go into self-destruct mode when there is evidence of neurodegeneration. This is basically what happens when you get neuropathy (nerve damage). As explained clearly here, axons are the electrical wiring of the nervous system and for that reason, comparing neuropathy to short circuiting in a household wiring system, is a pretty good way of illustrating what happens. Scientists have now discovered the molecule responsible for this self-destructive tendency of axons when threatened or disrupted. The problem is how to find a way of blocking this from happening. The molecular villain is called, SARM1 which doesn't tell us ordinary mortals much but gives it a label. Why the body does this is not clear - it seems illogical but at least they've identified the culprit; let's hope they can find a way of stopping it happening without any further consequences for the rest of the nervous system. Worth a read.

Findings suggest ways to block nerve cell damage in neurodegenerative diseases
March 23, 2017 Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

Nerve axons (left) serve as the electrical wiring of the nervous system. Scientists have implicated a specific molecule in triggering a self-destruct program in axons that leads to their degeneration (right). Since axonal degeneration is a …more

In many neurodegenerative conditions—Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and peripheral neuropathy among them—an early defect is the loss of axons, the wiring of the nervous system. When axons are lost, nerve cells can't communicate as they should, and nervous system function is impaired. In peripheral neuropathy in particular, and perhaps other diseases, sick axons trigger a self-destruct program.

In new research, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have implicated a specific molecule in the self-destruction of axons. Understanding just how that damage occurs may help researchers find a way to halt it.

The study is published March 22 in the journal Neuron.

"Axons break down in a lot of neurodegenerative diseases," said senior author Jeffrey D. Milbrandt, MD, PhD, the James S. McDonnell Professor and head of the Department of Genetics. "Despite the fact these diseases have different causes, they are all likely rooted in the same pathway that triggers axon degeneration. If we could find a way to block the pathway, it could be beneficial for many different kinds of patients."

Since the molecular pathway that leads to loss of axons appears to do more harm than good, it's not clear what role this self-destruct mechanism plays in normal life. But scientists suspect that if the pathway that destroys axons could be paused or halted, it would slow or prevent the gradual loss of nervous system function and the debilitating symptoms that result. One such condition, peripheral neuropathy, affects about 20 million people in the United States. It often develops following chemotherapy or from nerve damage associated with diabetes, and can cause persistent pain, burning, stinging, itching, numbness and muscle weakness.

"Peripheral neuropathy is by far the most common neurodegenerative disease," said co-author Aaron DiAntonio, MD, PhD, the Alan A. and Edith L. Wolff Professor of Developmental Biology. "Patients don't die from it, but it has a huge impact on quality of life."

In previous studies, Stefanie Geisler, MD, an assistant professor of neurology, working with DiAntonio and Milbrandt, showed that blocking this axon self-destruction pathway prevented the development of peripheral neuropathy in mice treated with the chemotherapy agent vincristine. The hope is that if methods are developed to block this pathway in people, then it might be possible to slow or prevent the development of neuropathy in patients.

Toward that end, the Milbrandt and DiAntonio labs showed that a molecule called SARM1 is a central player in the self-destruct pathway of axons. In healthy neurons, SARM1 is present but inactive. For reasons that are unclear, injury or disease activate SARM1, which sets off a series of events that drains a key cellular fuel—called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)—and leads to destruction of the axon. Though the researchers previously had shown SARM1 was required for this chain of events to play out, the details of the process were unknown.

SARM1 and similar molecules—those containing what are called TIR domains—most often are studied in the context of immunity, where these domains serve as scaffolds. Essentially, TIR domains provide a haven for the assembly of molecules or proteins to perform their work.

The researchers had assumed that SARM1 acted as a scaffold to provide support for the work of destroying axons, beginning with the rapid loss of cellular fuel that occurs minutes after SARM1 becomes active. The scientists set about searching for the demolition crew—the active molecule or molecules that use the SARM1 scaffold to carry out the demolition. The study's first author, Kow A. Essuman, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Medical Research Fellow and an MD/PhD student in Milbrandt's lab, performed a litany of cellular and biochemical experiments searching for the demolition crew and came up empty.

"We performed multiple experiments but could not identify molecules that are traditionally known to consume NAD," Essuman said.

But as a last resort, the investigators tested SARM1 itself. To their great surprise, they found it was doing more than simply providing a passive platform. Specifically, the researchers showed SARM1's TIR domain acts as an enzyme, a molecule that carries out biochemical reactions, in this case destroying axons by first burning all their NAD cellular fuel.

"There are more than 1,000 papers describing the function of proteins containing TIR domains," DiAntonio said. "No one had ever shown that this type of molecule could be an enzyme. So we went into our experiments assuming SARM1 was only a scaffold and that there must be some other enzyme responsible for demolition of the axon. We essentially searched for a demolition crew, only to discover that the scaffold itself is destroying the structure. It's the last thing you would expect."

The findings suggest molecules similar to SARM1—those with TIR domains and known to serve as scaffolds in the immune system—may prove to have additional functions that go beyond their structural roles. The research also invites a search for drugs that block the SARM1 enzyme from triggering axonal destruction.


Explore further: Major pathway identified in nerve cell death offers hope for therapies

More information: Kow Essuman et al. The SARM1 Toll/Interleukin-1 Receptor Domain Possesses Intrinsic NAD +Cleavage Activity that Promotes Pathological Axonal Degeneration, Neuron (2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2017.02.022

Journal reference: Neuron

Provided by: Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

Read more at: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-03-ways-block-nerve-cell-neurodegenerative.html#jCp


https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-03-ways-block-nerve-cell-neurodegenerative.html

The nervous system

The nervous system

NERVOUS SYSTEM – The nervous system

Our technology makes remotes in every aspect and advancement, for example, roaming cell phone, TV, satellite control, etc. But the wired nervous system still remains a mystery to our advanced brains. The brain, spinal cord and nerves seem to be extraordinarily complex and seem to be far beyond our reach till this moment.

Our advanced medicine world is able to perform surgery by shutting brain consciousness, feelings and functions i.e. with the aid of anaesthesia (either local or general). It can alleviate or suppress

the pain / headache with benumbing agents or pain-killer tablets. It can also suppress the neuralgic twitchings and epilepsy with antiepileptic drugs. But, till now the advanced medicine world is not able to enhance nerve functions or memory. For example – in case of paralysis, memory loss, retinal damage, auditory nerve damage, etc., our technology is insufficient. The nervous system needs more and more research to achieve transplantation as in other systems, for example – kidney transplant, heart valve transplant, etc. So, if Nature could be explored more scientifically for advancement of the nervous system, disabilities like even blindness, deafness and dumbness can be rooted out.

The nervous system, i.e. the informative technology (wired connections) of our body, is very much essential for our living, survival and communication. With electrical impulses, they communicate, interact, interpret, coordinate and function efficiently, in a very fast manner – in a fraction of second. They can conduct messages at a rate of more than 20 km per minute. This speed makes its functions invaluable, for example – Nerves involved in blinking. The act of blinking takes care for washing the eye and also some times protects the eye from dust or injury even without our knowledge or control. This action comes as an automatic reflex action for body protection. Nerves work for our breathing, digestion, etc., even during sleep. Also, without nerves one will be paralysed, comatose, lose bladder control, stool control, etc., making living difficult.

Nervous problems – In recent days, our mental and physical stress and strain, additive habits,

sleeplessness, etc., has been causing more neurological problems. Nervous problem can occur due to various reasons, i.e. infection, inflammation, disease, damage, compresion, toxicity of drugs, etc. The common nervous complaints are neuritis, cramp, headache, polio, paralysis, herpes, ganglion, injuries, paresis, weakness, epilepsy, Parkinson’s diseases, etc. It often produces complaints like numbness, loss of sensation, paresis, paralysis, burning pain, shooting/lightning pain, referred pain, radiating pain, blindness, hearing loss, loss of speech, loss of facial expressions, etc. To understand nervous problems and the way of soothing it, one needs to know about the nervous system.

Nervous system – The nervous system cares for and controls the whole body. That’s why, the nervous system is given very much importance by Nature and it seems to be the most cared-for and protected part of the body. The brain, weighing less than 1.5 kg of a 65 kg adult human, has been given a safe vault – the skull has protective covering. Likewise, the spinal cord, weighing less than 50 gm, is given vertebral column/bones for its protection.

The nervous system consists of central nervous system and peripheral nerves. Brain, the boss, cares for our mind, memory, learning, emotions, feelings, thought, perceptions, reasoning, speech, hearing, smell, etc. In correlation with the peripheral nervous system (cranial and spinal nerves) it accesses and implements sensation, movements, coordination of functions, breathing, blood pressure, heart functions, appetite, thirst, digestion, temperature, etc. Billions and billions of nerve cells are engaged in maintenance functions of our body.

Neuron – The basic fundamental unit of the nervous system is the neuron. The neuron is a specialised cell that consists of cell body with nucleus, dendrite(s) and an axon. The axons are stems conducting/carrying impulses to the adjacent neuron. They are insulated with myelin sheath (made of lipids) for fast transmission of impulses without any leakage. The junction between two neurons is called as synapse. It acts as a filter or as an amplifier.

Central nervous system – The central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord. The richness of connections here accounts for human intellect and talents.

• Brain – is the main switch of wired network of our body. This super computer (brain) has uniqueness of mind and memory. It can receive impulses, interpret impulses, generate impulses, coordinate impulses and send impulses for actions.
• Spinal cord – is otherwise called the tail of the brain. It descends from the base of brain through an opening in the base of the skull into the vertebral column. It connects the brain and body through spinal nerves.

Peripheral nervous system – consists of all the nerves that are emerging from the brain and spinal cord.

• Cranial nerves – emerges from the base of the brain or brain stem supplies and cares exclusively for the head with sensations and functions. They are 12 in numbers and named after their functions. They are olfactory, optic, oculomotor, trochlear, trigeminal, abducens, facial, auditory, glossopharyngeal, vagus, spinal accessory and hypoglossal nerve.
• Spinal nerves – emerges from the spinal cord to supply body and peripherals. There are 31 pairs of spinal nerves named after their emerging vertebral bones. They are cervical nerves (8 no/s), thoracic nerves (12 no/s), lumbar nerves (5 no/s), sacral nerves (5 no/s) and coccyx nerve (1 no).

The peripheral nervous system can be classified further anatomically and functionally.

Anatomical classification

• Sensory nerves (Afferent nerves) – which carries impulses to brain from peripherals
• Motor nerves (Efferent nerves) – which carries impulses from brain to peripherals

Functional classification

• Somatic nervous system – that works voluntarily with our control and consciousness for example – movement of hands/legs
• Autonomic nervous system – that works involuntarily/automatically without consciousness or control. Mostly these nerves inervates internal visceras / organs and helps in breathing, heart functions, digestion, etc. The autonomic nervous system is sub-classified as
  • Sympathetic nerves – These nerves work for activating and accelerating functions. I.e. they function for vasoconstriction, dilating lungs, increasing heart rate with good strong contractions, dilating eye pupils, etc.
  • Parasympathetic nerves – These nerves work for controlling and suppressing functions. They function for vasodilatation, constriction of lungs, reducing heart rate, constricting eye pupils, stimulating saliva secretion, assisting digestion with peristalsis, erectile function of penis, etc.

The sympathetic nerves and parasympathetic nerves have nearly opposite actions. With the control and coordination of brain and spinal cord, they finally produce a full-controlled, coordinated movement or action or functions.

Diagnostic techniques – Nerve functions and diseases are usually analysed with weakness, coordination of movement(s), reflexes, muscle thickness/wasting, spasticity, alteration in sensations, etc. Doctors usually go for elicitation of reflexes, nerve conduction tests and electromyography (EMG) to diagnose the complaint and then plan the treatment. The other common tests required to detect, manage and treat neurological complaints are:

• Routine blood tests and urine tests
• X-ray chest and skull (in AP view and lateral view)
• CT/MRI scan
• Electroencephalography (EEG)
• Analysing cerebrospinal fluid with spinal puncture
• Angiogram, biopsy, etc. as required depending upon the suspected diagnosis of disease

for new hope

Dr. S. Chidambaranathan, BHMS, MD (Homeo)

Laxmi Homeo Clinic

24 E. New Mahalipatti Road

Madurai, TN 625 001

India

Tel:  +91-452-233-8833 | +91-984-319-1011 (Mob)

Fax: +91-452-233-0196

E-mail:  drcheena@yahoo.com

www.drcheena.com  / www.drcheena.in

(Disclaimer - The contents of this column are for informational purpose only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional healthcare advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of healthcare professional for any health problem or medical condition.)