Cranial neuropathy is damage to one or more of the 12 pairs of nerves in the skull, which control functions such as vision, hearing, and facial movements. It is often caused by other medical conditions, including diabetes, and symptoms may resolve within a few months or be permanent.
Cranial neuropathy is a condition in which some of the nerves in the skull, or skull, have been damaged. Nerves control functions such as vision, hearing, facial movements and the actions of some organs in the head, chest and abdomen. It is usually a secondary problem caused by another medical condition. Damage to these nerves can occur from many causes, a common one being diabetes. In many cases, the symptoms of neuropathy resolve within a few months.
There are 12 pairs of nerves located in the skull; cranial neuropathy is when one or more of these pairs get injured. Damage to a single nerve is sometimes called cranial mononeuropathy. Damage to these nerves can cause one of the many different areas they govern to malfunction. Cranial nerves control vision, hearing, taste, smell, and facial movements. Some nerves also regulate certain glands, they control swallowing and the automatic functioning of the chest and abdominal organs such as the heart and stomach.
Cranial neuropathy can result in a wide range of symptoms depending on which nerve is damaged. Occasionally, a complication called trigeminal neuralgia occurs, resulting in severe facial pain. One of the most common cranial neuropathies is damage to the seventh, i.e., facial nerve. This can cause facial pain concentrated near one eye and paralysis of the eye muscles. Other complications may also occur including facial tics, twitching, twitching, or Bell’s palsy, which is partial or total paralysis of the face.
Another common cranial neuropathy is when damage to the oculomotor or third nerve occurs; symptoms may include drooping eyelid, pain behind the eye, and double vision. Damage to the vagus or tenth nerve can cause difficulty swallowing, slurred speech, and impaired organ function. This can cause symptoms including a slow heart rate, low blood pressure, and upset stomach. Cranial neuropathy involving the hypoglossal or twelfth nerve can include symptoms such as tongue weakness causing difficulty eating or speaking.
Cranial neuropathy occurs as a secondary problem resulting from a wide variety of other medical conditions. Diabetes frequently causes it as part of diabetic neuropathy which affects nerves throughout the body. It can also be caused by a number of medical conditions including HIV/AIDS, cancer, Lyme disease, head trauma and infections. In many cases, symptoms may improve on their own and disappear within two to three months. In some cases, however, the damage is permanent.
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