Neuritis is inflammation of a nerve or portion of the nervous system. There are two types: optic and peripheral. Optic neuritis can cause partial or complete loss of vision, while peripheral neuritis can cause tremors, numbness, and pain. Causes include illness, disease, and pressure on the nerve. Immediate medical attention is important to reduce the chances of permanent damage.
Neuritis is a medical condition characterized by inflammation of a nerve or a portion of the nervous system. There are two main types: optical and peripheral.
Optic neuritis, also known as retrobulbar neuritis, is usually caused by viral or bacterial infections. As the name suggests, it is an inflammation of the optic nerve. It can cause partial or complete loss of vision in an individual. This is usually because inflammation destroys the myelin sheath, the insulating layer that covers the nerve, or because the nerve’s axons are damaged by swelling.
A person with this condition often feels pain when trying to move the eye. He also often has difficulty identifying colors with the affected eye, although he may not realize it until he covers the good eye.
Most patients with optic neuritis experience a return to normal vision after the infection causing the disorder has cleared up, but this often takes eight to 10 weeks to occur. In some cases, the condition leads to permanent damage and loss of vision. To reduce the chances of the damage being permanent, it is important that the person suffering from this form of neuritis gets immediate medical attention.
With peripheral neuritis, also known as peripheral neuropathy, damage occurs to a nerve within the peripheral nervous system. Ot can be caused by illness or disease, but is typically not caused directly by bacteria or viruses. Instead, afflictions such as AIDS, diabetes, seizures, alcoholism, and nutritional deficiencies are common causes. A person may also experience inflammation from the pressure placed on the nerve from staying in one position for too long.
Individuals with peripheral neuritis commonly experience tremors, numbness, and unsteadiness when walking. The sufferer may also feel tired and weak, experience cramps or have a general feeling of heaviness. Additionally, he may feel itchy, tingling, and pain in the affected nerves. In some cases, the pain can become so severe that the patient needs to use powerful medications to relieve it.
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