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Neuritis
is one of the serious nervous disorders. It refers to an
inflammation of the nerves, involving a single nerve or a
series of nerves. At times, several different groups of
nerves in various parts of the body may be involved. This
condition is known as polyneuritis. It is also known as
polyneuropathy, for strictly speaking, the condition is
not an inflammation, but a change in the state of the
nerves resulting in weakness, loss of the reflexes and
changes of sensation. Symptoms
The main
symptoms of neuritis are tingling, burning, and stabbing
pains in the affected nerves. IN severe cases, there may
be numbness and loss of sensation and paralysis of the
nearby muscles. Thus a temporary paralysis of the face
may result from changes in the facial nerves on the
affected side. During the acute stage of this condition,
the patient may not be able to close the eyes due to loss
of normal tone and strength by the muscles on the
affected side of the face. Neuritis may also be caused by
pernicious anaemia, involving the nerves of the spine.
The patient with this condition may find it very
difficult to walk in the dark.
Causes
The chief
cause of neuritis is chronic acidosis, that is, excessive
acid condition of the blood and other body fluids. All
the body fluids should be alkaline in their reaction ,but
when the acid waste matter is continuously formed in the
tissues over a long period due to a faulty diet, it
results in acidosis. Wrong habits of living , over work ,
etc., lower the tone of nervous system and contribute
towards neuritis. This disease can also result from a
variety of nutritional deficiencies and metabolic
disturbances such as faulty calcium metabolism,
deficiencies of several B vitamins like B12, B6, B1,
pantothenic acid and B2 and general toxaemia.
Other causes of neuritis include a blow, a penetrating
injury a bad bruise or heavy pressure over a nerve trunk
and dislocation and fractures of the bones. Any violent
muscular activity or over-extension of the joint as in
sprains may injure the nerves and cause neuritis. The
condition may also result from certain infections such as
tuberculosis, diptheria, tetanus, leprosy and diabetes
mellitius, poisoning with insecticides, mercury, lead,
arsenic and alcohol.
Treatment
Treatment of
neuritis by painkilling drugs may give temporary relief
but it does not remove the trouble effectively. The pain
is relieved for the time being at the cost of the health
of other parts of the body, especially the heart and the
kidneys, and the neuritis remains.
The best treatment for neuritis is to ensure that the
patient gets optimum nutrition, well assimilated with all
the vitamins and other nutrients. The emphasis should be
on whole grains, particularly whole wheat,brown rice, raw
and sprouted seeds, raw milk, especially in soured form,
and home-made cottage cheese.
In this regimen, the breakfast may consist of fresh
fruits, a handful of raw nuts or a couple of tablespoons
of sunflower and pumpkin seeds. Steamed vegetables, whole
wheat, chappatis and a glass of butter-milk may be taken
for lunch. The dinner may comprise a large bowl of fresh,
green, vegetable salad, fresh home made cottage cheese,
fresh butter and a glass of butter milk.
In severe cases, the patient should be put on a short
juice fast for four or five days before being given the
optimum diet. Carrot, beet, citrus fruits, apple and
pineapple may be used for juices.
All vitamins of the B group have proved highly beneficial
in the prevention and treatment of neuritis. The disorder
has been helped when vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12, and
pantothenic acid have been given together, and extreme
pain,weakness and numbness in some cases have been
relieved within an hour.
The patient should avoid white bread, white sugar,refined
cereals, meat, fish, tinned foods, tea, coffee, and
condiments which are at the root of the trouble, by
continuously flooding the tissues with acid impurities.
Certain remedies have been found highly beneficial in the
treatment of neuritis. One such remedy is soyabean milk.
A cupful of soyabean milk mixed with a teaspoonful of
honey should be taken every night in this condition. It
tones up the nervous system due to its rich concentration
of lecithin, vitamin B1 and glutanic acid. Soyabean milk
is prepared by soaking the beans in water for about 12
hours. The skin of the beans is then removed and after a
thorough wash, they are turned into a fine paste in a
grinding machine. The paste is mixed with water, three
times its quantity. The milk should then be boiled on a
slow fire, stirring it frequently. After it becomes
little cooler, it should be strained through a cheese
cloth and sugar added.
barley brew is another effective remedy for neuritis. It
is prepared by boiling one-quarter cup of all natural
pearled barley in two quarters of water. When the water
has boiled down to about one quarter, it should be
strained carefully. For better results, it should be
mixed with butter-milk and lime juice.
Raw carrot and spinach have proved valuable in neuritis
as both these vegetables are rich in elements, the
deficiency of which has led to this disease. The quickest
and most effective way in which the body can obtain and
assimilate these elements is by drinking daily at least
half a litre of the combined raw juices of carrot and
spinach.
The patient should be given two or three hot Epsom-salt
baths weekly. He should remain in the bath for 25 to 30
minutes. The affected parts should also be bathed several
times daily in the hot water containing Epsom salt - a
table- spoon of salt to a cupful of hot water. The
patient should undertake walking and other moderate
exercises.
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