Overview
Neuritis refers to the inflammation of a nerve or the protective covering of a nerve, which can result in pain, dysfunction, and damage to the affected nerve. This condition can arise from a variety of causes, such as infections, autoimmune diseases, trauma, or metabolic disorders, and the symptoms depend largely on which nerve or nerves are involved.
Neuritis typically occurs when a nerve becomes inflamed due to an underlying condition. The inflammation can damage the nerve fibers and the nerve sheath, interfering with normal nerve function. Nerve fibers may suffer from demyelination (loss of the protective myelin sheath), which slows or disrupts the transmission of electrical signals between the nerve and the brain or other parts of the body.
In the case of autoimmune disorders, the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own nerves. In infection-related neuritis, bacteria or viruses invade the nerve or its surrounding tissues, leading to inflammation.
Types of Neuritis
Optic Neuritis
Article By Kierstan Boyd Reviewed By Cesar A Briceno, MD Published Sep. 26, 2024 Optic neuritis is swelling of the eye’s optic nerve. The optic nerve carries light signals from the back of your eye to your brain so you can see. If the optic nerve is swollen, damaged or infected, you cannot see clearly. Doctors do not know for sure what [...]
Vestibular Neuritis (Otic Neuritis)
Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy Vestibular rehabilitation therapy involves exercises that help you manage dizziness and balance issues (imbalance). This therapy may help people cope with the symptoms of conditions such as vertigo and labyrinthitis When To Call the Doctor Overview Vestibular rehabilitation therapy helps stabilize vision, improve balance, increase core strength and reduce risk of falling. Vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT) [...]
Brachial Neuritis
Background Brachial neuritis, also called neuralgic amyotrophy or Parsonage-Turner syndrome, is a neuromuscular syndrome involving the peripheral nerves. The condition is not well understood and is often underdiagnosed. Though brachial neuritis was previously thought to be an inflammatory process, the underlying etiology remains unclear, with immune-mediated, mechanical, and genetic factors associated with the condition. The primary characteristic symptoms of brachial neuritis are [...]
Facial Neuritis
Background Facial neuritis is an acute attack of peripheral facial neuropathy, is one of the most common causes of lower motor neuron facial paralysis, also known as “unexplained acute facial paralysis,” is a common cranial neuropathy, resulting in unilateral facial muscle paralysis or complete paralysis, its main clinical features are unilateral lesions, sudden onset and usually progress within 48 [...]
Traumatic Neuritis
Traumatic neuritis can refer to a number of conditions that result from nerve injuries, including traumatic injection neuropathy, traumatic optic neuropathy, and other traumatic peripheral neuropathies: Anatomy and physiology Nerves have a structure of considerable complexity with features of special relevance to nerve injury and nerve regeneration. These include variations in the cross-sectional areas devoted to fascicular and epineurial [...]
Autoimmune neuritis
Autoimmune Diseases Imagine your body is a castle and your immune system is an army fighting off invaders like germs. If the army malfunctions and attacks the castle itself, you may have an autoimmune disease. There’s no cure for autoimmune diseases, but your healthcare provider will help you find treatments that manage the symptoms you experience. Contents Overview Symptoms [...]
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Optic Neuritis
Article By Kierstan Boyd Reviewed By Cesar A Briceno, MD Published Sep. 26, 2024 Optic neuritis is swelling of the eye’s optic nerve. The optic nerve carries light signals from the back of your eye to your brain so you can see. If the optic nerve is swollen, damaged or infected, you cannot [...]
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Vestibular Neuritis (Otic Neuritis)
Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy Vestibular rehabilitation therapy involves exercises that help you manage dizziness and balance issues (imbalance). This therapy may help people cope with the symptoms of conditions such as vertigo and labyrinthitis When To Call the Doctor Overview Vestibular rehabilitation therapy helps stabilize vision, improve balance, increase core strength [...]
-
Brachial Neuritis
Background Brachial neuritis, also called neuralgic amyotrophy or Parsonage-Turner syndrome, is a neuromuscular syndrome involving the peripheral nerves. The condition is not well understood and is often underdiagnosed. Though brachial neuritis was previously thought to be an inflammatory process, the underlying etiology remains unclear, with immune-mediated, mechanical, and genetic factors associated with the [...]
-
Facial Neuritis
Background Facial neuritis is an acute attack of peripheral facial neuropathy, is one of the most common causes of lower motor neuron facial paralysis, also known as “unexplained acute facial paralysis,” is a common cranial neuropathy, resulting in unilateral facial muscle paralysis or complete paralysis, its main clinical features are [...]
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Traumatic Neuritis
Traumatic neuritis can refer to a number of conditions that result from nerve injuries, including traumatic injection neuropathy, traumatic optic neuropathy, and other traumatic peripheral neuropathies: Anatomy and physiology Nerves have a structure of considerable complexity with features of special relevance to nerve injury and nerve regeneration. These include variations [...]
-
Autoimmune neuritis
Autoimmune Diseases Imagine your body is a castle and your immune system is an army fighting off invaders like germs. If the army malfunctions and attacks the castle itself, you may have an autoimmune disease. There’s no cure for autoimmune diseases, but your healthcare provider will help you find treatments [...]