The nervous system is made up of the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, nerve roots, cranial nerves, neuromuscular junction, muscles, and the autonomic nervous system. When these are diseased it leads to neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, several forms of dementia, stroke, migraine, headache disorders, tumors of the brain, and much more. Many parasitic and bacterial viruses can also affect the nervous systems and symptoms displayed due to an immune response or the infection itself.
World Facts:
Neurological disorders affect millions of people worldwide and come with some startling statistics. Stroke alone is responsible for the deaths of 6 million each year and 80% of these belong to middle- and low-income countries. Epilepsy affects more than 50 million worldwide, while about 47.5 million suffer from dementia. Every year, at least 7.7 million cases of the disease appear. The most common cause of dementia that affects 60 to 70% of individuals is Alzheimer’s. More than 10% of people suffer from migraine across the globe.
Diseases
Functionally, the nervous system is responsible for the body’s overall working. When you have trouble moving, swallowing, breathing, or even speaking, or if you experience loss of memory, senses, or mood, it only means something is wrong with your nervous system.
- More than 600 neurological diseases exist and some of the major types are:
- Muscular dystrophy and Huntington’s disease both genetic disorders
- Spina Bifida when the development of the nervous system is faulty
- Stroke – disease of the blood vessels
- Spinal cord and brain injuries
- Epilepsy and seizure disorders
- Brain tumors, cancer and infections such as meningitis
Signs and symptoms of neurological disorders
There are 5 major neurological symptoms that you should watch out for.
Pain
One of the most common symptoms, pain is of different types, in the back, neck or muscles and joints. Pain may also include chronic headaches, which sometimes are also age-related.
Memory difficulties
Memorizing information requires concentration, and a person who is suffering from a progressive neurological disease like Agnosia is bound to find it difficult to focus. Information is not processed properly in the brain, and the person does not remember anything. Sometimes, short-term memories fade away, while long term ones remain intact.
Problems sleeping
Lack of sleep is also associated with a neurological disorder. Commonly, patients may experience hypersomnia and insomnia that deteriorate their health. Hypersomnia makes you sleep excessively, while insomnia does not let you sleep. These disorders lead to anxiety and are eventually deemed as signs of neurological disorders.
Numbness
The patient has complete or partial loss of sensation where touch, pain, vibration, and temperature, may not be felt. It leads to difficulties in balance and coordination where the person is unable to walk, drive, or do any physical work. To avoid the advent of any major issues, patients suffering from numbness must immediately consult a doctor.
Loss of vision
In many cases, the brain’s occipital lobe responsible for sight regulation is damaged, and the person loses complete or partial vision. Sometimes symptoms are associated with haziness, blurry vision, photophobia, etc. – all due to neurological vision impairment