The Neurological Diseases known as the PNS Neuropathies
Disclaimer: Please check with your doctor before trying any procedure or program of nutrition regarding the treatment of any of these neurological diseases. If you do not have a competent and neurologically aware doctor, then you must find one. These diseases are serious and must neither be self-diagnosed nor self-treated and certainly not by a doctor not competent to do so.
Author's opening note: While the intent is to discuss the entire set of PNS Neuropathies, it is sufficient to cite examples referring to reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD). This is due to the great similarities between the neuropathies, with respect to the secondary and tertiary effects of the diseases as a group.
INTRODUCTION
The neurological diseases of the peripheral nervous system have many similarities. While each one has a different set of etiologies (causes) and in some cases, concurrent physiological problems (as blood sugar regulation in diabetic neuropathy, Raynaud's syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome, and others), the symptoms due to the major secondary cause are similar across the entire family. There are three categories of triggering incidence that are responsible for the onset or cause of these neuropathies: trauma to a nerve, trauma to other tissue, and idiopathic (unknown).
There is a growing consensus and anecdotal evidence, that there is a possible genetic predisposition to some of these diseases. While such genetic linkage has not been proven for this particular set of diseases, there are other neurological (central nervous system) diseases for which it has.
The common underlying problem of these neuropathies is an aberration of the vasomotor function, which controls the blood flow throughout the vascular system. Subsets of the peripheral nervous system - the sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous systems - are solely responsible for the control of the vasomotor function which is a system wide mechanism - that is, it serves the entire body.
Usually, the onset of a neuropathic disease, say RSD, occurs in a single area or region. Note: I choose the word region here because of the newer designation for RSD as complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS I). While each of these neuropathies have their own, and often unique etiologies (causes), they do share a common secondary problem - vasoconstriction. From vasoconstriction, the tertiary effects follow. These are cell necroses of the tissues attached at the ends of the affected capillaries. These are nerve, bone, muscle, skin, and the vascular system - including the capillaries. These cell necroses are due to hypoxia (oxygen starvation) and trophic (nutrient) starvation that result from curtailed blood flow to the affected region.
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