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| Home » Types of Neuropathy » Radiculopathy |
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Radiculopathy |
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Radiculopathy is another branch of neuropathy and is not a specific condition. Mainly it is the condition when nerve or nerves are affected and stop functioning in a proper manner. The nerve root is the main portion which is affected. Generally Radiculopathy is the cause for numbness, weakness or patients face problem in controlling certain muscles. This radicular pain is the cause of lack of blood flow or an affect of a specific disease that is destroying the nerve root slowly, part by part. When multiple spiral nerve roots are affected then the term used to describe the condition is ‘Polyradiculopathy’.
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After several studies and researches it has been found that Radiculopathy has different types of form and related conditions. Scroll down and read about the varied forms of Radiculopathy from the below sections:
Cauda Equina Syndrome: This nuerologic condition is a serious state wherein the patient’s neurologic elements of the spinal canal stop functioning properly. There are several causes behind the malfunctioning of the nerves. These nerves can get disabled if by chance any lesion disturbs he proper functionality of the cauda equine. Other causes can be noted as hematoma or protrusion of the vertebra or an epidural abscess.
Cervical Radiculopathy: When Radiculopathy occurs in a patient’s Cervical Spine then this term is used.
Paraplegia: It’s an injury of the sensory function of the lower extremities. There are mainly two causes of paraplegia, firstly directly due to a spinal cord injury and secondly a congenital condition which have an effect on the neural elements of the spinal cord. Myelitis transversa and multiple sclerosis are the other causes of paraplegia. The areas which get affected due to paraplegia are mainly the lumbar, thoracic and sacral regions. People affected from paraplegia sometimes get dependant on wheelchairs and face problems like fecal and urinary incontinence, and impotency.
Sciatica: Irritation of one of the five nerves which are sections of the sciatic nerve causes acute pain and is termed as sciatica. Areas which are affected by this severe pain are parts of foot and legs, buttock and lower back. Apart from this pain one also seuffers from weakness in the muscle, difficulty in controlling one’s leg and numbness. Treatment for this type of patients is very much difficult and solely depends on the symptoms.
Quadriplegia: Commonly referred to as tetraplegia is the condition in which people experience paralysis in all the four limbs. It’s not necessarily total paralysis. The general causes of this severe disease are damage to the brain or spinal cord. Mobility of the limbs is lost either partially or totally and causes extreme problem to the people. If the diagnosis is delayed then the consequences are severe.
Piriformis Syndrome: It is basically a neuromuscular disorder. This occurs when the sciatic nerve faces problem due to the piriformis muscle or when the nerve gets compressed. Tingling, severe pain and numbness in the buttocks are the main causes of piriformis syndrome. Treatment at the primary stage starts with the massaging and stretching exercises.
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