Mononeuropathy is a type of neuropathy - a disease in which there is damage to the nerve that transmits information from the brain and spinal cord to various organs. The functions of receiving or transmitting information by nerve cells are disturbed.
Mononeuropathyis a type ofparesisresulting from damage to one nerve at the level of peripheral nerves. The cause of the disease may be trauma, pressure on a nerve caused by injury or edema (so-called pressure syndrome), ischemia, infection and inflammation of the nerve. Mononeuropathies most often affect the elderly, diabetics and HIV-positive people.
Mononeuropathy - types
In the upper limbneuropathymost commonly affects the ulnar, radial and median nerves (carpal tunnel syndrome). Mononeuropathy can arise, for example, as a result of a ligament overgrowth, which causes direct compression of the nerve. In medical nomenclature, there are multiple mononeuropathy, otherwise known as multifocal neuropathy, and multiplex mononeuropathy, which is characterized by asymmetric damage to several different nerves. It most often happens in the course of multiple myeloma or periarteritic nodular inflammation. Depending on the place of occurrence, limb, cranial, multiple and pressure mononeuropathy can be distinguished.
Mononeuropathy - course and symptoms
Neuropathies are symptomatic depending on where the nerve is damaged. In the case of median nerve neuropathy (so-called carpal tunnel syndrome), pain in the wrist, tingling of the index and middle fingers when trying to move the hand are observed. Ailments are also felt at night. The disease located in the radial nerve makes itself felt by numbness and tingling of the outer part of the hand. The ulnar nerve mononeuropathy (the so-called narrowing syndrome of the ulnar nerve) is manifested by tingling and numbness of the ring and little fingers. It is worth noting that in any neuropathy, nerve damage causes weakness and atrophy of some of the hand muscles.
Treatment of mononeuropathy
Upper limb neuropathies resulting from nerve compression often require surgery. Rehabilitation is also helpful,physiotherapy, massages, sollux and orthopedic hand care. Pharmacotherapy is used to relieve pain. It's good to know that the symptoms of mononeuropathy come on suddenly, but they can also go away on their own after a few months.