The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-09-18


DR.. Clendening will answer
questions of general interest
only, and then only through
his column.
pheral nerves go out from the
brain or spinal cord TO the skin
and muscles. Most of them carry
two kinds of fbers-from the skin
and to the muscles. In short SEN
sorry and motor. When the sensory
fibers are disturbed you have
numbness, pain or tingling. When
the motor fibers are disturbed you
have paralysis. Most people never
think of neuritis as paralysis:
their only conception is of pain
along the distribution of a single
nerve.
A few nerves carry only one
kind of fiber. Such are the nerves
of the face. Nothing could illus
trate the distinction better be-
tween sensory and motor disturb
ance than these facial nerves.
When the trifacial nerve is af-
fected you get the excruciating
pain that is always named tri-
facial neuralgia. When the sew
enth facial nerve is disturbed, as
it may be from cold or exposure,
you get the common condition
everyone has seen and which you
quite instinctively name facial
paralysis. Both in fact come I'M
der the heading of neuritis.
Meaning of Neuritis
My objections to the use of the
word neuritis apply also to its
employment by medical men. Neu-
ritis, as said, means inhamma-
ton, and most of the nerve trou-
bles are degenerations. Some are
due too pressure-by crutches,
clothing, trusses or bony growths
(cervical ribs). Some to chemical
poisons-alcohol and lead, for in
stance. The Jake paralysis" of
prohibition days which came from
drinking Jamaica ginger was a
typical alcoholic multiple neuri-
tbs. The most typical Of the neu-
ralgias-trifacial neuralgia, and
sciatica, come in the one case
through degeneration or irritation
Of the trifacial ganglion from ar
terio-sclerosis and the other
through pressure on the sciatic
nerve from herniated vertebral
disk.
Other causes Of "neuritis" are
nutritional. Diabetic neuritis,
which when typical of the disease
is purely sensory in the neck and
shoulder region or in the foot and
lower leg, arises in some way we
do not entirely understand from
the disturbed metabolism for
sugars in the course of diabetes.
Another form of nutritional neu-
ritis is caused by Vitamin B de
ficiency and strictly speaking is
motor, although sloppy thinkers
among physicians are ready to call
any neuralgia Vitamin B def
cheney.
Requires Different Treatments
1t must be obvious if the prin-
ciples laid down above are true
that there is no one treatment of
neuritis. People get impatient
with me when they write and ask
flatly-"How shall l treat my neu-
ritis ?"-and | answer-"It de-
ponds on the cause" But surely
1t is sensible to say that you can't
treat a neuritis due TO diabetes
the same way you treat neuritis
due to too much alcohol.
In the case of diabetic neuritis
you study and adjust the patients
ability TO utilize sugar and
starches, and in the case of alco-
holic neuritis you firmly and gen.
tly separate the patient from the
bottle. If alcoholic neuritis has
supervened this is a much easier
task than if the imbiber has
stopped or eased off just short of
complete paralysis.
If the cause is removed or treat
ed most cases Of neuritis get we'll
if you give them enough time.
There are some general methods
Of treatment which may be APP
piled no matter what the cause.
In motor types Of neuritis mas
sage and electric treatments are
advisable in order to keep the
muscles from degenerating. In the
neuralgias heat and cold in vary
ing alternating degrees are COM
forting. And also the host Of
anti-neuralgic medicines. In our
day aspirin has taken the field by
storm, but there are others-ace-
tanilid and nhenacetin