How Do We Define Lumbosacral Neuritis?
Pain due to Lumbosacral Neuritis may be caused by bulging of lumbar discs, which may leak inflammatory substances like prostaglandin in nerves. It may also be due to direct compression of nerves as a result of herniated disc. The continuous irritation and pressure over nerve within spinal foramina causes degenerative changes in one or more nerves. Similarly nerve degeneration is also observed following metabolic disturbance or metabolic toxicity. Mononeuritis is the name given when only one nerve is involved whereas polyneuritis means that more than one nerve is involved.
Causes of Lumbosacral Neuritis
- Acidosis- One of the causes of Lumbosacral Neuritis is chronic acidosis, which means that the blood becomes acidic. Similar changes also observed in other fluids present in the body. In normal circumstances, the fluids in the body are alkaline in nature but there are cases when acid waste matter is formed continuously in tissues over time as a result of may be an unhealthy diet resulting in acidosis. Acidosis is also observed in patients suffering with diabetes, severe diarrhea or vomiting and obesity. Increased accumulation of lactic acid in blood and body causes acidosis. Lactic acid concentration in body increases following heart attack, daily alcohol consumption and frequent seizure attacks.
- Disc Diseases- Lumbosacral neuritis develops when portion of the disc causes irritation or pressure over lumbosacral nerve within spinal foramina. The disc diseases which causes lumbosacral neuritis are bulged disc, herniated disc and severe degenerative disc disease. Severe degenerative disc disease causes narrowing of the foramina where nerve passes from spinal canal to peripheral tissue.
- Foraminal Stenosis- Lumbosacral nerves passes through spinal foramina to peripheral organ and tissue. One of the causes of foraminal stenosis or narrowing is osteoarthritis. Chronic osteoarthritis causes narrowing of the foramina. Spinal nerve gets compressed or pinched in narrowed foramina and causes symptoms of lumboscral neuritis.
- Spinal Tumor- Primary or metastatic tumor causes severe pressure over the spinal nerve when tumor encroaches in to spinal foramina. Pressure initiates nerve degeneration and if ignored causes permanent nerve damage.
Symptoms of Lumbosacral Neuritis
Symptoms Caused By Acidosis Associated With Lumbosacral Neuritis-
- Headache
- Drowsiness
- Confusion and loss of memory
- Loss of appetite and headache
The Main Symptoms Of Lumbosacral Neuritis1 Are:
- Pain- Patient complaints of severe pain along the dermatomal distribution of nerve. Pain is also known as radicular pain. Pain is continuous and severe. Pain may not respond to over the counter medications.
- Tingling and Numbness- Continuous pressure over nerve in foramina causes restriction of blood flow to nerve. During initial phase of nerve degeneration or nerve damage, patient feels tingling sensation along the nerve. If symptoms are ignored for few weeks patient will feel numbness along skin supplied by the same nerve.
- Muscle Weakness- Motor fibers are deeply located within nerve and continuous lack of blood supply to nerve causes ischemic changes of motor nerve. The motor nerve degeneration causes symptoms of weakness in muscles supplied by motor nerve. Lumbosacral polyneuritis is the conditions where several nerve are pinched or irritated simultaneously. The effect of lumbosacral polyneuritis is partial paralysis of leg muscles.
Investigation of Lumbosacral Neuritis-
- Blood Examination- To rule out acidosis
- Radiological studies- X-Ray and MRI 2
Treatment for Lumbosacral Neuritis
- Pain Medications- The severe pain is treated with NSAIDs or opioids like hydrocodone.
- Treatment of acidosis causing Lumbosacral Neuritis- Acidosis is treated by hospitalization, investigation and intravenous bicarbonate therapy.
- Treat Diabetes- Diabetes resulting abnormal fluctuating of blood sugar treated with advanced investigation and monitoring. The persistent and regular increase of blood sugar above 200 mg is prevented
- Prevent Lactic Acidosis- Occurrence of lactic acidosis is prevented by avoiding strenuous exercise as frequent epilepsy.
- Vitamin Supplements- By far, the best treatment for neuritis is make sure that the affected individual gets adequate nutrition with all the vitamins and other nutrients. Neuritis can also be helped with proper intake of vitamins B1, B2, B6, and B12, with the effect being seen within an hour of intake of these vitamins.
Home Remedies For Lumbosacral Neuritis
Certain home remedies have been found to be greatly beneficial in treatment of neuritis. Some of them are:
- Soya-bean milk: A cup of soya-bean milk along with a teaspoon of honey if taken every night is found to be very helpful for neuritis.
- Barley Brew is one more remedy for neuritis. It is made by boiling half a cup of barley in water and them mixed with butter milk and taken.
- Intake of raw carrot and spinach has also been proved to be helpful in cases of neuritis.
- Hot Epsom-salt baths on a weekly basis has also been found to be helpful in neuritis.
References:
1. Lumbosacral plexus neuritis.
Sander JE, Sharp FR.
Neurology. 1981 Apr;31(4):470-3.
2. Chronic progressive primary lumbosacral plexus neuritis: MRI findings and response to immunoglobulin therapy.
Höllinger P, Sturzenegger M.
J Neurol. 2000 Feb;247(2):143-5.