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Nerves can be thought of as like flexible wires that convey messages through the body. There are motor nerves that take nerve impulses to the muscles and glands. And there are sensory nerves that take signals from sensorynerve endings in the eyes, ears, nose,skin, muscles and joints. and joints. There are also nerves called interneurones that lie in the brain and spinal cord. (together called the central nervous system) It is in the central nervous system that the incoming information fromthe sense organs is filtered and interpreted. From the central nervous system messages are sent out (consciously and unconsciously) to run our bodies and coordinate our actions
The spinal cord runs from the base of the skull down the spinal canal inside the spine. There are gaps on each side between the bones ofthe spine where the spinal nerves emerge. The spinal nerves are bundles of motor and sensory nervecells that go to the limbs and chest and abdominal wall. Nerves also emerge from the base of the skull (cranial nerves) to get to the ears, ears, tongue, nose and muscles of the head.
The nerves can be hurt within the spinal canal, as they exit it, or as they run down the arms and legs.
You might come across some terms for different sorts ofnerve problem: neuralgia means nerve pain, neuritis means nerve inflammation, neurogenic means coming from the nerve, neuropathic means concerning nerve disorders.
The status of the nervous system can be assessed clinically by a neurological examination. Osteopaths will examine the spinal and cranial nerves system as part of their examination of the patient when indicated
Osteopaths deal with nerve conditions (and many other conditions) where peripheral nerves have become physically compressed, irritated or stretched, such as sciatica, carpal tunnel syndrome, brachial neuralgia
Osteopaths do not deal with other conditions that can affect nerves, such as MS, Parkinsons disease, myasthenia gravis, syringomyelia, or motor neurone diseases
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