Dr. Samar Chowdhury

Nerve compression is a condition caused by direct pressure on a nerve. It occurs when a nerve is squeezed or compacted. It is also known as compression neuropathy or entrapment neuropathy.

It typically occurs at a single location. Nerves in the torso, limbs, and extremities may be affected. Common symptoms include pain, numbness, and muscle weakness at the site of the nerve.

Nerve compression syndrome is also known as:

1. nerve entrapment syndrome
2. compression neuropathy
3. entrapment neuropathy
4. trapped nerve

Types

Mentioned below are few of the most common types of nerve compression syndromes:

• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Cubital tunnel syndrome
• Suprascapular nerve compression syndrome
• Guyon’s canal syndrome
• Meralgia paresthetica
• Radial nerve compression syndrome

Causes

1. Prolonged or repeated external force, such as sitting with one's arm over the back of a chair (radial nerve), frequently resting one's elbows on a table (ulnar nerve), or an ill-fitting cast or brace on the leg (peroneal nerve).
2. Accidents such as sprains, fractures, and broken bones can also cause nerve compression syndrome
3. Diabetes
4. Autoimmune disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis
5. Thyroid dysfunction
6. High blood pressure
7. Tumors and cysts
8. Pregnancy or menopause
9. Obesity
10. Neural disorders

Signs and Symptoms

• Pain in the area of compressions, such as the neck or lower back
• Radiating pain, such as sciatica or radicular pain
• Numbness or tingling
• Pins and needles or a burning sensation
• Weakness
• Symptoms worsen when you try specific movements, such as turning your head or straining your neck

Management

1. Lifestyle changes: Avoiding movements that cause pain.  Changing job duties may relieve symptoms. Losing weight can improve symptoms if obesity is the cause of nerve compression syndrome,
2. Physical therapy: Flexibility, strength, and range of motion in the affected area can be improved by working with a physical therapist. Physical therapy can also relieve symptoms, such as pain and numbness.
3. Medication: Drugs commonly prescribed to manage symptoms caused by nerve compression syndrome include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Advil) and aspirin. Corticosteroids, such as dexamethasone, are injected directly around the nerve.
4. Prosthetic devices: In few cases of nerve compression syndrome, a doctor or physical therapist may advise a splint or a brace to help avoid putting pressure on the nerve.
5. Surgery: The surgical procedure required depends on the type of nerve compression syndrome, the degree of compression, and the nerves and structures affected. Surgery also depends on several factors, which include the duration of the symptoms, the severity of symptoms, and any other underlying health conditions you might have.
6. Home remedies: The following home remedies may stop or ameliorate symptoms of nerve compression syndrome:
   • Stop activities that cause pain
   • Apply icing on the affected area for 10–15 minutes
   • Taking regular breaks when doing repetitive tasks
   • Applying topical creams, such as menthol
   • Elevating the affected area
   • Keeping the affected area warmPerforming stretches and exercises to improve strength and flexibility
   • Using relaxation exercises

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Epilepsy is a form of chronic disorder and it is characterized by recurrent seizures. The episodes of epileptic seizures may differ from person to person. These seizures could be a result of genetic disorder or a result of trauma or stroke. During a seizure, a patient may also experience symptoms of neurological disorders and sometimes lose consciousness.

Medical help for epilepsy

Epilepsy itself cannot be cured using medication, but proper medicines help in eliminating recurrent seizures. These medicines stabilize the electrical activity within the brain preventing seizures.

How effective is the medication for epilepsy?
The success of controlling seizures using medicines depends on the type and severity of the epilepsy. Medicines for epilepsy are usually very effective and may fully keep seizures under control. However, controlling seizures caused due to brain problems may be more difficult. Usually, epilepsy medicines can control seizures for a long period of time when they are taken regularly.

When is medical help needed?

The decision about when to start medicines for epilepsy is a tricky one. This is because a first seizure cannot confirm whether a person has an on-going epilepsy problem. A second seizure may occur after many years or may not happen at all. Prediction of seizures is also quite difficult.

The severity of seizures also indicates when to start medicines for treatment. In case a first seizure is quite severe, medication should be started at once. Some people have very mild seizures even though they may be recurring in nature, and medication can be avoided in this situation.

All the pros and cons must be thought over before starting medications for the treatment of epilepsy. It is advisable to wait for a second seizure and then start medications for treatment. In most cases, medication is started after a second seizure occurs, twelve months within the first seizure. You should always consult a doctor to know when you need to start taking medicines to treat the condition.

For making the most out of the medicines to control seizures, you should follow certain steps:

1. You must take medications exactly as your doctor has prescribed.
2. Before switching to generic versions of your medicines or before taking other prescribed medicines, you must consult your doctor.
3. You should never stop taking the medicines.
4. In case you experience enhanced depression, mood swings and suicidal thoughts, you should talk to your doctor immediately.
5. In case you have migraine, you should let your doctor know so that he can prescribe you anti-epileptic medicines, which also prevent migraines.

Medicines cannot treat the underlying cause of epilepsy, but these help in controlling seizures and this is the most common symptom of epilepsy. Medication should be started at a proper time and must be continued without stopping.

Here are some symptoms of autism in children 

Symptoms of Autism
Hi! Good morning! This is Dr. Rakesh Jain. I’m a Pediatric Neurologist working at Fortis Hospital, Gurgaon.
Today, I’m going to talk briefly about autism which is very commonly seen nowadays, in children.  I would like to tell you what are the common symptoms and how would you identify autism in the early childhood.
A child at the age of one year who doesn’t do finger pointing, who doesn’t have good eye contact, doesn’t start uttering a single word, doesn’t have a joint attention or there are some other concern like child doesn’t mix up with the children of his own age, then, you must suspect either, there is some problem in hearing and accordingly you should go to a pediatrician to get him checked.

So, first of all, pediatrician would ask you to do a hearing test. If the hearing test is normal, then, we must think about the diagnosis of autism. It is called autistic spectrum disorder. It could be mild, moderate, severe. It may be associated with some other problems like some behavior problems, hyperactivity, poor attention, poor memory, epilepsy, so on and so forth. So, it is really important to diagnose this disorder as early as we can so that we can identify the cause of it and we can try to mend it accordingly.

And, there is no cure as such for autism. That’s the scary thing that there is no cure but having diagnosed it properly, early in life, we could do so many things, lots of therapies, for example, occupational therapy, speech therapy, sensory integration, psychological support and there are some medication as well to help with the comorbidities, not to treat the disorder as a core treatment .

If you want to know any further about it, and if your child is having any of the symptoms please, do contact your local pediatrician for basic screening and if you want to reach me, you could either visit me or you could connect me through Lybrate.
Thank you very much for your kind attention!