neuritis

Neuritis is inflammation of a nerve or nerves. It is not a disease itself but a descriptive term used when nerve tissue becomes inflamed and conduction is disrupted. Neuritis can be acute or chronic and may affect a single nerve or several nerves.

Causes include infections (viral or bacterial), autoimmune processes, metabolic disorders, toxins, and nutritional deficiencies. It is commonly associated with optic neuritis, which involves the optic nerve and can cause eye pain and vision impairment, and vestibular neuritis, which affects balance. Neuritis can occur in the context of systemic inflammatory or demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis.

Symptoms depend on the nerve involved and may include pain, sensory changes such as numbness or tingling, muscle weakness, or impaired reflexes. Vision changes occur with optic neuritis; vertigo and imbalance may occur with vestibular neuritis.

Diagnosis relies on clinical assessment backed by investigations such as magnetic resonance imaging to visualize nerve inflammation, nerve conduction studies to assess nerve function, and laboratory tests to identify infection or autoimmune causes. Lumbar puncture and spinal fluid analysis may be used in some cases. The goal is to identify the cause and rule out compressive lesions.

Treatment is directed at the underlying cause and may include corticosteroids for inflammatory optic neuritis, antiviral or antibiotic therapy when an infection is identified, and supportive care or rehabilitation for neurological deficits. Pain control and physical therapy can help in many cases. Prognosis varies with the underlying disease and the nerve involved; some individuals recover fully or partially, while others sustain persistent deficits.