Glossary for Neuropathy

• Acute intermittent porphyria: A rare metabolic disorder characterized by a deficiency in the porphobilinogen deaminase enzyme which results in a build-up of porphyrins or its precursors in the body. Using certain drugs or eating certain foods can trigger the symptoms of the condition.
• Alcoholic Neuropathy: Neurological changes due to nerve damage from long-term alcohol consumption
• Autonomic nerve disorders: A disorder of the nervous system concerned with regulation of activity of cardiac muscle, smooth muscle, and glands, usually restricted to the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems
• Autonomic neuropathy: A disorder of the nervous system concerned with regulation of activity of cardiac muscle, smooth muscle, and glands, usually restricted to the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems
• Balsam apple poisoning: The Balsam apple is a climbing vine which produces yellowish fruit. The fruit contains toxins - resin, saponic glycoside and alkaloids - which can cause various symptoms if eaten. Large amounts of the fruit or seeds to be consumed to cause toxicity. The leaves of the plant may be cooked, drained and eaten safely.
• Cerebellar ataxia, autosomal recessive: A group of rare, recessively inherited neurological disorders caused by abnormalities in the cerebellum and spinal cord. In some cases other parts of the body may be affected.
• Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disorder: Degeneration of limb muscles.
• Chemical poisoning: Morbid condition caused by chemical.
• Chemical poisoning - Dinitrophenol: Dinitrophenol is a chemical that has various applications: herbicide, pesticide, fungicide, acaricide, manufacture of dyes and wood preservative. Ingestion and other exposures to the chemical can cause various symptoms. The type and severity of symptoms varies depending on the amount of chemical involved and the nature of the exposure.
• Ciclosporin - Teratogenic Agent: There is evidence to indicate that exposure to Ciclosporin (an immunosuppressant drug) during pregnancy may have a teratogenic effect on the fetus. A teratogen is a substance that can cause birth defects. The likelihood and severity of defects may be affected by the level of exposure and the stage of pregnancy that the exposure occurred at.
• Cobalt poisoning: A type of heavy metal poisoning caused by excessive exposure to cobalt.
• Colchicine toxicity: The toxic reaction of the body to the substance, possibly via allergic reaction or overdose.
• Complex 5 mitochondrial respiratory chain deficiency: A rare genetic defect where an enzyme deficiency (ATP synthetase) disrupts cellular processes. Any of a variety of the components of the enzyme may be missing or defective and hence the clinical presentation and severity may vary. The deficiency may result in a variety of symptoms and conditions of variable severity such as Leber's myopathy, Leigh syndrome, cardiomyopathy and NARP (neuropathy, ataxia, retinitis pigmentosa).
• Diabetes: Failing or reduced ability of the body to handle sugars.
• Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy: Diabetic nerve damage affecting toes, feet, and sometimes hands.
• Diabetic neuropathy: Nerve damage from diabetes affecting any body part; most commonly feet.
• Eye neuropathy: Neuropathy of the eye nerves
• Fibromyalgia: A difficult to diagnose condition affecting the muscles and/or joints
• Guillain-Barre Syndrome: Rare autoimmune disorder destroying nerve function lead to weakness and paralysis.
• Hand neuropathy: Neuropathy (nerve damage) affecting the hands
• Herbal Agent overdose - Germanium: Germanium is used as a health food supplement mainly in Japan but it can cause various problems if too much is taken. Chronic use and the ingestion of a large amount at one time can result in overdose symptoms.
• Herbal Agent overdose - Wormwood: Wormwood can be used to treat worm infestations and as a sedative or hair tonic. The herbal agent contains chemicals which can cause various symptoms if excessive quantities are taken.
• Hyperesthesia: An increased sensitivity to touch or painful stimuli
• Metabolic disorders: Disorders that affect the metabolic system in human
• Mucolipidosis type 1: An inherited metabolic disorder where a defect in the enzyme alpha-neuraminidase prevents glycoproteins being metabolized - a milder form of the condition than sialidosis type II.
• Muscle atrophy: Decrease in size and bulk of muscle.
• Muscle weakness: A condition which is characterized by an inability of the muscles to function at their full strenght
• Neuritis: Inflammation of a nerve.
• Numbness: Loss of feeling or sensation
• Paresthesias: Tingling, prickling, numbness or burning sensations
• Peripheral neuropathy: Peripheral neuropathy is the term for damage to nerves of the peripheral nervous system, which may be caused either by diseases of the nerve or from the side-effects of systemic illness.
• Plant poisoning - Amygdalin: Amygdalin is a chemical found naturally in various plants e.g. stone fruit kernels and raw almonds. Eating these parts of the plant that contain the chemical can cause symptoms of cyanide poisoning as the amygdalin is converted to cyanide by the digestive process. Obviously, the concentration of the chemical varies amongst species of plant and often, significant quantities are needed to produce symptoms. Nevertheless, severe poisoning can result in death. Amygdalin is believed by some to inhibit cancers but there has been no conclusive proof of this.
• Plant poisoning - Cyanogenic glycoside: Cyanogenic glycoside is a toxin found naturally in various plants e.g. cherries, plums, almonds, peaches, apricots, apples and cassava. The chemical is usually concentrated in the seeds, kernels or wilted leaves. Eating these parts of the plant that contain the chemical can cause symptoms of cyanide poisoning as the cyanogenic glycoside is converted to cyanide by the digestive process. Even chewing the leaves can result in conversion to cyanide due to the presence of digestive enzymes in the mouth. Obviously, the concentration of the chemical varies amongst species of plant and often, significant quantities are needed to produce symptoms. Nevertheless, severe poisoning can result in death.
• Polyarteritis nodosa: A serious blood vessel disease where small and medium-sized arteries become swollen and damaged and are unable to adequately supply oxygenated blood to various tissues in the body. The disease can occur in a mild form or a serious, rapidly fatal form.
• Porphyria: A group of disorders characterized by excess production of porphyrin or its precursors which affects the skin and/or nervous system.
• Porphyria, Ala-D: A very rare inherited disorder where involving a lack of the enzyme delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase.
• Probable human carcinogen - Azacitidine: Azacitidine is a drug deemed to be a probable carcinogen to humans. The carcinogenicity of the substance may be influenced by the duration and level of exposure.
• Radiculopathy: A condition characterized by disease of the nerve roots
• Refsum Disease: A metabolic disorder where a deficiency of phytanic acid alpha-hydroxylase results in a buildup of phytanic acid in the body which causes neurological disorders.
• Refsum disease with increased pipecolic acidemia: A rare disorder involving all the clinical features of Refsum disease as well as high blood levels of L-pipecolic acid. Refsum disease is a metabolic disorder where a deficiency of phytanic acid alpha-hydroxylase results in a buildup of phytanic acid in the body which causes neurological disorders.
• Severe infantile axonal neuropathy: A rare disorder involving the early onset of severe neuropathy.
• Sexual neuropathy: Nerve damage resulting in reduced sexual function in men or women
• Sialidosis type 1 and 3: A rare inherited biochemical disorder involving the deficiency of an enzyme (alpha-N-acetylneuraminidase) which results in the harmful accumulation of certain chemicals (sialyloligosaccharides and sialylglycopeptides) in various body tissues.
• Sialidosis type I: An inherited metabolic disorder where a defect in the enzyme alpha-neuraminidase prevents glycoproteins being metabolized - a milder form of the condition than sialidosis type II.
• Subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord: Gradual spinal cord degeneration
• Tangier disease: A rare disorder characterized by a very low level of HDL (high-density lipoprotein or "good cholesterol") in the blood. The condition occurs because the body lacks the gene to make a certain protein (Apolipoprotein A1) which normally transports fats from tissues to where it is needed.
• Type 1 diabetes: Severe insulin-treated diabetes typically occurring in young people.
• Type 2 diabetes: Most common diabetes in adults, usually progressing slowly, mostly treated without insulin at diagnosis.
• Variegate porphyria: A rare metabolic disorder characterized by a deficiency of a certain enzyme which results in a build-up in the body of porphyrins or their precursors. This form of hepatic porphyria causes the sufferer to have acute attacks as well as skin sensitivity.
• Vascular neuropathy: Neuropathy affecting the nerves controlling blood vessels
• Vasculitis: Inflammation of a blood or lymph vessel
• Vitamin B12 Deficiency: A deficiency of Vitamin B12 primarily causes anemias the body is unable to make sufficient quantities of normal red blood cells. Severe cases can lead to permanent nervous system problems. The vitamin B12 deficiency can result from absorption problems, insufficient dietary intake, certain medications (e.g. metformin), inherited conditions (e.g. transcobalamin deficiency) and certain chronic parasitic intestinal infestations.
• Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome: An inherited immune system disorder that affects only males and is characterized by recurring infections, eczema and reduced level of blood platelets (thrombocytopenia).

 » Next page: Peripheral Neuropathy (A Pocket Manual of Differential Diagnosis)

Rate This Website

What do you think about the features of this website? Take our user survey and have your say:

Website User Survey

Medical Tools & Articles:

Next articles:

• Peripheral Neuropathy (A Pocket Manual of Differential Diagnosis)
• Peripheral Neuropathy (Field Guide to Bedside Diagnosis)
• Surveys relating to Neuropathy
• Ask Question about Neuropathy

Tools & Services:

• Bookmark this page
• Take a survey relating to Neuropathy
• Symptom Search
• Symptom Checker
• Medical Dictionary
• Give your feedback

Medical Articles:

• Disease & Treatments Search
• Misdiagnosis Center
• Full list of interesting articles

Forums & Message Boards

• Ask or answer a question at the Boards:
• I cannot get a diagnosis. Please help.
• Tell us your medical story.
• Share your misdiagnosis story.
• What is the best treatment for my condition?
• See all the Boards.

Enter your search terms Submit search form
Search The Web Search wrongdiagnosis.com

Common Health Mistakes

Symptom
Checker

Search Specialists by State and City