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wspc_TheDisabilityShow 0012

Page history last edited by Charles-A. Rovira 14 years, 7 months ago

Direct link to the episode:

m4a -> http://media.libsyn.com/media/msb/wspc_TheDisbilityShow_0012.m4a

YouTube video(s):

Medical Information : About Peripheral Neuropathy

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Disclaimer! Disclaimer! Disclaimer!

This show is "not" any kind of a medical show /podcast.

It is by and for the disabled, and if we can help reach across the chasm of questions and indifference to the other side of the rainbow of ability ... well and good.

Its purpose is to keep us entertained, to explain our symptoms, to remark on our discoveries, and to raise the general consciousness about our disabilities.

The path to disability is shadowy, murky and rough strewn.

The path to wellness is lit by the lamp of knowledge.

----

Intro

This has been an interesting week capping off a very interesting summer.

It was full of discoveries.

Like I discovered I could write/assemble a book in a week, spend a month revising it and it could be out for sale before school started.

If you'd like to help me out and get a nice book to read for your trouble, you'll head to Lulu.com and purchase a copy of "Episodes: The story of an MSer and of MSB's Podcast".

The link is "live" on the podcast. [ https://www.lulu.com/commerce/index.php?fBuyContent=7503026 ]

Another discovery was "Peripheral Neuropathy".

---- "Isnt It Enough To Make You Nervous" by: "Trev Gibb" http://www.myspace.com/trevgibb

I am alway amazed at how reluctant some people are to talk about their disease (after all its not as if they asked for the crap to happen to them. There's no shame involved.)

But you always find one who is a fount of knowledge and inspiration and that make it all worthwhile.

This episode features something about "Peripheral Neuropathy" written by "Joe Bartoszek" for "The Disability Resource Exchange" group on "Peripheral Neuropathy". [ http://www.disabilityresourceexchange.com/group/peripheralneuropathy ]

The Disability Resource Exchange [ http://www.disabilityresourceexchange.com/ ] is a website started and run by "Rudy Sims".

In case you're wondering, I am a member.

---- "Nervous!? again?" by: "The Reel Banditos" http://www.reelbanditos.com/

Now I'll read Joe's words...

These are my symptoms. It all started about 10 years ago (I'm 59) with slight tingling in my feet.

I was pretty active...running 5 miles 3X a week, scuba diving and surfing.

At first I kinda shrugged it off. Then I noticed that when I was surfing I wasn't able to feel the board and my wipeouts were becoming frequent...there went my surfing days.

I then went to 3 different Podiatrists with no good explanation, finally one Dr recommended that I see a Neurologist.

This had been going on for several years and the tingling now became numbness with dull aching and the tingling was moving about 1/2 up my calves.

Well the Neurologist was reviewing my history and came to the part, occupation. At that time I was an engineer at the Cape working on the Space Shuttle (retired now).

His first question was: Do work at the Cape? (Yes). Have you been around rocket propellant? (Yes)....Hydrazine? (Yes). He then told me he had about 50 patients that had been exposed with the same symptoms!

(I then discovered that chemical exposure could cause Neuropathy(NP). Exploring around on the internet I found people working around fertilizers could develop NP.)

Back to me....

The Dr then did nerve conductivity tests to confirm the nerve damage, prescribed Neurotin for the aching and told that I was progressive, would not improve.

Then we set up a follow up appointment a year later. Well during that time I noticed that if I cricked my neck a certain way I would get electric shocks running down my legs.

I brought this to the Dr's attention as a "GeeWiz" experience. He immediately scheduled me for an MRI of my neck. Results were rather disturbing and he then scheduled me to see a neurosurgeon.

The surgeon wanted to operate ASAP on my neck, fusing 3 or 4 vertebrate, inserting rods and screws. I refused!

That didn't make him real happy. Warned me that if I injured mt neck, I could be a quad.

To make matters worse he told me to stop scuba diving immediately....Scuba is my life!!!

Well that four years ago and 500 dives later and I'm still not a quad...however the disease has progressed with tingling above my knees, my feet completely paralyzed.

I must use hand crutches and AFO braces to walk. My walking distance is very limited even with the crutches and I most resort to my wheelchair for any distance (shopping etc)....

But I'm still diving and teaching.

---- "Making Me Nervous" by: "Brad Sucks" http://www.bradsucks.net/

More of Joe's words...

Symptoms are related to the type of affected nerve and may be seen over a period of days, weeks, or years.

Muscle weakness is the most common symptom of motor nerve damage.

Other symptoms may include painful cramps and fasciculations (uncontrolled muscle twitching visible under the skin), muscle loss, bone degeneration, and changes in the skin, hair, and nails.

These more general degenerative changes also can result from sensory or autonomic nerve fiber loss.

Sensory nerve damage causes a more complex range of symptoms because sensory nerves have a wider, more highly specialized range of functions.

Larger sensory fibers enclosed in myelin (a fatty protein that coats and insulates many nerves) register vibration, light touch, and position sense.

Damage to large sensory fibers lessens the ability to feel vibrations and touch, resulting in a general sense of numbness, especially in the hands and feet.

People may feel as if they are wearing gloves and stockings even when they are not. Many patients cannot recognize by touch alone the shapes of small objects or distinguish between different shapes.

This damage to sensory fibers may contribute to the loss of reflexes (as can motor nerve damage).

Loss of position sense often makes people unable to coordinate complex movements like walking or fastening buttons, or to maintain their balance when their eyes are shut.

Neuropathic pain is difficult to control and can seriously affect emotional well-being and overall quality of life.

Neuropathic pain is often worse at night, seriously disrupting sleep and adding to the emotional burden of sensory nerve damage.

Smaller sensory fibers without myelin sheaths transmit pain and temperature sensations.

Damage to these fibers can interfere with the ability to feel pain or changes in temperature. People may fail to sense that they have been injured from a cut or that a wound is becoming infected.

Others may not detect pains that warn of impending heart attack or other acute conditions. (Loss of pain sensation is a particularly serious problem for people with diabetes, contributing to the high rate of lower limb amputations among this population.) Pain receptors in the skin can also become oversensitized, so that people may feel severe pain (allodynia) from stimuli that are normally painless (for example, some may experience pain from bed sheets draped lightly over the body).

Symptoms of autonomic nerve damage are diverse and depend upon which organs or glands are affected. Autonomic nerve dysfunction can become life threatening and may require emergency medical care in cases when breathing becomes impaired or when the heart begins beating irregularly.

Common symptoms of autonomic nerve damage include an inability to sweat normally, which may lead to heat intolerance; a loss of bladder control, which may cause infection or incontinence; and an inability to control muscles that expand or contract blood vessels to maintain safe blood pressure levels.

A loss of control over blood pressure can cause dizziness, lightheadedness, or even fainting when a person moves suddenly from a seated to a standing position (a condition known as postural or orthostatic hypotension).

Gastrointestinal symptoms frequently accompany autonomic neuropathy. Nerves controlling intestinal muscle contractions often malfunction, leading to diarrhea, constipation, or incontinence. Many people also have problems eating or swallowing if certain autonomic nerves are affected.

---- "central nervous piston" by: "el ten eleven" http://elteneleven.com/

Well, that was most elucidating. I'd like to thank Joe for explaining about neuropathy.

Something else I knew nothing about.

But now I DO.

That's what counts.

By the way, I have become a radio producer in my, uh, copious spare time; what with being unemployed and all. GRRRR!!!

My marketing director ideas for WSPC have taken root.

---- "Nervous" by: "Wil Deynes" http://www.myspace.com/wildeynes

Outro

The show notes, including the complete text of this episode, and any and all links to the artists featured, are on a server ... somewhere.

This show is also being podcast in m4a format, which means that it you use a compatible player, like iTunes, you get the content divided up into chapters with images and "hot links" to the the web, on the topic of the chapter, or to accompany the music.

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YouTube video(s):

Medical Information : About Peripheral Neuropathy

The music this time was:

"Isnt It Enough To Make You Nervous"

by: "Trev Gibb"

http://www.myspace.com/trevgibb

album: "none"

via: http://music.podshow.com/

"Nervous!? again?"

by: "The Reel Banditos"

http://www.reelbanditos.com/