Our Nervous System
Our nervous system is our body’s electrical wiring. It consists of complex nerves and neurons which carry messages throughout the different parts of our body (Mandal MD, 2019).
What are the Parts of Your Nervous System?
Our nervous system consists of two parts. One is the central nervous system, which includes our brain and spinal cord. The other is the peripheral nervous system which includes our nerves that are connected to our central nervous system, our sensory neurons, and our ganglia, which are groups of neurons (Mandal MD, 2019).
Save your time!
We can take care of your essay
- Proper editing and formatting
- Free revision, title page, and bibliography
- Flexible prices and money-back guarantee
Place an order
What Does Your Nervous System Do and Why Is It Important?
Our nervous system has one of the most important functions in our body. It serves as our body’s control system. It directs our senses of smell, hearing, sight, taste, and feeling. It also controls our movement balance, and coordination. Most especially, it gives us the ability to reason and think. Without the nervous system, we will have no memories or thoughts, and we won’t learn languages ('Nervous System Problems | Michigan Medicine', 2019).
Common Diseases That Affect Your Nervous System
One of the most common nervous system disorder is Alzheimer’s disease. It is a disorder that affects a person’s memory, behavior, and brain functions. People with this disease lose their brain tissue very slowly. Proteins will then build up in their brain, forming structures that will eventually hinder the nerve cells to connect with each other. When this happens, these nerve cells will die. One of the earliest symptoms of this disease is having memory lapses, and as the disease progresses, they will experience changes in moods, issues with language, difficulty in making decisions, or even accomplishing simple tasks such as cooking (“What Happens When You Have Alzheimer’s Disease”).
Another one is Bell’s Palsy, which causes paralysis on one side of the face. Because of this condition, the other side of your face will droop or become stiff. This cause of this disease is a trauma or damage to the cranial or facial nerve. Bell’s Palsy is often temporary. According to researchers, this may be brought about by viral infections.
Patients who want to get checked for nervous system disorders should visit the neurology department and look for a neurologist. Depending on the diagnosis, they can get further procedures from other healthcare providers that specialize on different areas.
Patients with Alzheimer’s disease should visit several types of health care providers to treat different symptoms: a neurologist to check their brain and nervous system, a psychiatrist to check how their mind is working as well as their moods, and a psychologist to test their memory.(“Visiting Your Doctor, 2019).
Patients with Bells Palsy can visit the neurology department and look for a neurologist.
What Lab Tests Should You Undergo if You Suspect Having Nervous System Related Diseases?
Patients who are suspected to have Alzheimer’s disease go through different medical tests for proper diagnosis. They have to go through several specialists. Usually, they would undergo physical exams and laboratory tests such as urine and blood to come up with a diagnosis.
Bell’s Palsy patients on the other hand, are required to undergo electromyography or EMG to confirm and assess the severity of the nerve damage. Imaging scans such as MRI and CT scans may also be needed to check for tumors, skull fractures, and other sources of pressure that will affect the facial nerve (“Bell’s Palsy Diagnosis and Treatment, 2019”).
References
- Bell's palsy - Diagnosis and treatment - Mayo Clinic. (2019). Retrieved 2 December 2019, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bells-palsy/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20370034
- Mandal, MD, A. (2019). Nervous System: Facts, Function & Diseases. Retrieved 2 December 2019, from https://www.livescience.com/22665-nervous-system.html
- Nervous system diseases. (2019). Retrieved 2 December 2019, from https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/nervous-system-diseases
- Nervous System Problems | Michigan Medicine. (2019). Retrieved 2 December 2019, from https://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/nersp
- Overview of Diagnostic Tests for Nervous System Disorders in Children. (2019). Retrieved 2 December 2019, from http://www.columbianeurology.org/neurology/staywell/document.php?id=36856
- Overview of Nervous System Disorders. (2019). Retrieved 2 December 2019, from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/overview-of-nervous-system-disorders
- Visiting Your Doctor. (2019). Retrieved 2 December 2019, from https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/diagnosis/visiting-your-doctor
- “What Happens When You Have Alzheimer's Disease?” (2019) Woman and Home. Retrieved 2 December 2019, from https://www.womanandhome.com/health-and-wellbeing/what-happens-when-you-have-alzheimers-disease-91824/