What is Neuritis?

What Causes Neuritis?

Factors Affecting Severity

Treatment for Neuritis

Symptomatic Relief

Prevention of Neuritis

Prevention of Neuritis

You now know that the cause of neuritis is a joint misalignment that is stretching or placing excessive stress on a nerve. You also know that muscle damage causing the muscle to shorten due to scar tissue is what creates the joint misalignment. Knowing this, you should have an idea about how neuritis can be prevented. It many cases, it is actually quite simple. Any time you have muscle damage from a trauma, the torn muscle must be treated correctly so very little, if any, scar tissue will form. (For treatment guidelines see treatment of acute tendinitis.)

You must also learn how to do repetitive activities in such a way that you will not over-stress your muscles and gradually accumulate scar tissue over a long period of time. You should also learn how to avoid poor postural and body usage habits that can cause muscle damage to slowly accumulate. One common example is holding a telephone between your neck and shoulder. If this is done frequently, eventually enough scar tissue will form to create a neck imbalance. This will stretch a nerve or cause inflammation and swelling around the nerve causing neuritis and pain. Learning something known as the Alexander technique (developed by F. M. Alexander) from a book or qualified teacher is one of the best ways to learn how to use your body without over-stressing your muscles. This is very important because many neck, lower back and other spinal problems are created by the slow accumulation of muscle damage rather than from a trauma of some kind.

Another way to prevent muscle damage is to warm up properly before sports participation or other physical stress. Also, cycling your work, recreational activities or physical training allows your body time to properly heal any areas that have been stressed. For example, if you are training for baseball, don't run three or four days in a row and then throw three or four days in a row. Doing this could easily cause some muscle damage and scar tissue buildup. Instead, alternate running and throwing every other day. This way the muscles around your knees and shoulders will have time to recuperate properly after each training session.

Everyone will benefit from a regular strength-building exercise program for their entire body. This will make all of their muscles more resistant to muscle damage and help prevent not only neuritis, but also tendinitis, bursitis, and arthritis. When done efficiently it only takes a few hours each week. If you are a weekend athlete it is especially important to do a regular exercise program during the week. This way you will be less likely to strain a muscle on the weekend while doing a sport you enjoy. Keeping in shape will also make you better at your activity or sport and provide many other health benefits.