ah HA! i thought so...Bowel Disease, Nerve Problems Linked

[Guest guest]

i always thought that there may be something to this. the end of my

toe is numb, but also i get a strange feeling and numbness in my

thumb every morning i wake up, part of the carpal tunnel nerve runs

down your thumb! there is a gal in my living with crohns yahoo

groups that posted what follows. found this very interesting:

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Bowel Disease, Nerve Problems Linked

People with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn's

disease and ulcerative colitis, are at especially high risk for

carpal tunnel syndrome and other nerve ailments, a new study finds.

" We found that those with inflammatory bowel disease were more than

six times more likely to also have a disorder called sensorimotor

polyneuropathy, a nerve disease that can cause weakness, pain, and

numbness, " said Dr. Francisco De Assis Gondim, professor of neurology

at the Federal University of Ceara in Brazil.

" Those with bowel disease were also four times more likely to develop

symptoms in the spectrum of a nerve disease called small fiber

neuropathy, which causes pain and lack of feeling in the feet, " he

added. People with IBD were also four times as likely to develop

carpal tunnel syndrome compared to individuals without the bowel

ailment.

All of these conditions were " more common in women with bowel disease

than in men, " Gondim added.

The findings were expected to be presented at this week's annual

meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, in Boston.

IBD affects more than 600,000 Americans, according to the American

Academy of Family Physicians. The name applies to a group of

disorders, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, in which

the intestines are inflamed. Symptoms can include abdominal cramps

and pain, weight loss, diarrhea and bleeding from the intestine.

In the study, the researchers compared 103 people with Crohn's

disease and ulcerative colitis to 51 people with other digestive

disorders, including chronic heartburn, gastritis and irritable bowel

syndrome.

Irritable bowel syndrome affects mainly the large intestine and

causes constipation, diarrhea, or both at different times.

Gondim's team gave everyone a standard neurological evaluation,

including testing for nerve problems.

They discovered that people with IBD were much more likely to develop

a variety of nerve conditions compared to people in other groups.

The exact link between bowel and nerve disorders remains unclear.

" This should be analyzed carefully, because in many patients, I could

diagnose other medical conditions which could have at least

contributed to the development of nerve damage, like diabetes,

glucose intolerance, vitamin deficiencies, hypothyroidism, " Gondim

said. But, " in many patients, we have no explanation (other than

IBD), which may suggest that there is an undiagnosed nutritional

deficiency or ongoing immune-mediated nerve damage. "

It's not known yet, Gondim said, how all these factors may interact

to affect the course of the IBD.

Another expert called the research " an important study. " Dr. Dawn

Eliashiv, director of neurophysiology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center,

Los Angeles, said the finding " exemplified the fact that when we are

dealing with patients, we cannot overlook that GI disorders affect

many systems. "

" Patients with IBD may have vitamin B12 deficiency or vitamin E

deficiency, " Eliashiv noted, " which may cause numbness, instability

of gait or balance problems. "

Hopefully, the study will raise awareness among physicians about the

possibility of neurological complications occurring alongside IBD,

she said.

Eliashiv and Gondim agreed on their advice to those with IBD: Anyone

with the condition who also has numbness or pain in the hands or feet

should seek medical attention. If they have balance problems or

weakness, they also need to consult their doctor.

The study was supported by grants from the Federal University of

Ceara and the Brazilian Ministry of Health.

jeff