What is CIDP Disease?
Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) is a disease that affects your body’s nerves. A person develops CIPD when myelin, which is an important part of the peripheral nervous system, gets damaged. The damage caused in myelin can disrupt the message transmitted from the brain. Symptoms may vary, however, the most common symptom is feeling tired and having areas of numbness and pain.
Anyone can be affected by this disease, however, older adults are more prone.. Men have a greater chance of getting it than women. Around 40,000 men have been affected by CIPD
Causes of CIDP
The main cause of CIPD is not yet found, but many scientists believe it occurs due to the inflammation of nerves and nerve roots. When myelin, which acts as a protective shield, is destroyed due to the swelling, it damages the nerve fiber and decreases the nerve’s ability to send signals. CIDP is categorized as an autoimmune disease as autoimmune diseases occur when our body’s defense system starts attacking the healthy tissues of the body instead of the invading organisms. In the case of CIDP, that tissue is nerve tissue.
When to See a Doctor
CIDP begins gradually and becomes chronic over time. Symptoms may vary from person to person, however, the most common symptoms can be:
- Dizziness and impaired coordination
- Sensory deficit
- Gait abnormalities
- Infection (infrequent)
- Initial limb weakness, both proximal and distal
- Tingling and numbness of hands and feet
- Motor symptoms (usually predominant)
Treatment for CIDP
There are a lot of traditional treatment methods like Immunotherapy, corticosteroids, etc., that have been used to slow down the immune system from attacking the myelin. But none have been very efficient and long-lasting. On the other hand, cell-based therapies have shown promising results. In cell-based therapies, the doctors inject healthy cells to reset the immune system.
If you have observed any of the symptoms of CIDP, you should not ignore it. You can schedule a call to discuss options available to you to help manage your case in natural and effective ways.