In recent years, some taxonomic controversy has occurred over the genus of North American rat snakes. Based on mitochondrial DNA, Utiger et al. (2002) showed that North American rat snakes of the genus Elaphe, along with closely related genera such as Pituophis and Lampropeltis, form a monophyletic group separate from Old World members of the genus.
A pinched nerve is a type of injury or damage to a nerve or a group of nerves. The injury can result from compression, constriction, or stretching. A pinched nerve can lead to other conditions and cause temporary or permanent damage depending on the extent of the injury. pinched nerve is a type of injury or damage to a nerve or a group of nerves. The injury can result from compression, constriction, or stretching. A pinched nerve can lead to other conditions and cause temporary or permanent damage depending on the extent of the injury.
Just as with other types of neuropathy, diabetes can damage the vagus nerve if blood glucose levels remain high over a long period of time. High blood glucose causes chemical changes in nerves and damages the blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients to the nerves.