Many have experienced such a condition as dizziness. This complaint is often heard at the appointment of a therapist and a neurologist. With dizziness, everything begins to swim before the eyes and spin, the person loses orientation in space. This can happen for various reasons, or it can be a symptom of a disease. Let's talk about what psychogenic dizziness is. Symptoms and treatment will also be considered.
What is this pathology
Let's start with the definition of dizziness. This condition is called vertigo. The feeling of involuntary rotation or movement of one's own body in space or objects relative to one's body is considered to be dizziness. At the same time, a person loses stability, balance, there is a feeling as if the earth is slipping from under his feet.
Dizziness is classified into the following groups:
- Central. The reason is a brain disease or injury.
- Peripheral. The cause is damage to the vestibular nerve or inner ear.
- System. Reason for violationin work, any of the systems: visual, vestibular, muscular.
- Not systemic. The causes are neurogenic.
Psychogenic dizziness should be attributed to the fourth group. Appears as a result of mental and neurotic disorders. This is especially observed during a period of strong excitement or after it. A synonym in medicine is considered to be "Phobic postural dizziness", that is, depending on the vertical position of the body.
Features of pathology
Psychogenic dizziness has its own characteristics:
- Not systematic.
- Random and irregular deviations may occur for a few seconds.
- Feeling unsteady for 2-3 seconds.
- Occurs unexpectedly, but precipitating factors may be present.
- All complaints are related to dizziness that occurs while walking or standing.
- May be combined with other types of disorders. Psychogenic dizziness will be secondary.
- Clinical and paraclinical signs of organic pathology are not observed.
- Anxiety or anxiety-depressive states accompany dizziness, but these factors may not be present.
Causes of psychogenic dizziness
As a rule, a greater likelihood of psychogenic dizziness is observed in people prone to panic attacks. Women tend to do this the most. Also, a sense of fear, anxious fears can be attributed to the reasons for suchdizziness.
Let's highlight a few more reasons:
- Stressful situations.
- Overwork at work.
- Lack of sleep, insomnia.
- Excessive mental stress.
- Sudden change of position.
- Climate change.
- Hyperventilation syndrome.
- High blood pressure.
- Neuritis
- menopause in women.
- Sickness in transport, when riding on a swing.
- Height intolerance.
As a rule, all these situations are associated with feelings or anxiety. And also obvious is the fear of losing control of the position of the body, falling and possibly getting hurt.
Signs and symptoms of pathology
Dizziness of a psychogenic nature at the stage of development has several signs:
- Decreased performance, increased fatigue.
- Mood worsens, irritability increases.
- Appetite either disappears or rises sharply.
Sexual activity may decrease or increase dramatically
Who has had psychogenic dizziness, patients describe the symptoms as follows:
- Tinnitus appears, but hearing is not lost.
- Fog in my head.
- Feels unsteady, but gait is not affected.
- Focused entirely on noise and dizziness.
- There is increased anxiety.
- Feels short of breath.
- Cold sweat.
- Thinking is unclear, confused.
These symptoms are also characteristic of panic attacks. You can also add a few characteristic symptoms:
- High heart rate.
- Possibly trembling limbs, chills.
- Goosebumps.
- Irrational fear of impending misfortune.
- Wadded legs.
Memories of a traumatic situation can also cause this state.
Psychogenic dizziness is not caused by a disorder of the vestibular apparatus, although the symptoms are very similar.
It should be noted that psychogenic manifestations of these disorders can only be called if the patient recognizes the connection with the cause.
False symptoms of psychogenic dizziness
There are symptoms that patients mistakenly confuse with dizziness.
Here are some of them:
- Flickering objects in the eyes.
- Double vision.
- The appearance of a "grid" before the eyes.
- Appearance of nausea.
- Presyncope.
- Feeling unstable.
- Feeling "empty" in the head.
Diagnosis of disease
With the question of how to treat psychogenic dizziness, you need to contact a therapist, who will then refer you to narrow specialists:
- To an otolaryngologist.
- Neurologist.
- To a cardiologist.
- Psychiatrist.
To find out the reasons, specialists can prescribe the following types of examinations:
- Computed tomography of the brain. Allows you to recognize deviations in the structure of the brain.
- Ultrasound of large arteries and vessels that provide blood supply to the brain.
- X-ray examination of the skull and cervical spine.
- General and biochemical blood test. Determination of blood glucose levels.
- Balance trials needed.
- Audiography.
- Definition of nystagmus.
At the initial stage of diagnosing psychogenic dizziness, the doctor must exclude all possible causes that are associated with loss of balance.
These include:
- Loss of the vestibular apparatus.
- Diseases in which one of the symptoms is loss of consciousness, fainting.
- Diseases of a neurological nature, which are accompanied by impaired walking, balance.
The above examinations will help to find the true cause.
At the second stage, neurotic disorders are diagnosed that arose as a result of stress. As we found out earlier, the most common causes are panic attacks and anxiety-depressive disorder. How to get rid of psychogenic dizziness, consider further.
Methods of treating psychogenic dizziness
In a disease such as psychogenic dizziness, treatmentincludes non-pharmacological and medicinal methods.
Non-drug treatment is a priority. It includes:
- Psychotherapy.
- Gymnastic exercises to improve the vestibular apparatus.
- Breathing exercises. Helps to cope with increased vascular tone.
The treatment of psychogenic dizziness is to change the internal attitude to traumatic situations in such a way that dizziness and other restless symptoms do not occur. It is very difficult psychologically, although it does not cost anything financially. The most difficult thing is to work on yourself, on your fears and beliefs. Treatment is reduced to the normalization of the psycho-emotional state.
It is also necessary to review the patient's diet. Vitamins A and C are essential. They are found in the following foods, fruits and vegetables:
- Lemon.
- Orange.
- Beef liver.
- Fatty dairy products.
- Fish oil.
- Carrot.
- Persimmon.
- Strawberry.
- Sprouted cereals.
- Rosehip.
- Black currant.
It is necessary to follow the correct diet, which should contain all the necessary trace elements and vitamins for the body. It is advisable to eat at the same time, portions are better smaller, but more often.
Medicated treatment
Medications used to treat psychogenic vertigo:
- Antidepressants: Fevarin, Paxil.
- Anxiolytics: "Phenazepam", "Clonazepam", "Atarax.”
- Neuroleptics: "Tiaprida", "Sulpiride".
- Nootropics.
Betaserk proved to be excellent in the treatment of such a disease as psychogenic dizziness. Reviews about this drug are only good. Patients report an improvement in their condition. The dizziness is gone, there is no noise in the ears. But the drug is recommended to take long courses for a lasting effect and as an additional therapy.
Folk remedies
As we know, the priority is therapy without the use of drugs, including such a disease as psychogenic dizziness. Treatment with folk remedies in such cases has always been popular. Let's name some of them.
- Aromatherapy. Useful juniper oil, orange.
- Infusion of oregano. Pour 0.5 liters of boiling water into 2 tablespoons of herbs. Let it brew.
- Infusion of lavender. 1 tablespoon per cup of boiling water.
- Ginger tea.
- Eat pomegranate more often.
Infusions are recommended to drink half an hour before meals and throughout the day. Folk remedies do not give a quick result, so therapy should be long-term.
How to help
If an attack of dizziness happened at home, you must:
- Lie down with your head, neck and shoulders on the pillow.
- No head turns.
- Relieve clothing pressure.
- Make sure there is good airflow.
- A cold towel dampened with a light vinegar solution can be applied to the forehead.
If you get dizzy outside:
- You need to calm down and not panic.
- Sit down and focus, but don't close your eyes.
- Don't move or turn your head.
- If at the same time there is severe pain in the chest, abdomen or numbness of the arms, legs, speech is disturbed, it is urgent to call an ambulance.
Prevention of psychogenic dizziness
In order to reduce the number of dizziness, you must not only try to remain calm in all situations and learn to control yourself, but also follow some recommendations:
- Move and exercise more, especially when sedentary.
- Respect the regime of work and rest.
- Don't overwork, get enough sleep.
- Avoid stressful situations.
- Give up bad habits.
- Do not make sudden movements of the head and neck, and do not change the position of the body abruptly.
- More outdoor activities.
- Limit s alt, strong tea and coffee.
- Learn relaxation techniques.
If you experience recurring bouts of dizziness, you need to see a doctor. If serious pathologies are detected in the early stages, then the therapy will be more effective. Much more often, dizziness is associated with overwork and the wrong mode of work and rest, but it’s better to play it safe and visit a specialist.
