Throughout life, a person is forced to face various pathologies, ailments and minor diseases. If you experience any discomfort, you should think about your he alth. It is best to consult a specialist and find out the exact cause of the onset of symptoms in order to start treatment in a timely manner.
Today, situations are not uncommon when young and old people suffer from spasms of the vessels of the head and neck, limbs, and also the brain. Therefore, it is worth considering these he alth problems in more detail.
General information
The vessels of the human body play a very important role, as they are responsible for the delivery of nutrients to the tissues of the whole organism. Due to this, they are saturated with oxygen. When vasospasm occurs, blood circulation is disturbed. Their narrowing is noted, which leads to violations of normal blood permeability. Because of this, the tissues of the body are forced to starve without oxygen and gradually break down.
Despite the harmless name, vasospasm is a serious pathology that needs timely treatment. If a person does not undergo therapy, then there is a possibility that he will have complications. It can even lead to amputation.limbs, stroke or heart attack.
Definition
Spasms of blood vessels or angiospasms is a pathology during which these elements begin to narrow and disrupt blood circulation. In a normal state, the organs of the human body should gradually relax and contract, due to which blood is transported to all parts of the body. For the normal state of blood vessels, a person must lead an active lifestyle and constantly move. This will positively affect the operation of all systems.
With angiospasm, the vessels begin to tighten too much and narrow. Because of this, they cease to distribute blood normally throughout the body, as a result of which oxygen starvation occurs. If this happens in the brain, it can provoke a person with problems with thought processes, coordination and cause severe headaches.
When spasms of blood vessels appear in the limbs, the pain syndrome is localized in the arms or legs. It is fair to say that such phenomena are not always extremely dangerous. In some situations, angiospasm is the norm. This can happen as a protective reaction of the body to various factors. For example, if a person is cold, or he is suffering from bleeding, then in this case, vasospasm is a necessary measure in order to stop blood loss.
An interesting fact is that such states can be provoked even by emotions. For example, when a person is scared, his blood vessels begin to narrow, which leads to blanching of the skin.covers. In a state of anger and aggression, the vascular system, on the contrary, expands. Because of this, blood begins to rush to the skin, and they turn red.
However, if there are no adequate reasons for the development of angiospasm, and this condition lasts for a long time, then this indicates a pathology. This means that the brain no longer controls the arteries.
Types of spasms
Pathologies of this type are pronounced, moderate and peripheral.
In the first case, there is a narrowing of the heart artery, which can cause angina. In this condition, a person can have a heart attack or severe pain in the sternum.
Speaking of vascular spasms in a child or an adult, it is worth noting that, as a rule, discomfort appears mainly at night and lasts for a long time. If shortly before the attacks a person experienced serious physical exertion, then perhaps this condition is caused precisely by this.
With moderate vasospasm, problems are most often localized in the lower extremities. It can also cause retinal problems. If the lesion has affected the legs, then the skin will turn pale or redden. The same thing happens if the lesion has reached the eye. His nutrition may be disturbed.
Peripheral spasms should be considered separately. They are found in medical practice most often.
Peripheral spasms
As a rule, this pathology is caused by vegetative-vascular dystonia. There are several subtypes of thisangiospasm:
- Acrocyanosis. In this case, the malaise is due to poor blood supply to the capillaries. The main characteristic feature of this pathology is the blue of the skin.
- Hand spasm.
- Mesh livedo. In this case, the blue of the skin is also observed with the appearance of the pattern of the same name on them. Also, a similar pathology can be caused by problems with the lungs and due to heart failure.
Causes of spasms of the vessels of the brain and limbs
As a rule, the lumen of the blood vessels begins to narrow due to the fact that the muscles of the vascular walls are intensively reduced. Most often this occurs against the background of a disorder in the functioning of smooth muscle cell membranes. Metabolic processes are disturbed. This leads to the fact that a person cannot function normally, since his body cannot fully experience muscle relaxation.
As a rule, angiospasm appears when diseases occur, which are accompanied by changes in blood vessels, as well as their nervous apparatus. There are several risk factors that provoke the appearance of this pathology. Smokers and alcoholics are the most affected. It is also worth being careful for those who work with lead or carbon disulfide, as in this case there is a high risk of intoxication.
With hypothermia and frostbite, vasospasm is a very common consequence. It is worth being careful and those who suffer from diabetes, hypertension, constant stress. Also, vasospasm can lead to variousdiseases. For example, pathology can develop against the background of atherosclerosis, brain tumors, osteochondrosis, endocrine disorders, sleep problems, and brain hemorrhages. Also, such a condition can provoke a passive lifestyle.
Signs
Symptoms of spasms of the vessels of the brain and limbs directly depend on which area is affected. However, there are several standard signs that most often appear with the development of this pathology.
Most patients complain about:
- Fatigue.
- Frequent fainting.
- Memory deterioration.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Severe headaches.
- Appearance of noise in the ears, spots and goosebumps in the eyes.
- Weakened limbs.
The most common symptoms of spasms of the vessels of the brain, retina and lower extremities. It is worth considering these varieties in more detail. They differ in their appearance.
Brain
If we talk about spasm of cerebral vessels, then this pathology is becoming more common today, not only in the elderly, but also in the younger generation. Experts agree that the main reason for this is the deteriorating environment, stress, frequent smoking, and alcohol consumption.
If we talk about the most obvious symptoms of spasms of cerebral vessels, then you should pay attention to:
- Severe headaches that can even reach nausea.
- Blood pressure problems. However, it can be very high or low.
- In case of problems withmemory. A person complains that his thoughts are confused.
If cerebral angiography occurs, then in this case the signs will be more pronounced. With such a spasm of cerebral vessels, pain can appear in various areas. Some patients complain that they get dark in their eyes, whistling appears in their ears. Some may faint and suffer from loss of sensation in one or another part of the body.
Eyes
Another pathology that is often found in medical practice is retinal spasm. Previously, such problems appeared only in the elderly, but today young people can also suffer from visual impairment.
As a rule, these spasms are caused by nicotine poisoning, hypertension, eye fatigue and many other reasons. People spend more time looking at a computer monitor or TV, which also negatively affects the state of the visual system. Among the main symptoms, it is worth highlighting visual impairment, the appearance of goosebumps, irritation when a person blinks too often. Also, additional manifestations include headaches, general fatigue, dizziness.
Limbs
In this case, there are general symptoms. If a person has a vasospasm in the leg, then he will notice a change in its color. At first, the skin turns pale. This is due to the fact that there is a strong outflow of blood, and the blood circulation of the limbs is disturbed. It makes me blue.
At the final stage, the leg turns red. This is due to the fact that the blood began to pass through the tissues again. At first, such an attack can last no more than 15 minutes, but gradually this time will increase. If the attacks are too long, then this leads to the fact that the tissues are deprived of oxygen for too long. Therefore, it is very important to pay attention to the symptoms of vasospasm. Treatment, if it is carried out at the first stage, will give a positive result. Therefore, do not delay.
Diagnosis
To begin the treatment of spasms of the head vessels or problems in the limbs, you need to accurately determine the presence of this pathology. For this, it is recommended to consult a doctor. Self-medication is not worth it, as this can lead to the development of serious complications.
When primary symptoms appear, it is necessary to visit a therapist. After the initial examination, he will give the patient a referral to a highly specialized specialist. In order to diagnose this pathology, in addition to visual examination, ultrasound, duplex scanning, pressure measurement and other research methods may be required.
After receiving the results, the doctor determines the causes of vasospasm. Treatment is prescribed based on these data. The doctor makes the optimal course of therapy. However, it all depends on the individual characteristics of the patient's body.
Treatment of vascular spasms
If we talk about therapeutic measures, they are usually complex. First of all, it is necessary to identify the root cause of the disease. Very important,that patients follow the recommendations of specialists.
A big part of the effectiveness of therapy is that the person should not drink alcohol or smoke. It is also necessary to exclude situations in which the patient is overtired. Therefore, it is important to establish a daily routine.
In order for the treatment of spasms of cerebral vessels to give results, it is recommended to avoid stress and stop being nervous over trifles. Avoid foods high in cholesterol.
As a rule, this disease can be treated conservatively. Therefore, doctors prescribe drugs that help relieve spasms of blood vessels. It is also necessary to perform some physiotherapy procedures and monitor your diet. This means that the patient should not only start taking medication, but also take lifestyle more seriously.
If we talk about the drug treatment of spasms of the vessels of the neck, brain and limbs, then most often antispasmodics help with seizures. Also, depending on the situation, the doctor may prescribe a remedy that improves microcirculation. Additional drugs may be needed to prevent blood clots.
Traditional medicine
In this case, we are talking about additional treatment that can be combined with taking medications. However, you must first consult with your doctor and clarify if the patient has intolerance to a particular plant.
If a person has a severe headache and hethinks how to relieve vasospasm, it is enough to apply a cold or garlic compress. If the pain is localized in the lower extremities, then in this case, contrast baths are suitable.
You can also add decoctions of herbs (for example, chamomile, sage, string or eucalyptus) to warm water. With the help of such a bath, you can improve blood circulation in the limbs and relax your legs.
Fresh potato juice is an excellent way to prevent thrombosis. It is worth noting that traditional medicine helps to deal only with symptoms. It is impossible to completely cure the disease by such methods. Also, if a person has vasospasm at a temperature, then antipyretics may be required.
Prevention
To prevent the development of vasospasm, you must follow the recommendations of experts. First of all, you need to start eating right. This means that it is desirable to consume as little fatty, spicy, s alty and other unhe althy foods as possible. Instead, you need to give preference to diet foods, fruits and vegetables. An active lifestyle also helps keep the whole body in good shape.
