A sharp narrowing of the lumen of the blood vessels (mainly small arteries) of the brain is called cerebral angiospasm. Previously, this disease was considered the prerogative of only the elderly. At present, due to a number of specific reasons (for example, the deterioration of the environmental situation, the acceleration of the pace of modern life and, as a result, the occurrence of unforeseen stressful situations), the disease has become much younger. Now they quite often suffer even people who have not reached the age of thirty (and sometimes children). Untimely treatment of cerebral angiospasm, as well as identifying the causes of its occurrence, can lead to very serious consequences for human he alth. One of the most dangerous complications of the disease is a stroke. Modern high-tech instrumental methods of research allow diagnosing the disease with high accuracy even at an early stage, as well as choosing effective methods of treatment.
Disease types
There are two main formscerebral angiospasm:
- Primary. With this variety, spasmodic narrowing of the arteries is the primary and only pathology of the blood supply to the brain. Doctors often call this form of the disease a cerebral vascular crisis.
- Secondary. Crisis occurs as a reaction to other diseases occurring in the human body. That is, the cause of failures in the normal supply of brain cells with blood (and, of course, oxygen) is the main pathology (for example, osteochondrosis of the cervical spine).
Regardless of whether primary or secondary angiospasm of cerebral vessels, the treatment of this potentially dangerous disease should be prompt. At the first symptoms (even minor ones), it is better to consult a specialist and, if necessary, undergo the necessary clinical examinations.
Main reasons
The main causes of angiospasm of cerebral vessels of the primary form, as a rule, are:
- hereditary predisposition to the disease, which occurs in more than half of patients;
- disturbances in the work of the vegetative-vascular system;
- previous traumatic brain injury.
Secondary form of spasm may be related to:
- hypertension;
- various heart diseases (arrhythmia, angina, and so on);
- neuroses and general psycho-emotional instability;
- atherosclerosis of the cerebral and carotid arteries;
- inflammation of the brain(encephalitis or meningitis);
- osteochondrosis (especially of the cervical spine);
- disturbances in the normal functioning of the endocrine system;
- liver, kidney or thyroid disease.
Domestic reasons
The causes of cerebral angiospasm may be factors that we rarely pay attention to in our daily lives. Illness can be caused by:
- frequent lack of sleep or overwork;
- emotional stress and strong feelings (even of a positive nature);
- excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages;
- dramatic changes in weather conditions (changes in outside temperature or atmospheric pressure);
- poisoning by chemical or highly toxic substances;
- lack of oxygen (that is, sometimes a simple neglect of regular exposure to fresh air);
- frequent consumption of caffeinated drinks (such as strong tea, coffee, Coca-Cola and so-called "energy drinks");
- smoking;
- side effects of certain drugs.
Treatment of cerebral angiospasm caused by the above reasons is not required in most cases. To do this, simply reconsider your lifestyle and get rid of bad habits. And everything will be fine.
External symptoms of manifestation of the disease
Symptoms of angiospasm of cerebral vessels (causes and treatment can only be determinedqualified specialist) depend on the form of the disease. Externally, the disease is accompanied by:
- brief disorientation or fainting;
- dizziness and general weakness;
- partial numbness of the muscles of the face or limbs;
- headache (usually in the back of the head or temples);
- distracted vision;
- disorders of attention and memory.
Acute (angiodystrophic) form of spasm can be supplemented:
- slurred speech or lack thereof;
- puffiness of the face;
- lack of coordination of movements;
- visually impaired;
- passing out.
Important! In severe cases (depending on the severity of symptoms and the appearance of a person), treatment of cerebral angiospasm is required immediately. Not only the he alth, but also the life of the patient sometimes depends on how quickly the call for emergency medical care is carried out. Sometimes minutes count.
Methods of instrumental diagnostics
Before deciding how to treat angiospasm of cerebral vessels, a specialist, after carefully listening to the patient's complaints, can prescribe various instrumental studies. This will determine not only the cause of the onset of the disease, but also prescribe effective drug therapy for a speedy recovery. Modern diagnostic methods make it possible to determine even a mild degree of pathology of blood vessels. ATdepending on the severity of the disease, prescribe:
- magnetic resonance and computed tomography of intracranial and cervical vessels;
- duplex scan;
- ultrasound examination of the vessels of the neck and head;
- contrast x-ray.
Attention! Timely diagnosis allows not only to quickly cure the disease, but also to avoid serious consequences of angiospasm of cerebral vessels, as well as its relapses. Once again, do not be lazy and go for a consultation with a doctor. Your he alth is in your hands.
First aid at home
Treatment of cerebral angiospasm (according to patients who have already had this disease) should be started only under the supervision of specialists. Before the arrival of doctors, public first aid methods should be implemented that will help stop the attack. So, at the first signs of the disease, you must:
- wash with cold water;
- take a cool ten minute foot bath;
- ensure free access of fresh air to the room;
- do a self-massage (without effort) of the temples, the back of the head and neck;
- take a horizontal position, try to calm down and relax as much as possible.
Medicated treatment
Currently, a fairly large number of various drugs have been developed and successfully used to treat such a disease as angiospasm. Naturally, selects and appoints themappointment only by a qualified neurologist (based on the causes of the pathology and its severity).
Important! Self-medication can only aggravate the course of the disease and the severity of its consequences.
To relieve spasm and relieve pain, tablets or injections of antispasmodic drugs (No-Shpy, Drotaverina, Papazol, Andipal, Spasmalgon) can be prescribed.
In the treatment of angiospasm of cerebral vessels (according to the reviews of qualified medical specialists, confirmed by the experience of many years of practice), the action of "Eufillin", "Dibazol", "Cerebrolysin", "Stugeron", "Cavinton", "Ceraxon" and " Actovegin ", which significantly help to normalize the processes of blood circulation.
If an attack is accompanied by a state of strong emotional arousal or increased anxiety, the doctor may prescribe tranquilizers (Relanium, Seduxen) or antidepressants (Amitriptyline, Azafen). Although in most cases, well-known sedatives (for example, tinctures of valerian or motherwort) are sufficient.
Non-drug treatments
Additional physiotherapy procedures may be prescribed by the attending physician for already prescribed medications. For example, one of the very effective methods for the treatment of cerebral angiospasm in osteochondrosis (according to patients) isspecial professional massage.
Electrophoresis sessions (with the use of bromine, calcium or magnesium) and special therapeutic gymnastic exercises (of course, under the guidance of a specialist) also help prevent the negative consequences of the disease.
Restorative water treatments, such as regular pool visits or contrast showers, have a very positive effect in the fight against ailment.
Folk remedies
The treatment of angiospasm of cerebral vessels with folk remedies should be approached with caution and only after the appropriate recommendations of the attending physician. After all, they are just additional "helpers" to the main drugs to eliminate the disease. In addition, a specialist, having studied the patient's medical record, can protect him from the side effects of one or more ingredients.
The easiest folk recipes to implement at home in the fight against angiospasm:
- 3-4 bay leaves pour 250-300 ml of water, boil for 5-7 minutes, let it brew (about an hour), filter and take several sips throughout the day.
- Tea made from anise leaves, yarrow, valerian and motherwort, which we drink instead of the traditional drink.
- Non-alcoholic infusions of wild rose or hawthorn.
- Mix lemon and garlic (previously chopped in a blender or on a grater) with honey (in a ratio of 1:1:1), take one teaspoon on an empty stomach. We store homemade medicine in the refrigerator.
- Scenting indoor air with lavender, mint, jasmine or valerian essential oils. To do this, just pour a few drops of one of the listed funds on a cotton swab and put it near the patient.
Homeopathic medicines
Although these remedies belong to the so-called non-traditional methods of treatment, they are quite successfully used to eliminate the pathologies of cerebral vessels. To relieve the pain syndrome (depending on its location), they take "Brionia", "Tsimitsifuga", "Belladonna" and "Coffeu", to eliminate the effects of lack of sleep and mental stress - "Cocculus". Nervocheel has an antidepressant and calming effect. The complex drug "Traumeel S" has not only quickly stopping properties, but also contributes to the normalization of impaired functions of the blood supply to the brain.
Important! The use of homeopathic remedies is possible only after consultation with a specialist who, having found out the individual characteristics of the patient's condition, will be able to recommend a specific drug (of course, in addition to drug treatment).
Prevention
Compliance with simple preventive measures will greatly reduce the risk of disease:
- first of all, we provide ourselves with daily sleep (at least 8-10 hours, and for the elderly it is better and more);
- avoid stressful situations, emotional upheavals and overwork;
- perform a set of daily physicalexercise (which can be successfully replaced by cycling or walking in the nearest park);
- we try to fight bad habits (reduce the consumption of nicotine and alcohol to a minimum, and even better completely refuse them);
- exclude from the diet or significantly reduce the consumption of fatty meats, smoked meats, coffee, black tea (especially strong), chocolate, mayonnaise, fried foods, eat more fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs;
- we carry out general strengthening hardening water procedures.
The above common measures will help you strengthen the walls of your blood vessels and prevent spasm.
Possible complications and consequences
When conducting timely and effective treatment, angiospasm of cerebral vessels in most cases (up to 70-80%) does not lead to serious complications. However, if seizures (even short ones) are ignored, they can lead to blood clots, blockage of blood vessels, hemorrhage, stroke, or aneurysm. The most severe consequences of the disease (due to the lack of prompt medical care) can be paralysis (complete or partial) or even premature death.
Important! To protect children from such serious consequences of the disease as developmental delay, hearing (or vision) problems, neurological disorders or ischemia, parents should urgently seek qualified medical attention at the first symptoms of pathology.help.
Angiospasm of the retina
Angiospasm of retinal vessels - what is it? This is a disease that appears mainly due to a sharp narrowing of the lumen of the main cranial artery. The main symptoms are:
- short-term blurred vision;
- sudden appearance of flies, dark spots, sparks, glowing rings or lines in front of the eyes.
Treatment of the disease is carried out by eliminating the main cause that caused the pathology, as a rule, with the simultaneous participation of an ophthalmologist, neurologist and therapist. Ignoring retinal angiospasm can lead to complications such as dystrophy, glaucoma, or even complete loss of vision. Regular examination by an ophthalmologist (with examination of the fundus and vessels of the retina) allows you to identify the disease at an early stage and prevent its undesirable consequences. The timely use of sedative and dehydrating drugs (as a drug treatment) has a positive effect in most cases.
Important! Since negative processes can be easily stopped during the initial stage, the sooner treatment is started, the lower the risk of irreversible eye pathologies.
Potential patients
The risk group can be safely attributed:
- heavy smokers with years of experience;
- people who abuse alcohol;
- persons who have significant problems with "excess" own weight;
- patients with a "bouquet" of untreated chronic diseases;
- persons,having close relatives who have already had a stroke or heart attack;
- people living in regions with unfavorable environmental conditions;
- persons who are prone to nervous breakdowns and who do not tolerate various stressful situations.
In closing
A spasm that occurs at the same time and is quickly stopped, as a rule, does not lead to serious consequences for the general physical he alth of a person. However, the periodic repetition of incidents should force any patient to take urgent measures to prevent the disease and immediately seek qualified medical help at the first symptoms of the disease. It must be remembered that angiospasm refers to pathologies, the success of treatment of which largely depends on how quickly it is started. The so-called "treatment window", during which the assistance provided will be most effective, is only 5-7 hours. Regular medical examinations will help prevent this serious illness (as well as many others).
