The carotid sinus is the most important node that nourishes the brain and the entire central nervous system. It is a concentration of nerve cells, and also contains receptor zones that regulate the functioning of the heart. Massage of the carotid sinus is often used in medicine to diagnose a variety of diseases of the nervous system.
Where is the carotid sinus?
Before starting the massage procedure, you need to figure out where the necessary point is. To do this, consider the structure of the carotid artery.
The carotid sinus is located between the inner and outer parts of the carotid artery in the neck. It is a small bulge. You can feel it if you put your fingers under the larynx in the region of the Adam's apple, and raise your palm higher.
Search for the carotid sinus, performing strong pressure on the area of the carotid artery, in no case is impossible. Evenshort-term squeezing of an artery can lead to dire consequences.
Influence on the carotid sinus
Pressing on this spot can stimulate the vagus nerve, which connects the organs and tissues of the head, neck, thoracic and abdominal cavities with nerves, thereby ensuring their connection with the central nervous system. In addition, a certain effect on the carotid sinus helps to treat certain diseases and eliminate their symptoms.
Indications for massage
There are a number of studies that massage the carotid sinus can help eliminate dizziness and prevent fainting of unknown origin. Massage gives better results in the fight against fainting than with dizziness.
Due to the systematic massage of this area of the carotid artery, patients dilate blood vessels, reduce pressure and reduce the load on the heart muscle.
Furthermore, carotid sinus massage has been shown to be beneficial in relieving paroxysmal arrhythmias. This eliminates disorders characterized by increased heart rate and aggravation of already existing heart failure.
Massage of the carotid sinus can stop the paroxysm of tachycardia due to the fact that exposure to it increases the excitability of the vagus nerve. In this regard, the work of the heart muscle is normalized and the patient immediately feels relief.
Indications for carotid sinus massage aresuspected carotid sinus syndrome. Exposure to a certain part of the human carotid artery is a diagnostic procedure that allows timely detection of the disease. This procedure should only be carried out in a medical institution under the guidance of an experienced specialist.
Carotid sinus syndrome
This disease can be found in 5-25% of the elderly. Most often, the symptoms of the disease appear in males.
The main symptoms of the disease are frequent loss of consciousness, which in some cases is accompanied by convulsions. Seizures occur when turning or tilting the head, or when pinching the neck with a narrow collar or tight tie.
In some cases, during the massage of the carotid sinus, it is possible to identify sinus pauses and short-term disturbances of consciousness.
The most common type of disease is the cardiac type. With such a pathology, massage of the carotid sinus can lead to a temporary cessation of the activity of the ventricles of the heart lasting more than 3 seconds.
A rarer type of syndrome is vascular, a sign of which is a decrease in pressure and a deterioration in the patient's condition. At the same time, the heart rate remains unchanged.
In a mixed type of syndrome, pressure on the point leads to bradycardia and a decrease in blood pressure.
Who is massage forbidden?
In the event that the patient has murmurs on the carotid arteries, orsymptoms of impaired blood supply to the brain, massage of the carotid sinus in order to identify various types of diseases is categorically contraindicated. This type of massage is prohibited for pregnant women, as it can have a detrimental effect on the developing fetus.
Carotid Sinus Massage Technique
During the massage procedure, the patient lies on his back on a special massage table. The patient should be completely relaxed. Before starting the massage procedure, the patient should rest in a supine position for at least 5 minutes, this is necessary in order to calm the work of the heart muscle.
The massage technique is as follows: the thumb is placed across the patient's neck. First of all, massage is carried out on the right side, in the event that it did not give the desired effect, the left side of the carotid artery should also be affected.
Massage effect is achieved by pressing each carotid sinus for no more than 10 seconds with an interval of one minute. The total duration of the massage is 5-10 minutes.
During the procedure, it is necessary to monitor the functional state of the heart using an ECG machine, as well as monitor the patient's blood pressure.
Unfortunately, carotid sinus syndrome is very often an undiagnosed cause of fainting in people over the age of 60. Timely detection of the disease using the carotid sinus massage procedure can prevent complications and start treatment in time.
