There are many diseases whose symptoms can have a significant negative impact on he alth. In addition to this fact, there is also such a problem as the paroxysmal state of the brain. Its essence boils down to the fact that the symptoms of certain diseases for a short period of time significantly increase. Such a process can pose a serious threat to human life, which is why it definitely deserves attention.
Paroxysmal Syndrome
In order to understand the essence of this diagnosis, you need to understand some terms. By paroxysm, or an attack, one must understand a transient dysfunction of any systems or organs that occurs suddenly. This condition is divided into two main types: epileptic and non-epileptic.
But generally speaking, it refers to a situation where a certain painful attack escalates sharply to the highest degree. In some cases, the term "paroxysmal condition" is used to describe recurring symptoms of a particular disease. This is abouthe alth problems such as swamp fever, gout, etc.
In fact, paroxysms are a reflection of the emerging dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system. The most common causes of such attacks are neurosis, hypothalamic disorders and organic brain damage. Crises may be accompanied by migraine and attacks of temporal lobe epilepsy, as well as severe allergies.
Despite the fact that there are several forms through which the paroxysmal state manifests itself, symptoms with similar characteristics can be found in all cases. We are talking about the following features: stereotyping and a tendency to regular relapses, reversibility of disorders and short duration. Regardless of the background of which disease the paroxysm made itself felt, this symptomatology will be present in any case.
Provoking factors
So, realizing that the basis of such a problem as a paroxysmal condition, in fact, is always cerebral disorders, it is worth paying attention to those diseases that can lead to a sudden deterioration in physical condition, without the manifestation of previously noticeable symptoms.
It is this fact that allows us to assert that with all the abundance of various pathologies that serve as a background for a crisis, one can almost always trace a single etiological picture.
You need to understand that doctors pay enough attention to this problem, so a study was conducted on the condition of a significant number of patients in order to identify commonetiological factors that lead to the occurrence of paroxysms. The surveys were focused mainly on working with such diseases as vegetovascular dystonia, migraine, epilepsy, neuralgia and neuroses, etc.
What diseases lead to a crisis
As a result of the studies mentioned above, a list of diseases with characteristic signs of paroxysm was compiled:
- Metabolic disorders and diseases of the endocrine system. These are menopausal syndrome, Cushing's disease, pheochromocytoma, hypercapnia and hypoxia.
- Alcohol and drug poisoning can also provoke paroxysmal conditions. Technical poisoning and some types of drugs can have a similar effect.
- A sharp increase in symptoms is possible with diseases of the internal organs such as pneumonia, hepatic coma, etc.
- Paroxysm can also manifest itself against the background of diseases of the psychovegetative syndrome (neurosis, migraine, hysteria, depressive states, etc.).
- Hereditary diseases also play an important role in provoking such a problem as a paroxysmal condition. This may be the impact of metabolic diseases, systemic degenerations of the central nervous system, etc.
- Do not discount diseases of the nervous system of the organic type. We are talking primarily about post-traumatic cerebral palsy, craniocerebral trauma and causalgia. But vascular pathologies of the brain can also play a negative role, as well asneuralgia and ischemic diseases.
How paroxysm can manifest itself: features
As mentioned above, in the vast majority of cases, a sharp exacerbation of symptoms occurs due to impaired brain function. In addition, manifestations are often recorded that are directly related to cerebral disorders, and this is one of the key features of this condition.
Besides this, you need to understand that there is both primary and secondary paroxysmal genesis. The primary is due exclusively to congenital factors of manifestation, such as disorders in the brain and genetic disposition, which is formed even during the development of the embryo. Secondary paroxysm is a consequence of the influence of internal and external factors. It appears already during life.
The features of this problem do not end there. Such paroxysmal conditions are fixed in neurology, which accompany the disease throughout the entire period of its course. Also, a sharp increase in symptoms can be one-time and be the result of a shock state of the central nervous system. One of the clearest examples is acute blood loss or a sharp increase in temperature.
There are also cases when paroxysmal attacks, having a short-term and regular character, affect the state of the whole organism. Such attacks are often accompanied by a migraine.
Such changes in the body are able to perform the function of protection, due to which the compensation component is stimulated. But this is possible only at an early stage of the disease. But the syndrome of paroxysmal conditions is very dangerous, because it turns into a significant complicating factor in diseases that cannot initially be called simple.
Children survey results
In order to understand what non-epileptic paroxysmal states look like in children, it makes sense to pay attention to several relevant examples.
First of all, these are short-term breath holdings. A strong fear, frustration, pain, as well as some kind of surprise can lead to such a problem. During this state, the child may scream, while the scream itself is delayed on exhalation, after which loss of consciousness often follows. Sometimes there are clonic jerks. Such an attack usually lasts for a minute. Severe bradycardia and voluntary urination are possible.
Attacks of this kind are most often recorded in the age period from 6 months to 3 years. However, the good news is that their presence does not increase the risk of cognitive impairment or epilepsy.
Paroxysmal condition in a child - what is it? It is worth paying attention to another example that clearly demonstrates a similar problem. It's about loss of consciousness. Fainting in this case is the result of acute circulatory failure in the brain. In fact, this is nothing more than a manifestation of vascular lability.
Faintsappear mainly in adolescents, among children who are at an early age, such conditions are rare. As for the causes of this problem, they include a sharp transition from a horizontal to a vertical position, as well as a state of strong emotional arousal.
The fainting begins with the fact that there is a feeling of darkening in the eyes and dizziness. In this case, both loss of consciousness and loss of muscle tone occur at the same time. There is always a possibility that during the oppression of the child's consciousness, short-term clonic convulsions may appear. As a rule, children do not remain unconscious due to fainting for more than 1 minute.
Reflex epilepsy is another problem that can be caused by a paroxysmal condition in a child. It is needless to say that this is a rather dangerous condition. Stressful situations and flashes of light can provoke such manifestations. But complex activities and auditory stimuli are unlikely to cause reflex epilepsy.
Non-epileptic form
When considering the syndrome of paroxysmal conditions, it is worth paying attention to those diseases that most often accompany such crises.
There are four main types of diseases within this group, which are fixed in the clinic more often than others and, in turn, have other more specific forms. These issues are:
- headaches;
- myoclonic syndromes and other hyperkinetic conditions;
- vegetativedisorders;
- muscular dystonic syndromes and dystonias.
In most cases, these problems are fixed in patients who have not reached the age of majority. But recently, more and more often, a paroxysmal condition first makes itself felt already in adulthood. It is also possible the dynamic progression of the symptoms of the above diseases, which are aggravated against the background of chronic and acute cerebrovascular accidents or age-related cerebral disorders.
It is also important to take into account the fact that in some cases, non-epileptic paroxysmal conditions may be the result of exposure to certain medications prescribed to neutralize circulatory failure, as well as diseases such as parkinsonism and some mental disorders caused by old age.
Epilepsy and paroxysmal conditions
This is a rather difficult diagnosis in terms of the level of its negative impact on a person. But first, it is worth remembering what epilepsy is. This is a chronic pathological disease of the brain, which is characterized by convulsions that have a different clinical structure and are constantly recurring. This condition is also characterized by psychopathic paroxysmal and non-convulsive manifestations.
It is possible to develop two forms of epilepsy: genuine and symptomatic. The latter is a consequence of traumatic brain injury, intoxication, brain tumors, acute circulatory disorders inhead area, etc.
It should be understood that the special relationship between the epileptic focus and different parts of the nervous system causes the occurrence of repeated seizures of various clinical structures. Some features of the pathological process can lead to this result.
Besides this, other paroxysmal conditions may occur
Different forms of seizures
Epilepsy is not the only form of manifestation of disorders of the central nervous system. There are other paroxysmal conditions in neurology that can be categorized as epileptic.
One of the most striking examples is the sensory (sensitive) Jacksonian seizures. Their manifestation occurs when a person is conscious. Symptoms in this case are reduced to tingling and numbness in the face, limbs and half of the body. In some cases, sensory seizures can turn into motor ones, which will greatly complicate the patient's condition.
Attention should also be paid to Jacksonian epilepsy. In this case, both sensory and motor seizures are possible. The latter are especially problematic because they involve muscle spasms in the part of the face and limbs that are located on the opposite side of the epileptic focus. In this case, disturbances in consciousness, as a rule, are not observed. In some cases, motor seizures may become generalized.
Complex absences can be atonic, myoclonic and akinetic. The first make themselves felt through a suddena fall, which is caused by a sharp decrease in the postural tone of the legs. As for the myoclonic form, it is characterized by rhythmic short-term muscle twitches, accompanied by a loss of consciousness. Akinetic absence - a seizure with immobility, as a result of which falls are also likely.
Possible manifestation and small absences, in which a person also plunges into an unconscious state. There are no sensations of malaise upon its completion. The patient often cannot remember the moment of the seizure.
Kozhevnikov epilepsy is characterized by limited short convulsions that have a clonic character. They most often capture the muscles of the hands, but the tongue, face, and even legs can be affected by this process. Loss of consciousness during such convulsions is rare.
Generalized status epilepticus
This form of seizure manifestation is serious enough to deserve special attention. In fact, we are talking about the development of tonic-clonic convulsions in all parts of the body. Such a paroxysmal condition manifests itself suddenly, with slight muscle tension and moderate dilation of the pupils. The symptoms do not end there and go into the tonic phase, lasting from 15 minutes to half an hour.
The tonic phase is characterized by tension in the torso, limbs, as well as chewing and facial muscles. At the same time, the tone of the body becomes so high that it is virtually impossible to change the position of the body.
WhatAs for the clonic phase, its duration is 10-40 s, during which rhythmic closing of the oral fissure is recorded. In this condition, there is a high risk that the person will bite their tongue, resulting in a reddish-colored foam (stained with blood) coming out of the mouth.
The next phase of the generalized status is relaxation, which is expressed in spontaneous defecation and urination. The troubles do not end there: each seizure ends with post-paroxysmal exhaustion. In other words, inhibition of reflexes, muscle hypotension and deepening of coma occur. This state lasts an average of 30 minutes. Then comes the final phase of epileptic prostration.
How to help with seizures
Treatment of paroxysmal conditions - is the destiny of highly qualified specialists. Therefore, if signs of a single seizure become noticeable, especially when it is the first, the patient must be urgently hospitalized in a neurosurgical or neurological department. There he can be examined and the current treatment plan determined.
It is important to ensure that before the patient is taken to the hospital, he did not receive any injuries. It is also worth putting a spoon wrapped in a bandage in the mouth or using a mouth expander.
In most cases, the process of treating patients with status epilepticus begins already in the ambulance. If there are no doctors around yet, and the person continues to have a seizure, then the first thing to do isthis excludes the possibility of aspiration of vomit or mechanical asphyxia due to tongue prolapse. To do this, you need to enter the air duct into the mouth, after releasing it. It also makes sense to try to block convulsions and support cardiac activity.
As for non-epileptic forms, here the causes of paroxysmal conditions can be completely different. It all depends on the key disease, the symptoms of which are exacerbated. Therefore, the best thing that can be done is to get the person to the hospital as soon as possible, where they can be examined and an accurate diagnosis can be made.
Results
Paroxysmal conditions can be attributed to the category of diseases that can not only significantly worsen a person's condition, but also lead to death. This means that in case of seizures or other symptoms of this problem, you need to thoroughly deal with treatment. If you let everything take its course, then the risk of a sad outcome will increase significantly.
