Vegetative-vascular dystonia is a complex of symptoms caused by dysfunctions of the autonomic nervous system. Doctors have more than a hundred signs of the disease. In the modern world, according to statistics, about 70% of the world's population is diagnosed with VSD.
Autonomic nervous system
VSD occurs in patients with impaired reactions from the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Some experts identify the main groups of agents of influence that cause an imbalance of functions - chronic infections, malfunctions of the hormonal system, mental overstrain, etc. Another part of the doctors believe that being in a state of prolonged stress, emotional overstrain is the main factor provoking VVD.
What is it in simple terms? To answer the question, it is necessary to understand what the autonomic nervous system is, what are its functions in the body and how dysfunction manifests itself:
- The autonomic nervous system is part of the central nervous system of the body and belongs to its peripheral part.
- The autonomic nervous system is a conductor of brain commandsorgans and is responsible for their automatic functioning (breathing, heartbeat, temperature, pressure, etc.). Quickly responds to any changes in the environment (external and internal), correcting the work of organs. For example, when playing sports, the ANS accelerates the heartbeat, narrows the lumen of blood vessels so that the muscles receive a large dose of oxygen and nutrients. When the temperature rises outdoors or indoors, the autonomic nervous system regulates the sweat glands, while eating stimulates the production of gastric juice, etc.
- Consists of two departments - parasympathetic and sympathetic systems. It is believed that the sympathetic system transmits impulses that accelerate the work of organs, and the parasympathetic weakens. All organs and systems of the body receive signals from both parts of the autonomic nervous system equally and in the same intensity.
Discord in the given impulses is the VSD. What is it in simple terms? This is an imbalance between the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems. One of them gives impulses more actively, and the functionality of the second tends to a minimum.
Reasons
The mechanism of the appearance of vegetative-vascular dystonia has not been fully studied, and there is no unequivocal answer to the question of why the balance in its work is disturbed.
Doctors identify a number of reasons that provoke the appearance of VVD:
- Heredity - gene mutations, temperament and character of parents. If one of them had vegetative neurosis, then the child, having inherited character traitsparent, will suffer from this affliction. The first signs of the presence of the disease appear in adolescence.
- Chronic stress, acutely experienced negativity. When a person feels a threat (moral, physical), the sympathetic nervous system activates the production of stress hormones, they allow you to react faster in the situation, the heart rate increases. If the threat is eliminated quickly, then the shake-up of the body is only beneficial, but in the case of a prolonged stay in a stressful situation, the sympathetic nervous system goes into disarray, its action takes on hypertrophied forms, the patient reacts sharply to stimuli, shows irascibility, anger. The opposite situation (apathy, hypochondria, etc.) indicates the predominance of parasympathetic reactions.
- Climate change. In this case, the imbalance occurs due to the need for the body and nervous system to adapt to new climatic conditions.
- Somatic, neurological disorders. VVD occurs as a result of acquired psycho-vegetative syndrome. Most often, it appears as a result of pain that has arisen in any pathology (for example, heart disease). It is expressed in profuse sweating, tachycardia, salivation. The patient becomes fixated, and the autonomic nervous system considers overexertion as a threat, which leads to dystonia.
- Changes in hormonal levels affect all body functions. The autonomic nervous system reacts to changes in the internal environment and adapts the body to new conditions of existence. Restructuring is seen inpuberty and menopause. Signs are fainting, changes in blood pressure, occasional profuse sweating, etc.
- Mental illness. The diagnosis of VVD is most often made in patients with neurotic disorders (neurosis, anxiety, panic attacks, depression, etc.).
Symptoms
Many doctors do not consider VVD as a disease requiring careful therapy. Currently, studies have appeared that prove the irreversibility of changes in many organs and systems of the body caused by vegetative-vascular dystonia. In this regard, in the coming years, official medicine will pay much more attention to the methods of diagnosis and treatment of pathology.
In the world classification of diseases there is no such disease as VVD. The ICD-10 code for pathologies of the nervous system covers the range G00-G99, and disorders related to the emotional state are indicated by the code R45. Due to the blurring and diversity of symptoms, they were combined into groups and considered as syndromes.
How do VVD syndromes manifest themselves? Symptoms are as follows:
- Various disturbances in the activity of the myocardium and blood vessels: interruptions in the rhythm, fluctuations in blood pressure, sticky sweat, the development of pain syndrome that mimics ischemia, heart attack.
- Asthenic syndrome: emotional, physical exhaustion, lethargy, low blood pressure, irritability, etc.
- Neurotic disorders: depression, anxiety, suspiciousness, he alth concerns, etc.
- Respiratory syndrome: in a state of excitementthe patient is out of breath, breathing is fast, shallow, spasmodic, etc.
- Fainness: orthostatic hypotension, fainting with severe fright, excitement, etc.
- Disorders of thermoregulation: depending on the type of disorder, the patient does not tolerate cold well, but calmly - heat, or vice versa. Sometimes there may be fluctuations in temperature within 36.7-37.1 Celsius.
The patient may experience pain with VVD that does not have a reason. These are, rather, pain chimeras, usually the diagnosis does not reveal anything, except for a rapid pulse, rapid breathing, profuse sweat and a jump in pressure, which normalizes without the use of medication.
As soon as the patient calms down, all the symptoms of a "death" attack immediately disappear. However, the frequent repetition of the same disorders over many years leads to real pathologies in the organs complained of.
Types of pathology
How to treat VVD should be determined by a neurologist. For correct therapy, a specialist needs to determine what type the disease belongs to. Due to the large number of symptoms, pathology is divided into types depending on the patient's complaints.
Next, consider the types of VVD, their symptoms and signs:
- Mixed - most common and diagnosed. The main symptoms are lethargy, fatigue, tachycardia or arrhythmia, dizziness, headaches, insomnia, weather dependence.
- Cardiac. Signs - sweating, cardiac arrhythmia, pain in the areamyocardial infarction, tachycardia up to 90 beats per minute or slowing of the rhythm up to 50 beats, extrasystole.
- Vagotonic. Signs - bradycardia, low blood pressure, dyskinesia, shortness of breath, salivation, etc.
- Hypertonic. Signs - headache, fear, sweating, blurred vision, loss of appetite or nausea, nervous tension, etc.
- Hypotonic. Signs - low blood pressure, sweating, chills, weakness, shortness of breath, etc.
For each type of pathology, there is a specific treatment algorithm, taking into account individual manifestations. The diagnosis of VVD has additional indications of the type of syndrome, the features of its manifestation.
Pharmacology on guard
Therapy of vegetative-vascular dystonia sets the primary goal of stabilizing the patient's condition. Evaluating the mental, physical and emotional spheres, the doctor decides how to treat VVD. First, anxiety states are eliminated, antidepressants are prescribed for depression, sleeping pills for insomnia, etc.
Drugs for VVD:
- Sedatives - Novo-Passit, Persen, Azafen.
- Cardiotonic - "Valocordin", "Corvalol".
- Hypertensive - Normatens, Vinpocetine.
- Tranquilizers - "Seduxen" and others with a similar effect.
Vegetative-vascular dystonia refers to general disorders of the body and does not have a single treatment strategy. VSD (ICD-10 code: G00-G99, R45) is successfully treated without the use of pharmacology. The use of medications is the lastdoctor's recommendation, when all the restorative methods of traditional medicine, sanatorium treatment and physiotherapy procedures have already been tried.
A patient who feels a disorder of the nervous system should first of all normalize the daily routine and stick to it for at least a week. If the result is unsatisfactory, it is necessary to add the intake of soothing herbal decoctions, engage in physical activity in the gym or take a banal walk before going to bed.
Sanatorium treatment: seaside and mountains
Patients with vegetative-vascular dystonia are recommended to undergo sanatorium treatment in the climatic zone where they permanently reside. A change in external conditions can provoke an attack of the disease associated with the need for adaptation. Specialists are well aware of how to treat VVD with the help of natural factors. Patients need to undergo complex therapy at climatic, balneological resorts or mud baths.
Climatic resorts, in each geographical area, have their own advantages and opportunities for carrying out procedures aimed at restoring and normalizing the functioning of the autonomic nervous system. Treatment is preferable to be carried out at these types of resorts:
- Seaside - have a complex effect due to the healing properties of air and sea water. Trace elements of the two elements activate the metabolism, restore all parts of the nervous system, and stabilize the emotional background.
- Mountain - low oxygen content in the air, its saturation with negative ions improvesblood circulation, activate metabolic processes in the body, strengthen the immune system, normalize the functionality of the central nervous system.
VSD (vegetative-vascular dystonia) at climatic resorts is treated by the following methods:
- Heliotherapy, aerotherapy.
- Speleotherapy, aerotherapy.
- Hypoxytherapy, thalassotherapy.
Balneology and pyelotherapy
Balneological resorts offer patients therapy based on mineral waters of natural origin. Patients are encouraged to drink medicinal drinks, mineral baths, walks and outdoor sports. The use of hydrotherapy and the spectrum of waters are recommended by the treating specialist who has drawn up an individual plan that tells how to treat VSD.
Balneotherapy methods:
- Healing showers (underwater, Charcot, circular, etc.).
- Baths for general and individual purposes (coniferous, herbal, pearl, etc.).
- Mineral contrast baths.
Drinking regimen and the choice of medicinal water are carried out according to the type of VVD, the characteristics of the course of the disease. For example, with an asthenic course of the disease, it is recommended to take carbon dioxide baths, with a hypotensive type of disease, iodine-bromine water is indicated.
Mud therapy achieves its effect through the thermal effect and the penetration of the active substances of mineral mud through the skin. In mud baths for the treatment of VVD in adults, the following methods are recommended:
- Mud baths, general and local body wraps.
- Local applications, electrophoresis.
In sanatoriums and he alth resort areas, patients can be offered a variety of therapy options. How is VVD treated in such institutions? The restorative procedures offered by most he alth resorts include methods that help overcome vegetative-vascular dystonia, namely:
- Massage, psychotherapy and psychocorrection.
- Reflexology, exercise therapy.
- Physiotherapy.
Despite the apparent simplicity of the methods used, the therapy gives good results. With VVD, the first goal of therapy is the normalization of the mental and emotional state. The patient, putting the nerves in order and achieving physical he alth, can completely overcome the syndrome. If you back up success with classes with psychologists, in order to find out the main triggers of dystonia, then the process becomes controlled by the patient himself.
Physiotherapy
Drugs for VSD are prescribed with caution and are not the basis for the treatment of the disease. The therapy strategy is based on the normalization of the work of the autonomic nervous system and restorative methods of healing the body. Physiotherapeutic procedures have a positive effect, in particular:
- Galvanization, magnetotherapy.
- Electro sleep, inductothermy.
- Laser therapy, darsonvalization.
- Electrophoresis, aeroionotherapy.
From the whole range of physiotherapy, the doctor selects an individual program to eliminate the specific problems of the patient.
Folk methods
In folk medicine there is no section that is devoted to the question: "How to treat VVD?" Attention is paid to stabilizing the emotional background, stimulating vital energy, and treating insomnia.
Means to eliminate insomnia and normalize the emotional background:
- Collecting herbs for insomnia - lavender and peppermint, taken 50 grams each, are mixed with chamomile flowers and peppermint leaves, taken 75 grams each. For a decoction, take 2 tablespoons of the collection, pour 1 glass of boiling water, insist. After straining, the entire serving is taken throughout the day, preferably in the afternoon.
- Before going to bed - mix equal amounts of violet grass, lavender flowers, barberry berries, lemon balm leaves. One full tablespoon of dry ingredients is poured into a glass of boiling water. Strain after 30 minutes of infusion and take at bedtime.
- Stabilization and strengthening of the nervous system, immunity. Mix dry ingredients in equal parts - valerian root, lemon balm, peppermint, hop cones, St. John's wort herb. Infuse one tablespoon of the collection in 1 glass of boiling water, strain and drink in equal amounts throughout the day.
- Baths to calm the nervous system with lemon balm, mint, valerian, lavender, pine extract, etc. The main conditions for successful treatment are subdued light, water of medium temperature (up to 37 ° C), the duration of the procedure is about 15 minutes, rinsing with a shower. In addition to herbs, the use of essential oils is acceptable (up to 5 drops per bath).
- General tonic - juicepomegranate, alcoholic tincture of zamanihi (pharmacy), rosehip tea, etc.
Special occasions
VSD in adolescents occurs due to changes in hormonal levels. The pubertal period is difficult for a growing person also because, in addition to changes in the internal environment of the body, there is an increased emotional, physical and mental stress. Most teenagers experience this period at school. As they grow older, the symptoms cease to appear, and the majority of the younger generation enter adulthood without complications.
Parents and doctors should pay special attention to children during puberty in order to prevent the deterioration of he alth and help them successfully survive the restructuring of the body without loss of he alth. Having noticed the symptoms of VVD in adolescents, measures should be taken to strengthen the nervous system, immunity, for which the following methods are welcome:
- Moderate exercise.
- Metered TV viewing, restrictions on computer activities and games.
- Compliance with the daily routine.
- Balanced menu.
In cases where the measures taken do not lead to the desired effect, the specialist prescribes medication, sanatorium treatment, a set of physiotherapy.
VSD during pregnancy is also a consequence of hormonal changes. But in this case, vegetative-vascular dystonia can harm the development of the child. The expectant mother needs to pay attention to all the symptoms and getdoctor's consultation. In treatment, preference is given to herbal preparations. Also, a set of measures recommends normalization of the daily routine, revision of the menu, moderate physical activity.
VSD during pregnancy is amenable to general treatment aimed at eliminating the woman's anxiety. If standard methods do not help, the specialist may prescribe tranquilizers, antipsychotics and other drugs. Their action can negatively affect the baby, so the future mother, in contact with the doctor, should find opportunities and methods of sparing action - spa treatment, physiotherapy, consultations with a psychologist, nutrition correction, folk recipes.
