Disoriented Disoriented

Sudden dizziness, loss of balance - probably every adult has experienced these sensations. In most cases, no one attaches importance to these phenomena, although they may signal the onset of the development of a neurological or other disease. If you experience systematic dizziness and loss of balance, you should consult a neurologist to clarify the situation.

In Moscow, patients with dizziness are examined at the Yusupov Hospital. The clinic is a modern medical center, where the following areas are represented: neurology, rehabilitation, oncology, a scientific and practical center, a surgical department, and an addiction treatment clinic. The Yusupov Hospital provides examination, treatment and rehabilitation of various neurological pathologies, including dizziness and loss of balance. Highly qualified neurologists who have extensive experience in the treatment and diagnosis of diseases of any complexity work with the patient.

Loss of balance

Balance imbalance is a short-term or permanent inability to control the position of the body in space. Loss of balance is characterized by an unsteady gait, swaying, lack of coordination, and unexpected falls. A sharp loss of balance is most often associated with the development of some disease (neurological, cardiological and others), and is also observed in older people. In old age, loss of balance when walking, the causes of which are not related to the course of the disease, can be explained by the general aging of the body.

Impaired balance quite often coincides with dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and general weakness. In most cases, these disorders occur due to changes in the vestibular apparatus, traumatic or other brain damage, intoxication, and diseases of the inner ear.

Symptoms of spatial disorientation

There is a classification of orientation disorders, one of which is spatial disorientation; accordingly, there are general symptoms of loss of orientation, and there are those related specifically to loss of disorientation in space.

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Are common:

• dizziness;
• memory problems;
• sleep disturbance;
• sudden change of mood.

Individual:

• a person’s inability to determine where he is, down to the country, and what time it is, up to a year, and also to identify himself as an individual: some data about himself is also erased from memory;
• a sudden wave of fear for no reason, close to a panic attack;
• a state of apathy that can unexpectedly turn into a state of aggression.

Causes

There are the following main diseases affecting the central nervous system, which are accompanied by loss of balance:

• Parkinson's disease. With the development of parkinsonism, characteristic changes in a person’s gait and posture occur. Patients have a curved posture: the spine bends forward in the thoracic region, the head tilts down, the elbows and knees are slightly bent. It is difficult for the patient to start and finish movements. He slowly begins to walk, his feet barely leave the surface, his steps are very small (“shuffling” gait). Once you gain speed while walking, it is quite difficult to stop. An imbalance occurs and a person may fall. It is difficult for the patient to accelerate or quickly change the direction of the body - this also leads to imbalance;
• cerebellar damage. Balance imbalance occurs when the cerebellum and its connections are damaged. Patients are characterized by a posture with legs widely spaced, which is caused by difficulties when walking along a narrow line. An attempt to put the legs together is accompanied by swaying, large movements of the body back and forth. As a result, most often, a fall occurs. The patient walks very carefully, swaying in different directions, uses various objects (furniture, walls, etc.) for support;
• cerebral paralysis. The pathology causes many different movement disorders, which are accompanied by gait disturbances and loss of balance. Patients often experience rapid or moderate serpentine movements of the arms and legs, changes in posture with sudden strong flexion and extension of the limbs and torso. When walking, involuntary movements of the limbs, rotational movements of the neck and grimaces on the face occur. Patients with cerebral palsy are characterized by asymmetrical positions of the limbs when turning the torso. If you change posture carelessly and quickly, a person may lose balance and fall.

What diseases does it occur in?

• poisoning;
• manic-depressive disorders;
• senile dementia;
• metabolic disorders;
• injuries or surgical interventions;
• taking alcohol or drugs.

Sources

• https://psixsovet.ru/stati/dezorientatsiya-v-prostranstve-prichiny-simptomy-lechenie.html
• https://zna4enie.ru/opredelenie/chto-znachit-dezorientirovan-chelovek.html
• https://mir-tourista.ru/statyi/vyzhivanie-v-dikoi-prirode/medicinskaya-pomoshh/poterya-orientatsii.html
• https://SimptomyInfo.ru/simptomy/175-dezorientaciya.html
• https://FoodandHealth.ru/simptomy/dezorientaciya-i-sputannost-soznaniya/
• https://SimptoMer.ru/simptom/dezorientacija
• https://kartaslov.ru/%D0%B7%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%87%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B5-%D1%81%D0%BB% D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B0/%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%B7%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%82%D0 %B8%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%8C
• https://medportal.org/symptoms/dezorientaciya-i-sputannost-soznaniya.html

Losing your balance in the dark

There may be cases of loss of balance in the dark. The disorder may occur due to chronic vestibular dysfunction. Increased symptoms in the dark are due to the fact that in such a situation vision cannot compensate for the defect. As a result, simply going to fetch water at night will cause significant difficulty and often end in a fall. Loss of balance in the dark is caused by drug intoxication, damage to the cerebellum, and disorders in the cervical spine. If the cerebellum is damaged, visual control is not important and the person will constantly experience a feeling of loss of balance.

Risk factors

By reviewing the main symptoms, people will learn useful information that will help them anticipate the possible occurrence of a disorder. However, there are certain risk factors that are long-term reminders of the brain. Having received data about them, you can evaluate your own life in order to find errors or necessary treatment.

• Age;
• Hypertension;
• Heart diseases;
• Bad habits;
• Diabetes.

The first question that arises in people is at what age does a stroke occur. Typically, poor circulation is considered typical for people over 50 years of age, but in recent years the statistics have changed, gradually forcing one to come to terms with the early manifestation of the disease. For this reason, you need to think about other risk factors.

Although hypertension, diabetes and heart disease cannot be changed, you can still undergo regular examinations and procedures to eliminate complications. Through simple actions and constant medical supervision, it will be possible to get rid of the preconditions for impaired brain function. For this reason, doctors advise staying under the supervision of doctors and not missing any dangerous symptoms.

In addition, bad habits are an important point. Now the characteristics of a stroke necessarily include their description. Because of this, the fight against smoking and alcoholism is being waged everywhere. A person should remember that such an attitude towards one’s own life gradually results in dire consequences.

Unsystematic sudden dizziness

About 30% of complaints about dizziness and loss of balance are called false, that is, non-systemic. The sensations are not associated with the development of the disease and can occur in the following situations:

• a sharp change in body position when standing up after prolonged sitting or lying, a sharp turn of the head. The feeling of loss of balance lasts seconds and is associated with the redistribution of blood in the vessels;
• the appearance of feelings of fear or anxiety. Dizziness is caused by a psychological factor;
• overwork, lack of sleep;
• lack of nutrients during an irrational diet;
• dizziness during pregnancy may be associated with the development of anemia, fatigue, changes in the body during pregnancy;
• intoxication with medicinal, alcoholic and narcotic substances causes a feeling of loss of balance and dizziness due to the toxic effect on the vestibular apparatus.

Provoking diseases and provoking factors

Disorientation is just a sign of various diseases and disorders. Diseases accompanied by confusion:

Disorientation appears not only as a consequence of neurological diseases and psychiatric disorders; negative changes in the perception of reality in adult patients also occur due to:

• alcohol abuse;
• taking drugs or certain medications (tranquilizers, antiallergic drugs, painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants);
• hypovitaminosis;
• dehydration;
• hypothermia;
• heat stroke;
• traumatic brain injury;
• infections;
• metabolic disorders;
• post-traumatic psychosis.

In older people, disorientation is often a consequence of senile dementia.

Where to go and which doctor

If you experience constant dizziness and a feeling of loss of balance, you should seek help from a neurologist. The doctor will determine the reasons for the development of this condition and prescribe the necessary treatment. If during the diagnostic process it turns out that the cause of dizziness and loss of balance is not a neurological disease, the doctor will refer the patient to the appropriate specialist (cardiologist, otolaryngologist, etc.) to eliminate the problem.

The Yusupov Hospital is equipped with the latest technology. The latest equipment from global manufacturers is used here. This allows you to diagnose any disease quickly and in the shortest possible time. Timely diagnosis greatly facilitates the treatment process and eliminates possible complications and unpleasant consequences.

The Yusupov Hospital is located near the center of Moscow and receives patients around the clock. You can make an appointment and get advice from specialists by phone.

How to get rid of disorientation and confusion

First of all, you need to sit down and even out your breathing. It’s good if there are someone close to you or just caring passers-by who will help you get to the nearest medical center. Only an experienced doctor can diagnose the cause and how to deal with it. The treatment methodology depends on the causes of disorientation in space.

Dizziness

The first thing you need to do is answer all the doctor’s questions as honestly as possible: is this the first time you’ve had this, have you had any injuries, are you on any strict diet, have you previously been diagnosed with any neurological disorders. The doctor will prescribe a series of tests and studies, such as MRI or ultrasound, to most accurately diagnose the cause of loss of orientation in space. And this will be the basis for prescribing treatment.

If the symptoms are neurological, then treatment usually begins with ensuring complete rest for the patient. It is necessary to isolate it from surrounding stress and nervous stimuli and provide it with proper care. Next, prescribe medications: antidepressants, sedatives, antipsychotics, vitamins. Let us remind you that all this is taken strictly in accordance with the doctor’s recommendations; you absolutely cannot calculate the dosage and frequency of administration on your own! Otherwise, the situation may only get worse.

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If confusion is caused by external factors, such as a head injury, it is necessary to check whether it is a symptom of, for example, a concussion. If the problem is the wrong diet, you need to eat something high in calories and high in glucose. If this is due to taking medications, change the drug to an analogue or just something else and be sure to monitor the body’s reaction to taking it.

Loss of orientation

If this is the body’s reaction to alcohol, then it is better to refrain from drinking it completely, otherwise next time the consequences could be much worse. And take vitamins that strengthen the walls of the blood vessels in the brain. Which ones exactly - check with your doctor or pharmacist at the pharmacy. If there is an infection, confusion may be caused by a high fever. In this case, it is the infection itself that needs to be treated; ordinary antipyretics cannot achieve the desired effect; it is better to combine them with antiviral or antibiotics, depending on the type of disease.

In any case, so as not to cause loss of orientation in space, remember: a doctor and only a doctor can prescribe the correct treatment for you. Self-medication not only may not help, but can also be extremely destructive for your body.

Author of the publication

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Nika

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I am interested in hiking and traveling, photography and videography. I have been going hiking since childhood. The whole family went and went - sometimes to the sea, then to the river, to the lake, to the forest. There was a time when we spent a whole month in the forest. We lived in tents and cooked over fires. This is probably why I am still drawn to the forest and, in general, to nature. I travel regularly. About three trips a year for 10-15 days and many 2 and 3 day hikes.

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Diagnostics

If you have such a symptom, you should consult a neurologist or psychotherapist. First of all, the doctor conducts a physical examination of the patient to determine complaints, life history and illness. To make an accurate diagnosis, the following laboratory diagnostic methods can be used:

• blood sampling for general and biochemical studies;
• test for the presence of narcotic substances in the body;
• CT and MRI of the brain;
• psychotherapeutic tests.

The exact diagnostic program will depend on the current clinical picture and general condition of the patient.

Basic therapy will depend on the diagnosis. In general, treatment interventions may include the following:

• providing rest to the patient;
• elimination of stress, excessive emotional stress;
• care.

As for drug therapy, it may include taking the following drugs:

• tranquilizers;
• antidepressants;
• sedatives;
• hypnotic;
• neuroleptics;
• vitamin and mineral complexes.

The dosage, regimen and duration of taking medications should be prescribed only by the attending physician. You cannot take such drugs without permission.