How to deal with vegetative-vascular dystonia

Vegetative-vascular dystonia occurs as a result of disturbances in the functioning of the autonomic nervous system. It is accompanied by manifestations of numerous unpleasant symptoms. A person suffering from VSD can distinguish attacks from other ailments by coping with them on their own or seeking specialized help.

What is vegetative-vascular dystonia

Vegetative-vascular dystonia is considered not as a separate disease, but as a complex of symptoms. It is characterized by a violation of the autonomic regulation of internal homeostasis. As a result, the patient experiences a violation of the vascular tone of the internal organs, and blood circulation suffers. The disorder is recorded in 80% of the population, a third of cases require VSD treatment.

The autonomic nervous system is an independent department that regulates the functioning of many organs. If coherence in functioning is disrupted, the patient experiences unpleasant symptoms related to various body systems:

• cardiovascular: arrhythmia, sweating, tachycardia, wetness of palms, blood pressure fluctuations, feeling of cold;
• respiratory: feeling of lack of air, difficulty breathing, feeling of pressure in the chest, lightheadedness, deterioration of well-being in stuffy rooms;
• gastrointestinal tract: nausea, diarrhea, lack of appetite, abdominal pain, increased gas formation, dry mouth, indigestion;
• genitourinary: decreased sexual desire, involuntary urination, impotence;
• nervous: tremor, sleep disturbance, muscle twitching.

Patients with vegetative-vascular dystonia exhibit symptoms of personality disorders: people are irritable, experience panic attacks, are fussy, impatient, and get tired quickly. They are constrained, worry about little things, and complain of absent-mindedness and memory impairment.

Vegetative-vascular dystonia in patients can manifest itself with only a few signs. If the symptoms do not cause severe discomfort, people tend to attribute the condition to frayed nerves or recent stress. Patients with VSD turn to doctors when the disorder interferes with work, attacks of fear, suffocation and other symptoms become regular in patients.

Doctors distinguish several types of nervous system disorders depending on the symptoms:

• Cardiac (impaired functioning of the cardiovascular system). VSD is manifested by chest pain, tachycardia, arrhythmia, and attacks of fear.
• Hypertensive. It is characterized in patients by high blood pressure, tachycardia, and a general deterioration in well-being.
• Hypotonic. It is characterized by a sharp decrease in blood pressure, chills, cold hands and feet, tinnitus, black spots before the eyes.
• Respiratory. This type of VSD is characterized by a feeling that there is not enough air, a feeling of a lump in the throat, compression of the chest, and panic attacks.
• Gastroenterological. This type of dystonia is diagnosed if the patient has gastrointestinal disturbances. The patient experiences abdominal cramps, heartburn, stool disturbances, and flatulence.
• Mixed. It manifests itself most often in patients and includes signs of several of the types described above.

The symptoms and types of VSD also depend on the causes that led to the disorder. A strong emotional experience or stress can trigger vegetative-vascular dystonia in a patient. There are other reasons:

• hereditary predisposition or disorders during intrauterine development, clearly manifested in adolescence or adulthood;
• autoimmune diseases;
• hormonal disorders (especially typical for women);
• past infectious diseases;
• head and neck injuries;
• emotional and physical overload;
• frequent travel, living in uncomfortable conditions;
• sedentary work, sedentary lifestyle;
• intoxication, bad habits (more typical for men).

Since the symptoms of vegetative-vascular dystonia may hide diseases of the heart, adrenal glands, respiratory organs, disturbances in the functioning of the endocrine and nervous systems, to make a diagnosis, the doctor prescribes a thorough diagnosis of VSD to the patient.

Causes of the disease

Any disease has causes. VSD is no exception. Fundamental factors include: hereditary predisposition, problems with the endocrine system and hormonal changes in the body, stress and neuroses, organic brain damage (neoplasms, strokes, traumatic brain injuries).

As mentioned earlier, the symptoms of vascular dystonia are quite extensive. This may include:

• presence of asthenic syndrome;
• unreasonable anxiety;
• stomach problems;
• increased sweating;
• unexplained increases in body temperature;
• lack of oxygen;
• numbness of the limbs;
• weather sensitivity;
• decreased motivation.

All of the above manifestations of VDS weaken and exhaust the patient. It often happens that doctors, caught on one of the symptoms, begin treatment for hypertension, asthma, gastritis or another disease that has the same symptoms.

Important! It has been scientifically proven that the manifestations of VSD are associated with unbalanced activity of the cerebral cortex, endocrine system and hypothalamus. Signs of VSD often begin to appear in school-age children; it is during this period that the load on the body increases due to hormonal changes and increased stress on the nervous system.

Treatment of VSD

The patient needs to consult several doctors. The first visit can be made to a therapist, who will recommend a list of tests and refer you to specialized specialists.

To rule out other diseases, the patient will need to consult the following doctors:

• cardiologist;
• endocrinologist;
• neurologist;
• psychiatrist (if necessary, after consultation with a neurologist),
• gastroenterologist;
• pulmonologist and others.

If specialized doctors do not find any serious diseases in the patient, they prescribe treatment. In most cases, it is aimed at relieving symptoms. Medicines relieve anxiety, spasms, improve blood circulation in the head, and regulate blood pressure. In addition to medications, the patient is recommended to undergo physical therapy. They eliminate pain, metabolic disorders, and restore vascular tone.

Along with taking medications, massage and acupuncture give good results. If necessary, the patient is referred for consultation to a psychologist, who helps to cope with fears, overcome internal complexes, and solve life problems that have caused a stressful state. Patients are advised to rest, light physical activity (if the patient leads a sedentary lifestyle), walks in the fresh air, and sanatorium treatment for vegetative-vascular dystonia.

Treatment of VSD in women

Women are more often susceptible to disorders of the autonomic nervous system. The cause is emotionality, an acute reaction to stressful life situations, nervous overstrain, fluctuations in hormone levels in adolescence, during pregnancy or menopause.

Treatment of vegetative-vascular dystonia in women is aimed at normalizing the functions of the adrenal glands, which produce stress hormones. Patients are prescribed sedatives, vitamin complexes with calcium and magnesium to strengthen the nervous system. If the cause of a disorder of the autonomic nervous system is severe stress, it is recommended to work with a psychologist or consult a psychiatrist.

Treatment of VSD in men

Representatives of the stronger sex suffer from vegetative-vascular dystonia due to physical or nervous stress at work, injuries, and bad habits. In addition to standard treatment with antidepressants and vitamin complexes, treatment of vegetative-vascular dystonia in men includes a review of the daily routine, limiting or increasing physical activity (depending on activity), and combating bad habits.

If the disorder is caused by the consequences of injury or hereditary diseases, the man will have to undergo examination and treatment aimed at eliminating the underlying pathology.

Kinds

Depending on the predominant syndrome (complex of symptoms), vegetative-vascular dystonia is divided into the following types:

• hypertensive: accompanied by a short-term increase in blood pressure (within 140 mmHg), headache, rapid heartbeat;
• hypotonic: blood pressure is constantly low or decreases sporadically, which is often accompanied by severe dizziness, darkening of the eyes or fainting; patients also complain of excessive fatigue, frequent headaches and a feeling of aches throughout the body;
• cardiac: manifests itself as an increased, decreased or uneven pulse, chest pain, as well as attacks of shortness of breath, in which the patient experiences a strong feeling of lack of air;
• vagotonic: a person, first of all, complains of breathing problems: the inability to take a full breath, a feeling of tightness in the chest; the condition is accompanied by strong salivation;
• mixed: a combination of different symptoms or their alternation.

Depending on the severity, there are three types of VSD:

• mild: a person experiences symptoms rarely, they do not disrupt his lifestyle or reduce his ability to work; there are no crises;
• moderate severity: symptoms are clearly expressed and interfere with normal life activities; periodically a person may experience crises during which his ability to work decreases;
• severe: manifestations of the disease are observed almost constantly, the person cannot work normally, and is often on sick leave; vegetative crises are repeated very often.

Diagnostics

Since a disorder of the autonomic nervous system manifests itself with many symptoms, a thorough examination is required to make a diagnosis. Before starting treatment for VSD in adults, it is recommended to conduct the following studies:

• General blood and urine analysis;
• MRI and (or) CT;
• electrocardiogram;
• Ultrasound of systems involved in symptoms;
• blood for hormones;
• electroencephalography as an auxiliary diagnostic method.

Based on the results of diagnosing VSD in adults, the doctor determines whether the patient has other diseases and makes a final diagnosis.

Prevention

Preventive measures for vegetative-vascular dystonia help increase the body's resistance to stress and strengthen the immune system. They are used not only to prevent the disease, but also as an addition to the main therapy. Doctors recommend:

• normalize the work and rest schedule, prevent overtime;
• eliminate psycho-emotional irritants as much as possible, ensure a comfortable psychological atmosphere at home;
• sleep at least 8 hours every day;
• regularly walk in the fresh air (at least 1 hour a day);
• engage in amateur sports to strengthen the body: aerobic exercise (biking, race walking) and swimming have a good effect.

Proper nutrition is also important. Recommended:

• create a diet in accordance with the principles of a healthy diet with sufficient amounts of proteins, fats, carbohydrates and microelements;
• do not exceed the daily calorie intake corresponding to age, gender and lifestyle;
• drink at least 1.5-2 liters of clean water per day;
• regularly choose foods containing large amounts of magnesium and potassium (avocado, dried apricots, bananas, almonds, broccoli, peas, spinach); they help normalize the functioning of the cardiovascular system;
• minimize the consumption of black tea, coffee, spicy, fatty, smoked foods;
• exclude alcohol.

Treatment methods for VSD

Treatment of VSD in Moscow is carried out using medication and physiotherapeutic methods. The choice depends on the characteristics of the patient’s condition and symptoms of disorders.

Drug therapy

Treatment of vegetative-vascular dystonia in adults should be comprehensive. The following groups of drugs are used for this:

• Sedatives. Medicines relax, calm, normalize sleep, and relieve anxiety. Good results are obtained with preparations based on medicinal herbs or containing synthetic relaxants (barbiturates).
• Cardiovascular. The drugs relieve arrhythmia, normalize blood pressure, and improve cerebral circulation. To increase their effectiveness, patients need to sleep at least 8 hours a day.
• Medicines to normalize the functioning of the nervous system. There are several groups of drugs. For VSD, the following are used: tranquilizers (drugs relieve anxiety), sleeping pills (normalize sleep), antidepressants (treat the symptom complex of depression, including increasing mood), neuroleptics (reduce the sensitivity of nerve endings, are used to treat severe emotional and mental arousal), nootropics ( to improve cerebral circulation).
• Vitamin complexes. The drugs normalize the balance of vitamins and minerals and strengthen the nervous system.
• Antispasmodics. Necessary for muscle weakness, stomach cramps, headaches.
• Hormonal drugs. The drugs are used if VSD has developed against the background of hormonal imbalance.
• Diuretic medications. These drugs remove excess fluid, prevent stagnation and swelling, and ensure good blood and lymph circulation.

When choosing medications, the patient’s age and existing diseases are also taken into account.

Physiotherapy

In addition to medications, the symptoms of the disorder are relieved by physiotherapeutic procedures. Treatment of vegetative-vascular dystonia in Moscow includes:

• bioresonance therapy;
• reflexology;
• Exercise therapy according to a special course of exercises;
• massage;
• acupuncture;
• laser and magnetic therapy;
• electrophoresis with sedatives;
• electrosleep;
• darsonvalization;
• aeroionotherapy.

Massage, exercise therapy, acupuncture should be carried out by specialists. Procedures are selected individually.

Prevention

After a course of VSD therapy, as well as to prevent nervous breakdown, doctors recommend the following measures to patients:

• various exercises, sports;
• walk as often as possible;
• start doing yoga, meditation, and other techniques aimed at relaxation;
• vitamin therapy courses;
• contrast shower (if there are no contraindications).

Patients are advised to avoid overexertion, find time to rest, and get enough sleep. At the first attacks or intensification of symptoms of the disorder, it is better to consult a doctor. In case of severe manifestations of dysfunction of the autonomic system, the patient is hospitalized.

Physiotherapy, massage, acupuncture and other treatments

In some cases, you may not need help in treating VSD. In order for this to be possible, it is necessary to undergo a regimen of physiotherapeutic procedures.

In order to relax the body, the following procedures are recommended:

• medicinal baths with pine additives;
• beneficial massages of the patient’s cervical area;
• electrosleep;
• treatment with aromas and natural oils;
• using a circular shower to improve the tone of the patient’s entire body;
• SUV irradiation;
• bath procedures using contrast;
• turpentine bath for better vasodilation;
• electrophoresis procedures for treatment.

Tinctures of valerian, hawthorn, peony, and motherwort have a good effect (for hypertensive and mixed forms of VSD). For the hypotonic form, herbs such as sandy immortelle, Chinese lemongrass, tinctures of ginseng and lure are used. In the form of tea, you can use medicinal plants such as lemon balm and mint, St. John's wort, and hops.

Massage can also significantly improve the patient’s well-being. As a rule, such types of massage as segmental reflex, acupressure, massage of the collar area, back and legs, and general strengthening are used.

Sanatorium-resort treatment has a beneficial effect in the treatment of vascular dystonia, but for greater benefit, you should choose sanatoriums in your usual climatic zone. When receiving treatment in a sanatorium, it is easier to carry out constant medical monitoring when receiving various procedures and ensure proper rest after them.

Acupuncture is not such a common, but quite effective method of treatment, including in the treatment of VSD. The most important thing is that the acupuncturist is a professional in his field. It is no secret that there are various active points on the human body and this is where needles are placed. Acupuncture eliminates back pain, relieves muscle spasms, and improves blood circulation. It also strengthens the immune system and, in general, significantly improves the condition of the body.

Complications

Despite the fact that dystonia of the vegetative-vascular system is not considered as an isolated disease, many symptoms can lead to serious complications:

• Vegetative crisis. The complication manifests itself as regular panic attacks, tachycardia, and pale skin. During a vagoinsular crisis, breathing is difficult, flatulence occurs, blood pressure and pulse decrease, and diarrhea is possible. The likelihood of loss of consciousness increases.
• Cardiovascular diseases. Against the background of crises, hypertension or hypotension, tachycardia, and arrhythmia develop. Disruption of the heart and vascular tone can lead the patient to myocardial infarction, stroke and other dangerous diseases.
• Neurological and mental diseases. If you do not try to stop the attacks, the condition will worsen. A disorder in the functioning of the vegetative-vascular system leads to the appearance of obsessions, a constant experience of fear, and tremors of the limbs.
• Digestive disorders. If crises are manifested by disruption of the gastrointestinal tract, the situation will subsequently worsen. The patient may develop gastritis, peptic ulcers, gastroenteritis and other diseases in which food is poorly digested, constipation occurs, and appetite is lost.

Vegetative-vascular dystonia (dysfunction syndrome of the autonomic nervous system) in itself is not a life-threatening disease. But it leads to complications that worsen the quality of life and give rise to other pathologies, the consequences of which can be threatening. The sooner you start treating the disease, the faster you will be able to get rid of the symptoms.

In our clinic, patients will receive qualified medical care. Here, patients will be able to undergo a full examination and consult with specialists. Our doctors approach drawing up a treatment plan individually, taking into account the characteristics of each patient’s body.

Symptoms

The symptoms of vegetative-vascular dystonia are varied, since the ANS is responsible for the functioning of all organs and structures of the human body. All manifestations of the disease can be divided into several groups:

• respiratory (respiratory): rapid breathing, subjective feeling of lack of air, inability to take a deep breath, aggravated by stress;
• cardiac (cardiac): frequent or rare pulse, interruptions (feeling of freezing) in the work of the heart, pain and a feeling of squeezing in the sternum or in the left half of the chest;
• thermoregulatory: an increase in temperature not associated with any infectious disease or inflammatory process; usually goes away on its own;
• dysdynamic: a sharp increase or decrease in blood pressure, accompanied by corresponding symptoms: headache, dizziness, flashing spots before the eyes, fainting, etc.;
• psychoneurological: increased sensitivity to changes in atmospheric pressure and temperature (meteosensitivity), drowsiness during the day and insomnia at night, apathy, irritability, causeless anxiety, fatigue;
• gastrointestinal: constipation, diarrhea or their alternation, pain and heaviness in the stomach, heartburn, increased gas formation in the intestines;
• sexual: decreased sexual desire, lack of arousal, inability to achieve orgasm, impotence in men.

The disease can cause both individual symptoms and various combinations of them. This makes it much more difficult to diagnose.