A remedy for VSD by Andrey Kurpatov

Sedatives

Sedatives for VSD are the main ones.
They eliminate anxiety and excitement, block the activity of the nervous system. It is recommended to use medications based on bromine, magnesium salts and barbiturates, as well as those with a plant base. The latter are considered the safest, as they are well tolerated by patients and have virtually no side effects. There is an opinion that herbal alcohol tinctures are more effective compared to tablets of a similar composition, because they have a pronounced sedative effect. These include extracts of valerian root, passionflower, peony or motherwort. Among tablet forms of drugs based on valerian, drugs such as Novo-Passit, Persen, Dormiplant are more often prescribed. St. John's wort is also famous for its sedative effect, and drugs based on it are Deprim or Negrustin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zCrldvVZR8

Persons with severe manifestations of the cardiac type of VSD are prescribed barbiturate-based sedatives. Due to the fact that they have many side effects, they should be prescribed and used with extreme caution.

Magnesium-based drugs have a positive and long-term effect in the treatment of autonomic failures. This substance is necessary for the full functioning of the brain and heart. Such drugs include:

• Magne B6;
• cardiomagnyl;
• Magnerot.
• sleeping pills

Sleep disorders, which often occur with vegetative-vascular dystonia, are also subject to drug treatment. If other methods of restoring the biological rhythm do not help, then this symptom can be eliminated with the help of medications. By normalizing sleep, the products also eliminate headaches.

Sleeping pills include:

• zoriclone;
• sonylux;
• zolpidem;
• barnoval;
• donormil.

Treatment of VSD with sedatives

Most often, the complaints of those suffering from a disorder of the autonomic nervous system are symptoms of nervous disorders, therefore therapy with sedatives is an almost obligatory part of the treatment regimen for this syndrome. The action of such drugs is aimed at stabilizing cognitive processes leading to inhibition or, conversely, stimulation of the central nervous system, including the autonomic component, having a beneficial effect on the activity of the nervous system. There are synthetic drugs and drugs based on the use of plant components. According to their pharmacological action, sedatives are divided into the following groups:

• tranquilizers that relieve psychosis, anxiety, phobias,
• mood stabilizers that can have a stabilizing effect on the mood of patients suffering from various mental disorders,
• sedative medications have a milder effect on the psyche, have a minimal number of side effects and are much better tolerated than tranquilizers, although they require longer treatment,
• the use of antidepressants is indicated during the period of maximum manifestation of symptoms of autonomic dysfunction, and their effect is intermediate in speed of manifestation between tranquilizers and sedatives.

Almost all calming tablets for VSD have the ability to normalize sleep, making it deeper and less susceptible to external irritants.

List of drugs for the treatment of vegetative-vascular dystonia

There are several different approaches to the treatment of any pathology, including VSD:

1. Etiotropic therapy. It is aimed at eliminating the immediate cause of the disease (for example, antibiotics for pneumonia kill a pathogenic bacterium, the toxic effect of the microorganism stops, the lung tissue is restored - the patient recovers). It is difficult to accurately determine the cause of angiodystonia, since the symptoms affect different organ systems, provoking completely opposite symptoms in a short period. In this regard, the etiotropic method is not used.
2. Pathogenetic treatment. Here the emphasis is on blocking the body's response to an internal or external agent (for example, the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce the temperature in a patient with pneumonia). For VSD, such therapy may include treatment aimed at:
   decreased activity of electrical processes in neurons - sedatives;
3. additional stimulation of the peripheral nervous system – for asthenic syndrome;
4. correction of dysfunctions of peripheral organs – occurs in pathologies of the spinal cord and spine.
5. Symptomatic treatment. Therapy of this nature removes only the visible manifestations of underlying processes (for example, painkillers).

Most often, according to patient reviews, the following groups of drugs are used:

• depressing the activity of the nervous system: sedatives (have a calming effect);
• tranquilizers (the effect of inhibition of consciousness is more pronounced than that of sedative tablets);
• neuroleptics (they are also called antipsychotics, since they are intended to correct severe mental disorders associated with aggression and panic);
• sleeping pills (help normalize the rhythm of sleep and wakefulness);

Adult patients

In adulthood, the symptoms of the disease usually worsen. There are fewer and fewer situations where the symptoms are so mild that you can get by with restorative drugs. And the demands of adult patients are greater: they need to continue to perform work duties with the same level of stress, but at the same time they expect the effect in the shortest possible time.

Doctors distinguish the following clinical variants of the course of VSD:

• cardialgic;
• tachycardial;
• hypertensive;
• visceral;
• hypotonic;
• asthenic;
• respiratory.

A mixed type of vegetative-vascular dystonia is distinguished separately.

The cardialgic type of VSD is characterized by prolonged dull or sharp pain in the heart area. They are accompanied by anxiety, increased blood pressure and increased heart rate. With the hypertensive type, short-term surges in blood pressure are recorded, which, unlike hypertension, does not rise above 170/95 mmHg. The visceral type of VSD appears with severe and frequent pain in the abdominal cavity, which is accompanied by bloating, constipation or diarrhea.

In patients with the hypotonic type of VSD, blood pressure decreases for a short time to 90/60 mmHg. and below. The patient experiences weakness, decreased body temperature and increased sweating.

The asthenic form of VSD is characterized by the following symptoms:

• fatigue;
• loss of stamina for a long time;
• temperature increase to 37.5 °C;
• slight trembling in the hands.

The respiratory type of VSD is manifested by pressing pain in the chest and difficulty breathing. They are accompanied by a feeling of a “lump in the throat,” a dry cough, yawning, and an inability to take a deep breath. The mixed form of the disease can combine symptoms of several types of vegetative-vascular dystonia.

All types of VSD are characterized by acute attacks - vegetative crises. They appear suddenly. With an exacerbation of vegetative-vascular dystonia of the hypertensive type, the patient experiences sudden agitation. His heart rate increases, blood pressure rises, chills occur, and his legs get cold. With VSD of the hypotonic type, shortness of breath, weakness, nausea, and sweating appear during an attack. The person feels as if his heart is skipping a beat. A decrease in blood pressure is recorded and blood pressure decreases.

During an exacerbation of VSD of the cardiac type, patients complain of sharp, stabbing pain in the heart, increased heart rate, and shortness of breath. During an attack of mixed type vegetative-vascular dystonia, symptoms of different types of VSD appear.

Scientific fact: "lie detector test"

As soon as science realized that emotion is primarily the physiological reactions of our body and without these reactions emotion is impossible, an idea immediately arose in some heads: to determine a person’s honesty using instruments that record the vegetative component of emotion. When we tell a lie, even if it is beneficial and necessary for us, we still experience pronounced internal resistance to our own lies. The point, of course, is not that in this case we suffer from the hardships of moral choice, but that we are afraid.

Yes, even in our early childhood we learned: our lies are invariably followed by punishment and retribution. “The secret always becomes apparent,” wrote Viktor Dragunsky in his “Deniska’s Stories.” Of course, this did not stop us from lying if necessary, but we became terribly afraid that our lie would be revealed, and then we would get “on the first day.” Throwing the hated porridge out the window, lying to the teacher that you didn’t feel well, did the assignment but forgot it at home, taught it but didn’t remember it – a sacred thing! But it’s terribly scary - they’ll find out, they’ll guess, and then all hell breaks loose...

So lies and fear go hand in hand with each other, and fear, as we know, is manifested by certain symptoms: palpitations, increased blood pressure, changes in the nature of external respiration, sweating. So if we measure these symptoms in a person who provides us with this or that information, we can determine whether he is lying to us or not. The one who tells the truth, by and large, has nothing to fear, or, at least, he should not have internal tension associated with the fear of exposure. And if there is, then there is probably something fishy here...

This method of “honesty” was first carried out by a scandalous scientist named Cesaro Lambroso, the author of the famous and sensational book “Genius and Madness.” At the end of the 19th century, he began to measure the blood pressure of suspects in a particular crime during interrogation. A couple of decades later, our compatriot A.R. Luria, who was a friend and colleague of L.S. Vygotsky (who is well known to those who have read my book “How to Get Rid of Anxiety, Depression and Irritability”) conducted similar experiments on murder suspects. True, A.R. Luria mainly measured the intensity of muscle tension in them and determined signs of impaired coordination of movements.

And already in the 20s of the 20th century, D. Keeler manufactured the first device for recording respiration, blood pressure and electrical activity of the skin during police investigations in Berkeley (California, USA). The success was stunning! Researchers determined with a probability of 80 and sometimes 90% of cases whether their test subject was lying or telling the truth. And the production of polygraphs (machines we call “lie detectors”) began to flow. A person who has nothing to hide will answer questions regarding a crime with the same calm as he would answer “ordinary” questions. Meanwhile, a possible criminal, wanting to lie so as not to give himself away, will become a victim of internal excitement, which will be easily caught by a polygraph.

But how do researchers find fear in their subjects? They measure the activity of the sympathetic nervous system. And if a person, during such a special examination, demonstrates a rapid pulse, increased blood pressure, irregular breathing, excessive sweating, etc., then it means that at that moment he is experiencing a strong negative emotion - first of all, fear. And if he’s afraid, it means he has something to hide...

Why did I remember now about the polygraph? Of course, not because all sufferers of VSD should be suspected of committing some terrible crime, and therefore need to be tested with a lie detector. Of course not! But those suffering from vegetative-vascular dystonia themselves should think: what comes first in the symptoms that torment them - these symptoms themselves or the fear of their appearance? In other words, isn’t fear, internal tension, stress the true cause of our malaise? Perhaps we do not notice the stress we are experiencing, just as a criminal does not notice his own internal tension during a false answer to a provocative question for him?..

Labored breathing

This is also a symptom that throws patients with VSD out of balance - difficulty breathing, or a feeling of lack of air. Indeed, any problem with breathing naturally causes fear in a person - after all, this is a vital function of the body. But that’s what a person is all about, to “turn on” his brain at this moment and take advantage of its capabilities in order to correctly assess the situation. “Breathing difficulties” that occur with vegetative-vascular dystonia are purely a subjective sensation!

Firstly, if everyone around you “has enough air,” then there cannot be “not enough air” for someone who seems to have been deprived of it. In other words, if there is not enough air, then everyone should suffocate in such a situation. How long ago has this happened so that, for example, all the passengers of some subway car suffocated? Or, for example, how many cases do you know of someone suffocating while left alone in our domestic apartment? More people, in my opinion, died from drafts in them than from suffocation.

Secondly, there is a disease that actually manifests itself as asthma attacks, and the name of this disease is asthma. But this disease has strict criteria that make it possible to clearly determine whether a person suffers from asthma or not. And if the studies carried out (first of all, specific changes in the blood are important here) indicate the absence of appropriate criteria, then there can be no talk of asthma!

Finally, thirdly, attacks of shortness of breath can occur in people suffering from atherosclerosis of the coronary vessels, but in this case there is atherosclerosis of the coronary vessels, which is determined using a simple ECG study. If atherosclerosis is not found in us, then we do not have the right to real dyspnea of ​​the core. And the difficulties that we have with breathing cannot be qualified other than as a “subjective sensation”, i.e. it only seems to a person.

Yes, against the background of stress, we experience problems with breathing, but believe me, the body is an unusually tenacious creature and absolutely wants to live, so it will never allow such a failure to lead to any irreparable consequences. The fact that a person who is afraid of suffocating out of the blue really breathes ineffectively is not a question. He is breathing ineffectively in the sense that he could breathe better. However, all this is again not fatal - he is breathing!

Life, gentlemen of the jury, is a complicated thing, but, gentlemen of the jury, this thing opens as simply as a box. You just need to be able to open it. He who cannot open it disappears.

Ilya Ilf and Evgeniy Petrov
True, some during a panic attack try to breathe with their stomach - i.e. swallow air instead of inhaling it (i.e. letting it into the lungs). But, really, this is an exceptional initiative, which can be easily and simply stopped if desired. In addition, some “specialists” suffering from VSD, during their “attack”, forget that air sometimes needs to be not only inhaled, but also exhaled. When they have a “feeling of lack of air,” they inhale, inhale, inhale, but do not consider it necessary to exhale. But our chest is not dimensionless, so if you want to inhale well, you need to exhale well before doing so, thereby freeing up space for a new portion of air. It is, in fact, these two mistakes that constitute the “feeling of lack of air,” which, fortunately, is in abundance for everyone in this world. And to wrap up this topic about the feeling of a “lump in the throat,” the feeling that “your breath has been taken away,” that it has “cut off,” “stalled,” “choked.” All these sensations are associated with banal muscle spasms, characteristic of stress loads. During times of stress, as we remember (and a “panic attack” in itself is stress), a person experiences natural muscle tension. And there are muscles in both the pharynx and larynx, so there is nothing strange in the fact that something is “squeezed” and “strained” there. However, there is nothing wrong with that. Well, the body cannot kill itself, it cannot! Something tensed in my throat, a feeling of a lump arose - so what?! Why not breathe, for what reason?!

Dizziness, headaches, fainting

Dizziness and fainting are what patients with VSD are very often afraid of, and headaches are what they traditionally suffer from. I must immediately make a reservation that headaches are a natural phenomenon in the case of VSD. Muscle tension (especially in the vessels of the neck), characteristic of stress, and disruption of the autonomic regulation of vascular function that accompanies VSD cannot but lead to one or another manifestation of physical suffering in the brain.

But, fortunately, all these troubles do not pose any threat to human health. We cannot experience such a muscle spasm that will lead to complete compression of the blood vessels, and therefore pain may occur, and dizziness may occur, but there is no way to die in this way. A similar situation arises with vegetative tone. No matter how badly it is broken, there will be no big trouble. Discomfort - yes, but troubles - no.

Autonomic imbalance can indeed lead to dizziness if the work of the sympathetic part of the autonomic nervous system is painfully enhanced. When we experience a cerebral vascular spasm, the brain does not get better; its blood supply becomes less efficient. This is unpleasant, but not at all a disaster, since at the same time there is a rise in pressure, so that even despite the narrowing of the lumen of the vessels, a real deficiency of nutrients and oxygen does not occur in the brain. If parasympathetic tone predominates in us, then the vessels, on the contrary, dilate as blood pressure decreases. Thus, the opposite situation arises here: the pressure is less, but the clearance is wider. Dizziness may occur, but that’s all.

There are two ways to easily glide through life: believe everything and doubt everything. They both relieve us of the need to think.

Alfred Korzybski
Regarding “fainting states,” your humble servant has a lot of prejudices. The fact is that there is such a phenomenon in medicine: “loss of consciousness”, or “unconscious state”. It can develop, for example, in the case of severe traumatic brain injury or painful shock. However, what fainting is is, by and large, unknown to science. Severe dizziness, an attack of weakness - this is all right! It's clear. But fainting?.. Fainting, rather, comes from the realm of literature, and deeply artistic one at that. The fact that it seems to a person that he has “lost consciousness” is only his imagination; the fact that it seems to him that he is “about to lose consciousness” - even more so.

Indeed, the feeling of stuffiness, lightheadedness, etc. “-you” is, of course, a nuisance, but you don’t need to lose your head! Well, things got worse... What should I do? It will pass, it won't go anywhere. But if you get worried, if you immediately start looking for a place on the sidewalk where to lie down, this is a problem! In this case, the fear only becomes greater, and the vegetative discomfort only increases. The consequences are clear - we will suffer, as well as live, and accordingly. In any case, the fear of fainting is much worse than fainting itself, even if it happens... for a couple of seconds.

Weakness

The feeling of weakness, by and large, comes in two forms: either we are physically so weakened that we no longer understand anything, or we are psychologically so exhausted that our own body ceases to obey “its commander in chief.” The weakness of a person suffering from VSD, as you might guess, is from the second group. His body is bubbling and working tirelessly, and therefore it is quite difficult to recognize him as physically weakened. Perhaps he is tired, but why?! The reason is emotions and all sorts of bad thoughts that, they say, I will die soon and no one will come to my grave.

However, vegetative imbalance is really an unpleasant thing. And if your body is exhausted (the reason doesn’t matter here), then it wants rest, and if we don’t give it to it, then it takes it itself - to the extent that it can take it. This, in fact, is the weakness that a person with VSD experiences so often and so unjustifiably acutely. Well, such weakness only tells us that we need to rest, and at the same time it also clearly hints: “Stop torturing the cat!” I don’t think there’s any need to explain who the “cat” is here.

Sweating, chills and low-grade fibrility

Sweating, chills and low-grade fever are the same. All of them are caused by the work of the autonomic nervous system and, in general, serve one thing - thermoregulation. Maintaining the right body temperature is a very important thing. The fact is that a huge number of chemical reactions are constantly taking place in our body, which, as we remember from school, often require one or another temperature regime. This, in fact, is why our body needs a constantly burning “alcohol lamp”, and with a strictly defined flame temperature.

However, there is nothing terrible in temperature fluctuations, the play here is quite large, and most importantly, there is a system of heat sinks and heat drives. Sweating, for example, is a way to lower body temperature, and subfibrility is a way to raise it. When we sweat, moisture appears on our skin, which, evaporating, cools these very covers. With vegetative failures, a strange situation often arises - the body sweats excessively, but only in areas. These zones are known - the palms and armpits, less often the neck, groin area, etc.

Subfibrillation is a body temperature elevated to 37.0-37.5 ° C (a rise in temperature serves to accelerate metabolic processes in the body, which is natural in situations of stress). Special centers of the brain are responsible for this, and the occurrence of subfibrillation is due to their decision that, supposedly, the existing body temperature is insufficient for the level of stress in which this body is located. Perhaps, of course, they overdid it, but that’s okay, they’ll float and float and stop – they won’t go anywhere.

Chills are, accordingly, a state when the body is looking for the temperature it needs, trying to get into the required temperature corridor that corresponds to the required intensity and speed of metabolic processes. The condition is unpleasant, but it regulates the heat supply!

And there are other options to choose from...

It must be said that VSD is only one of the variants of autonomic dysfunction that occurs against the background of stress. We have already remembered another “terrible” diagnosis - diencephalic crisis, but the list of such pseudo-illnesses does not end there. The autonomic nervous system innervates all organs of our body, and therefore there is gastric VSD, intestinal VSD, blood VSD, and even VSD of a sexual nature!

A person experiencing stress is able to fixate on a variety of symptoms of his vegetative ailment. If he is fixated on the state of his heart, then he will have classic vegetative-vascular dystonia; if he is focused on his “paralysis,” then most likely he will be diagnosed with a diencephalic crisis; if he has a feeling of lack of air (what seems to him like “suffocation”) , then doctors will say that it is “neurogenic asthma.” There are, of course, other options...

In some people, emotional stress leads to certain shifts in the system that regulates the degree of permeability of small blood vessels (capillaries). In this case, the main symptom of stress will be “unreasonable bruises” and bleeding up to the so-called “bloody sweat”.

Health is when you have pain in a different place every day.

F.G.
Ranevskaya Other people experiencing stress and on the verge of neurosis fall into a state that is manifested either by a complete loss of appetite (this is in the case of an excess of sympathetic function), or, on the contrary, by causeless “eating” (this is in the case of stimulation of the parasympathetic system). The result is either weight loss or weight gain.

You can, however, become fixated on nausea, which sometimes ends in vomiting. Nausea and vomiting are unpleasant things, and therefore fixation on them often leads to terrible consequences: a person is constantly worried, worried, and as a result, his condition only worsens. In such cases, doctors talk about gastritis, gastroduodenitis, sometimes about the esophageal reflex, but in reality it’s neurosis and nothing more.

However, the gastric tract has not only a top, but also a bottom. For some, this “bottom” becomes a stumbling block - diarrhea or, on the contrary, constipation are in these cases the main culprits in the triumph of autonomic dysfunction. Frequent, relatively loose stools or constipation and flatulence in such people are often more unpleasant than serious. A person who is concerned about the functioning of his gastrointestinal tract may pay so much attention to it that a failure in the functioning of this tract is simply inevitable. However, whenever our consciousness interferes with the functioning of physiological functions, we have problems. In this case, doctors call this problem “irritable bowel syndrome.”

There are those, among other things, who are fixated on the frequency of their urination. This may seem strange to some, but those who have made this physiological function their main problem are not laughing. Under stress and with increased blood pressure, our kidneys actually produce more urine per unit of time than in a calm state. This circumstance can provoke a strong and sudden “urge to urinate”; the latter can happen in an inconvenient place and at the wrong moment (for example, in transport). As a result, a person begins to worry that this “embarrassment” will happen again under similar circumstances. And this anxiety is already stress, which is precisely what contributes to this embarrassment; there is also fixation, which intensifies all our sensations...

In short, a vicious circle closes: stress - increased blood pressure - increased kidney function - the urge to urinate in inconvenient circumstances - embarrassment (of one kind or another) - fear that this embarrassment will happen again - stress when similar circumstances arise - increased blood pressure - increased kidney function - howling to urinate - classic neurosis (you can’t leave the house, and all you can think about is only one thing - no matter how embarrassing we have with the toilet). This is how troubles happen...

Finally, the matter is decided by sexual dysfunctions of the same - vegetative - nature. In men, the sympathetic response can manifest itself in premature ejaculation and decreased potency. In women - low secretion of the glands of the genital organs, increased excitability in the absence of psychological readiness for sexual contact. All this, of course, does not contribute to the quality of life in any way, sexual problems arise, then interpersonal conflicts, then fixation on “symptoms”, fears... and now neurosis unfolds before us in all its glory.

By the way, against the background of exhaustion in the presence of long-term and debilitating autonomic disorders, sexual dysfunctions appear on their own, and in this case they look simple - “I don’t want anything,” “I don’t want anyone,” “I won’t do anything.” In short, a person’s libido decreases, and hello.

Muscle spasms, cramps, changes in skin sensitivity

We have described the main symptoms of autonomic imbalance, but, as already mentioned, stress, like any strong emotion, is not only psychology, not only autonomics, but also the state of the muscles. The muscles here are almost the only “nail” on which “everything rests”, because they are the ones who should “take us out of the battlefield”, and when you are in a situation of stress, it means that it seems to you that you are in the epicenter of a battle , and therefore I want to “tick from here until something happens.”

Muscles are a separate topic altogether, and we will return to it later as a separate topic. Now let's talk about symptoms. So, stress - both obvious and hidden from our consciousness - is impossible without muscle tension, but we cannot always realize the muscle tension that has arisen in us. Since a decent person should not show his heels at the first opportunity and his fists at the second, then, accordingly, a paradoxical situation arises: there is tension, but it is unknown where to put it. Here the muscles of decent people flex as best they can - we experience muscle spasms, cramps, tics, etc. There is nothing supernatural about this.

But if your muscle cramps, as it seems, out of the blue (and it always seems like this if your own stress is not obvious to you), the stupidest thoughts come to mind: “What’s wrong with me? Why don't my own hands and feet obey me? Maybe it’s a stroke?!” From such a “bold idea”, of course, it becomes even worse, even more terrible, and the muscle spasm only intensifies.

On the other hand, muscle tension naturally entails a change in the sensations emanating from those muscles. A tense muscle feels much different than a relaxed muscle. Often it is not felt at all! If you now remember the traditional plot from Russian fairy tales, which tells how, from the “puffing” of the Serpent-Gorynych, Ivan first found himself ankle-deep in the ground, then knee-deep, and then waist-deep, then you will be able to understand what we are talking about.

If you read the tale carefully, it is difficult not to notice one striking oddity. At some point, Ivan, who, as they say, is waist-deep in the ground, suddenly breaks away and moves in one direction or another. Now imagine that you are buried waist-deep in the ground. Can you take off and run? Do you need time to dig out? Without a doubt, it takes both time and digging. Doesn't this mean that Ivan was not buried? I answer with authority: that means!

The fact is that against the background of stress, muscle sensitivity changes (and Ivan, for example, as you might guess, was under stress when this monster began to breathe on him). Overstraining muscles can actually lead to the opposite effect: a person begins to feel as if his legs have become weak, completely relaxed, or even paralyzed.

If you don’t know whether to run or stay in place, but the need to perform one action or another is obvious, then in the legs both those muscles that are responsible for bending them (the so-called flexor muscles) and those that are responsible for extension (the so-called extensor muscles). What should the brain think in such a situation? It is incomprehensible to him, and he makes a cardinal, albeit incorrect, decision for himself: he begins to assure us that the leg muscles are not tense at all, i.e. relaxed, felt like cotton wool, or completely paralyzed.

Of course, there is no talk of any paralysis here! And in the mentioned fairy tales, no one buried the main character. There was simply a momentary tension in the flexor and extensor muscles, and the brain thought and thought and decided that the legs were not tense at all. Yes, if you “stopped in your tracks,” and fear can sometimes have a similar effect, then it may well seem to you that “your legs are not listening to you.” Some of us interpret the latter in a peculiar way: “If your legs don’t obey you, it means paralysis, it means a stroke!” Does that mean? Fear doesn’t care about this; its eyes are big and its mind is short.

Changes in skin sensitivity, which are often found in people suffering from VSD, are from the same story as psychological “paralysis” of the limbs. But the mechanism of such sensations is still somewhat different than in the case of muscle tension, although the latter play a primary role in it. A tense muscle affects all nearby tissues, including those nerve endings that are responsible for skin sensitivity.

Compression of these nerve endings “from the inside”, i.e. not from the surface of the skin, but from the muscles, leads to strange effects. A person may experience a feeling of numbness (with tense muscles, figuratively speaking, you can “sit your leg” without sitting down), tingling, goosebumps, etc. Since similar symptoms often occur in a person who has suffered a stroke, it is probably not strange that that thoughts about such a disease creep into the head of a person suffering from VSD.

It is no use saying, “We are doing our best.” You must successfully accomplish what is required.

Winston Churchill
The fact that such a conclusion is erroneous is quite obvious, because in a stroke patient a specialist identifies a whole complex of specific symptoms that a person suffering from VSD simply does not have. But, among other things, he has no knowledge of what this “complex” is like. He can be sure that his symptoms are quite enough. And if a person experiences dizziness, headaches, a feeling of a pulsating vessel in the head, as well as muscle spasms, cramps, “woolly legs” and changes in skin sensitivity, he may well think that - “That’s it!”

But this, of course, is not all, and the doctor will tell him about this. It would also be good if this doctor told the sufferer that he has a neurosis... However, our doctors are afraid to say such things to people, since most of us continue to remain in the prehistoric belief that “neurosis” is such a name-calling. And that’s why doctors talk to their patients about either vegetative-vascular dystonia or diencephalic crisis (this term means the same thing and is often used in Russia). The last phrase coming out of the doctor’s mouth is often perceived by an ignorant person as a “death sentence.” But in reality we are talking about an ordinary neurosis or, if you like, about VSD, but with a predominance of not so much vegetative as muscle symptoms.

Neuroleptics

Antipsychotics are intended for the treatment of persons with mental disorders and psychoses. Such drugs for VSD are prescribed when the disease is accompanied by depression, anxiety, and neurosis. Their action is multifaceted: they reduce the reaction to external stimuli, calm, weaken psychomotor agitation and tension, suppress fear and aggressiveness.

Such medications normalize vascular tone, heart rate and blood pressure. Some of them, in addition to the indicated effect, have a sedative or, conversely, an activating effect.

Neuroleptics are the next step after the use of sedatives. They can only be taken as prescribed by a doctor. In this case, only those drugs that have a mild effect are used. These include:

• Sonapax;
• Truxal;
• aminazine;
• tizercin;
• melleril;
• frenolone.

How to achieve effectiveness in the treatment of VSD according to Kurpatov

In Kurpatov's book you can also read about the possibility of increasing the effectiveness of treatment to the maximum. Depending on the cause of the disease with nervous system dysfunction, the following methods should be used:

• In case of emotional stress caused by unmet needs, when a nerve impulse provokes an attack of the disease, it is important not to block it. It is recommended to meet the body's needs and avoid stress as much as possible.
• When the body is stressed due to sudden changes in habitual life activities, it is necessary to speed up its adaptation to a new way of life using artificial methods (maintain the usual temperature regime with a gradual change in the necessary direction, select clothes according to weather conditions, take sedatives).
• If you are allergic to “vegetative” attacks, when the body suffering from VSD is in constant anticipation of a new attack and because of this stimulates attacks of fear and panic for no reason, you need to learn to abstract from constant thoughts about possible exacerbations.

VSD often occurs against the background of reinforcement of a stressful state and pathological fear. When the first similar symptoms appear, a person escalates the situation and psychologically programs himself for further deterioration of the condition followed by an attack, which becomes a habit. For treatment to be effective, it is important to get rid of this habit using Andrei Kurpatov’s practical methods based on psychotraining.

ATTENTION!

The effectiveness of auto-trainings is enhanced by their comprehensive goal, when the patient not only wants to limit himself from negative thoughts, but is also able to accept his disease, not be afraid of its consequences, and not make VSD the main problem of his life.

The patient does not require the help of outsiders, since the essence of training according to Kurpatov’s method is self-hypnosis of verbal attitudes. It is necessary to carry out classes daily, and within 3 weeks positive results for mental and physical health will be noticeable.

It is important to remember that optimism during psychotraining must be healthy, since it is impossible to exclude the possibility of an attack. You need to take this into account and tune in to a positive outcome of treatment even when they occur.

Also, to increase the effectiveness of VSD treatment, Kurpatov recommends doing breathing exercises, yoga, relaxation, giving up bad habits, leading a healthy lifestyle with regular walks in the fresh air and getting proper rest. There should be only positive and sociable people in your immediate environment, which has a beneficial effect on a person’s mood.

You can check the effectiveness of treatment by keeping a diary recording measurements of health indicators that are affected by dystonia:

• blood pressure;
• heart rate (pulse);
• breathing frequency and intensity;
• headaches (character, localization).

Keeping a diary with daily filling of this data allows you to trace the manifestations of the symptoms of the disease and study them. In most cases, after treatment using the Kurpatov method, the symptoms of vegetative-vascular dystonia decrease significantly and soon disappear.

REFERENCE!

There is no panacea for VSD, and its invention is not planned in the near future, since the disease occurs in everyone for different reasons. The book by Andrei Kurpatov allows you to familiarize yourself with ways to combat “vegetative” attacks for everyone, taking into account their root causes and the characteristics of the people’s psyche.

Dr. Kurpatov’s work can be bought in bookstores or ordered online. In addition, anyone can download “Remedy for VSD” for free to their computer and study useful information without leaving home. For busy people who want to get acquainted with the features of auto-training for dystonia, access to the author’s audiobook is provided, which can be listened to on the road and during breaks.

List of drugs for the treatment of vegetative-vascular dystonia

Adult patients

Vegetative-vascular dystonia is a disease in which the tone of all vessels is disrupted: veins, arteries, capillaries. The criteria for functional venous hypertension are:

• increased systemic peripheral and regional venous pressure;
• expansion of the venous section of the capillary system with increased permeability of the vascular wall;
• increased interstitial pressure;
• swelling, pain from peripheral tissues and joints;
• pain in the heart area and the likelihood of a special type of angina - venous coronary insufficiency.

The formation of pain syndrome in vegetative-vascular dystonia is determined by changes in the heart itself and depends on the functional state of the central nervous system.

A significant place in the development of vegetative-vascular dystonia is given to regional circulation disorders, primarily to cerebral blood flow. In contrast to gross disturbances of microcirculation in organic diseases of the cardiovascular system, in patients with vegetative-vascular dystonia, vascular permeability increases, as a result of which transient and sometimes persistent serositis develops.

Development of VSD

A number of experts believe that such a diagnosis as vegetative-vascular dystonia does not exist at all, and the set of symptoms is a manifestation of other diseases. However, it is often necessary to encounter a situation in which it is not possible to identify any other disease; according to studies, a person is healthy, but meanwhile he continues to experience unpleasant symptoms.

Due to the lack of a diagnosis, the doctor cannot prescribe medications for vegetative-vascular dystonia. Therefore, after assessing the patient’s condition, analyzing the existing symptoms, and excluding other diseases, the attending physician diagnoses vascular dystonia.

This disease has many symptoms, and each individual person usually experiences no more than twenty, and, as a rule, even less. Different people may experience certain manifestations from the general list, while the symptomatic pictures may not coincide with each other, which also makes diagnosis and prescribing medications quite difficult. This is explained by the fact that the vascular and autonomic nervous systems coordinate the work of all organs without exception; accordingly, their dysfunction can affect any of them.

Symptoms will depend on which part of the body is experiencing the consequences of a malfunction in the autonomic nervous and vascular systems. If you look at the symptomatic picture accompanying vegetative-vascular dystonia, the most typical symptoms are:

• dizziness;

• headache;
• general malaise, weakness;
• pain in the heart area;
• abdominal pain;
• fainting;
• tinnitus;
• sleep disturbance;
• feeling your own heartbeat;
• sexual dysfunctions (impotence);
• feeling of “lack of air”, etc.

Symptoms can occur periodically, mainly due to stress, or appear over a fairly long period of time. This condition is typical for both children and adolescents, as well as adults. At the same time, people often do not know what to do to normalize the situation; some even get used to this situation, expecting that the deterioration will go away on its own, which happens, by the way, quite often if the reasons that caused them are eliminated.

Statistics say that taking medications for VSD is necessary only in 30% of the total number of cases.

Antidepressants

Antidepressants have a positive effect on the mental state of a patient with VSD and help get rid of depression. These are psychotropic substances that can alter consciousness and provoke the production of hormones that stimulate brain activity - serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine.

In the treatment of vegetative-vascular dystonia, antidepressants of 3 groups are used: monocyclic, tricyclic and tetracyclic drugs. The former affect serotonin, a hormone that causes positive emotions. For example, the drug Fluoxetine, which belongs to this group, enhances the effect of serotonin on nerve endings by increasing the duration of production. As a result, the patient's mood improves and his well-being improves.

Tricyclic antidepressants act on 3 types of neurotransmitters: serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. The main difference between this group of drugs is their quick effect. Such antidepressants include Clomipramine, Imipramine, Tianeptine.

Tetracyclic drugs inhibit the action of monoamine oxidase (Mianserin, Maprotiline, Pirlindol). This is a special enzyme that destroys mediators that affect the general emotional sphere of a person.

Antidepressants are prescribed in cases where VSD is accompanied by:

• panic attack;
• hypochondriacal disorders;
• neuroses.

Drugs for the treatment of VSD that affect the central nervous system

Since vegetative-vascular dystonia is a syndrome caused by an imbalance between the subsystems of the central nervous system (sympathetic/parasympathetic), the group of drugs for the treatment of this disorder is the largest and includes sleeping pills, tranquilizers, antipsychotics, antidepressants, psychotropic/nootropic drugs. We list the best and most effective remedies for VDS that affect the central nervous system:

1. "Sonat" is a sleeping pill of the latest generation, which has a minimum number of contraindications and side effects. The drug can significantly increase the duration of sleep and its active phase, called deep sleep. "Doxylamine", in addition to a sleeping pill, has a sedative effect, enhancing the work of drugs from the barbiturate/neuroleptic group. Without affecting the sleep phase, Doxylamine increases the rate of falling asleep and improves the quality of sleep in general.
2. “Mieril” is a drug from the group of antipsychotics, prescribed in cases where among the main causes of the development of VSD symptoms, psychological problems (neuroses, depressive states, neurasthenia) play the first fiddle. "Sonapax" is also considered an effective antipsychotic used in the treatment of depression of various etiologies, including schizophrenic mental disorders.

   The drug is able to relieve psycho-emotional stress, stop attacks of fear, restlessness, anxiety, and helps fight sleep disorders. An overdose is dangerous due to such disorders as nausea/vomiting, speech defects, intestinal obstruction, and in especially severe cases, loss of consciousness.

3. “Seduxen” (better known as “Diazepam”) is a tranquilizer used in the treatment of a wide range of mental disorders, from mild neuroses to schizophrenic conditions. For autonomic dysfunction of psychosomatic etiology, Seduxen is able to reduce symptoms of restlessness, anxiety, excessive arousal, and stabilize sleep.

It should be noted that only the attending physician should decide how to treat VSD when mental symptoms predominate, and this group of drugs is not prescribed to children and pregnant women, and when taking them, the use of alcoholic beverages and a number of other medications should be avoided.

List of drugs for the treatment of vegetative-vascular dystonia

Adult patients

The topic of dilation of peripheral vessels is especially relevant for those who suffer from the hypertensive variant of VSD.

Drugs for vasodilation

Drugs for angiodystonia, used in the form of injections

Usually, fast-acting drugs are injected intravenously in acute conditions (for example, severe panic attacks); intramuscular administration is used in the absence of an oral option.

When a vascular crisis develops in patients with VSD, it is necessary to drink 20 drops of Corvalol or Valocordin. If there is a sharp increase in blood pressure and palpitations, you can take one tablet of propranolol (anaprilin) ​​40 mg. For a panic attack, diazepam (Relanium) is effective. Place 1 tablet under the tongue and dissolve slowly. The following technique allows you to normalize your breathing rate: take a paper bag and sharply inhale and exhale into it several times.

To prevent vascular crises, neurologists carry out complex therapy. Drugs are selected individually for each patient after a comprehensive examination of the patient. Sedative (calming) agents based on plant materials also have a weak hypnotic and anti-anxiety effect. They relax blood vessels and relieve increased tension. This group of medicines includes:

• negrustin;
• novo-Passit;
• pers.

Magnesium and potassium deficiency is often found in residents of megacities. Replenishing their deficiency relieves feelings of irritability, anxiety, and increases exercise tolerance and performance. Magnesium has a beneficial effect on nerve fibers, improves nerve conduction, and has a hypnotic effect.

• asparkam;
• Magnelis;
• Magne-B6 – magnesium combined with vitamin B6;
• Magnerot.

Nootropic drugs have a psychotropic effect. The therapeutic effect is realized through the effect on the brain, which activates higher brain functions. The resistance of the body of patients with VSD to unfavorable external factors increases, blood circulation increases, and metabolic processes in the autonomic system are activated. Nootropics improve cognitive activity, memory, and the body's resistance to infections.

Representatives of the group of nootropic drugs are:

• piracetam;
• nootropil;
• phenotropil;
• Phenibut

With VSD, tranquilizers with an anxiolytic effect help. They have a pronounced calming effect on the nervous system, relax muscles, and have a hypnotic effect. Anxiolytics relieve feelings of anxiety, fear, and reduce tearfulness. Phenazepam, Valium, and diazepam are used as drugs for the treatment of VSD.

Antidepressants improve the mood and psychological state of a patient with VSD. The effect is realized by regulating the exchange of neurotransmitters in an uneven system. Effectively relieves panic attacks. Antidepressants include Prozac, maprotiline, and Zyban.

Vitamin-mineral complexes improve vascular tone during VSD. These drugs replenish the deficiency of vitamins and microelements, increase immunity, and increase resistance to infections. The following drugs stimulate physical and mental activity:

• complivit;
• supradin;
• pictovit.

B vitamins (pentavit, neuromultivit) have a beneficial effect on neuromuscular conduction and have a weak hypnotic and anti-anxiety effect. Adaptogens are substances of plant origin. They have a tonic and general strengthening effect, improve mood, and increase immunity.

Can be combined with vitamins and microelements. The drugs increase vascular tone and arterial blood pressure. For this reason, they are indicated for patients with a hypotonic form of VSD. In clinical practice, pantocrine, ginseng, and anti-stress formula are used. For the hypertensive type of VSD, antihypertensive drugs are prescribed.

The best choice is beta-blockers: atenolol, enalapril, metoprolol. For visceral and cystalgic forms of VSD, baralgin, spasmalgon, and no-spa help. For increased peristalsis and gas formation, espumizan and motilium are used. The tachycardial type of VSD is treated by taking antiarrhythmic drugs: rhythmonorm, allapinin.

There is no universal medicine for the treatment of vegetative-vascular dystonia. In order to draw up a treatment regimen for VSD and select medications that are indicated in a specific clinical situation, call the Yusupov Hospital.

Speech pathologist-defectologist of the highest category, neurorehabilitation specialist

Basic principles of treatment

Normalization of lifestyle as a necessary measure for VSD.

Treatment does not consist solely of taking a remedy for vegetative-vascular dystonia. Achieving a positive result is possible only by normalizing the sleep/wake schedule and reviewing the patient’s eating habits. To obtain the maximum positive effect, the patient must take a responsible approach to the treatment process.

The key to successful recovery are the following principles, discussed in the table:

When VSD is diagnosed, the patient experiences hormonal deficiency and a lack of other enzymes necessary for the body. The body is not able to cope with stress - for this reason, it is necessary to follow the basics of a healthy lifestyle and the recommendations above. As a medicinal side of treatment, there is an extensive list of drugs that can be prescribed by the attending physician.

Sedatives and antidepressants

The symptoms of VSD are eliminated with the help of drug correction.

Antidepressants are intended to treat conditions that are accompanied by apathy, chronic fatigue, or depression. Sedative drugs are characterized by a calming effect and are used for anxiety, excessive irritability and significant hyperemotionality.

Such drugs for vascular dystonia are used in most cases:

1. Trittico – characterized by an accelerated effect on somatic and mental symptoms. The drug is effective for sleep disorders and depressive disorders. Stabilizes emotional state.
2. Life-900, a drug based on St. John's wort extract, is a new remedy for VSD. Relieves causeless worries, mood swings, sleep disorders and depressive disorders.
3. Sedariston is the main drug of the sedative group. Reduces nervous excitement, normalizes sleep, relieves anxiety. It is based on extracts of St. John's wort and valerian.

Life 900.

Doctors give the greatest preference to drugs based on natural ingredients. The instructions for such drugs include a small list of contraindications, and their price is affordable.

Tranquilizers

This group of psychotropic medications is characterized by a temporary effect. The drugs make it possible to relieve the manifestations of short-term anxiety, fear and other psycho-emotional anomalies.

The drugs should be taken in doses recommended by your doctor.

Attention! Doctors do not recommend using medications in this group on an ongoing basis, because the patient becomes addicted.

Most medications are members of the benzodiazepine group.

The most commonly used pharmacological agents are:

1. Phenazepam is a highly effective anti-anxiety drug that also has anticonvulsant, hypnotic and muscle-relaxing effects.
2. Hydroxyzine is used to relieve anxiety, excessive agitation and psychoneurotic conditions. Used for frequent vomiting.
3. Bromazepam is used for psychopathy and neuroses accompanied by sleep disturbances and depressive disorders.

Bromazepam in the treatment of VSD.

These drugs can relieve the patient of many problems caused by psycho-emotional instability.

Neuroleptics

This range of antipsychotic medications is primarily aimed at treating psychotic disorders. The main effect of this group of medications is characterized by the ability to influence the patient’s productive symptomatic manifestations, such as hallucinations, delusions, illusions, and inappropriate behavior.

The mechanism of action of antipsychotics is complex; exceeding doses is unacceptable.

Often, drugs from this series are used as prophylactics - to prevent depressive and deficiency symptoms.

There are 3 groups of antipsychotics used:

1. Incisive – characterized by an intense antipsychotic effect. Representatives of the group are Zuclopenthixol, Thioproperazine, Fluphenazine.
2. Sedatives – after administration they have an inhibitory effect. Representatives of the group are Chlorpromazine, Levopromazine, Promazine.
3. Disinhibiting – have a disinhibiting effect, provoking the patient’s activity. Representatives of the group are Carbidin, Sulpiride.

Important! Drugs in this group are rarely used - when others have not had the necessary positive effect on the patient's condition.

This limitation is due to the fact that they provoke many side effects during use, and are used only when the probable positive effect outweighs the actual harm caused to the body. The video in this article will tell you about the peculiarities of using antipsychotics in the treatment of VSD.

Nootropic drugs

This category of medications is used when specific actions are needed on the most complexly organized mental mechanisms of the brain.

Piracetam increases blood flow in the vessels of the brain.

Important! Their influence provides an opportunity to stimulate mental activity, restore or normalize cognitive functions, enhance memory and learning ability.

The following nootropics are often used for vegetative-vascular dystonia:

1. Phenylpiracetam has a stimulating effect on the motor response and increases work capacity.
2. Piracetam - has a beneficial effect on metabolic processes and blood flow in the brain. Increases glucose utilization.
3. Picamilon is a drug that can improve cerebral circulation and help relieve anxiety, fear and reduce irritability.
4. Glycine – characterized by sedative, antidepressant and tranquilizing effects.

The safest and most inexpensive remedy from the above list is Glycine.

Auxiliary drugs for VSD

A popular antidepressant may cause drowsiness.

There are a number of drugs that show their own effectiveness in combating the manifestations of vegetative-vascular dystonia.

These include the following medications:

1. Afobazole is a highly effective drug. They reduce anxiety, irritability and relieve nervous tension and unreasonable attacks of fear. Reduces the intensity of dizziness, sweating, dry skin. Helps alleviate cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and respiratory pathologies.
2. Ginkgo Biloba is a multidisciplinary remedy, used in the presence of memory impairment, decreased learning ability, unreasonable fears, sleep pathologies and at the initial stage of dementia.
3. B vitamins play a key role in carbohydrate metabolism. Vit.B6 normalizes metabolic processes, eliminates sleep disturbances, lack of appetite, anxiety and irritability. B2 restores self-learning abilities and is also involved in metabolic processes. B12 helps eliminate weakness, dizziness, cope with depressive disorders and memory impairment.

What means are acceptable to use for VSD.

Treatments for vegetative-vascular dystonia cannot be the only method of therapy. Do not neglect physiotherapeutic procedures and some traditional medicine recipes.

Traditional medicine and physiotherapy

To increase the effectiveness of treatment of vegetative-vascular dystonia and shorten its duration, it is necessary to pay attention to physiotherapy and folk remedies.

Acupuncture is a process.

It should be remembered that physiotherapeutic procedures and traditional medicine cannot act as the main method of treating VSD; they can only be an addition to the main drug therapy compiled by the treating specialist.

Physiotherapy for vegetative-vascular dystonia includes the following procedures:

1. Contrast baths and massage. These procedures provide an opportunity to reduce psycho-emotional stress and significantly reduce the risk of panic attacks.
2. Acupuncture. During this process, the patient can experience relaxation, which helps cope with the effects of stress and increase the speed of the main treatment.
3. Magnetotherapy and electrophoresis. The procedures have a beneficial effect on the vascular system and strengthen it. At the same time, they help restore the human nervous system.

Valerian infusion is a herbal, sedative drug.

Among the traditional medicine recipes in the fight against vegetative-vascular dystonia, the following methods have proven themselves to be effective:

1. To lower blood pressure, you can use valerian or motherwort in accordance with the instructions.
2. To increase blood pressure, products that include radiola rosea and eleutherococcus are suitable.
3. For intense headaches, it is advisable to do the following: dissolve 5 tbsp in warm water. mustard powder. After obtaining a homogeneous consistency, the mixture is added to the bath. The water in the bath is tolerably hot. You should take such a bath for no more than 10 minutes. After this, you need to wrap yourself in a sheet and lie down. For greater effectiveness, it is recommended to drink hot tea.

However, we should not forget about preventive measures - it is much more effective to prevent pathology than to treat it.

Nootropic drugs

Nootropic drugs are auxiliary in the treatment of vegetative-vascular dystonia. They improve the functioning of the nervous system, activating metabolic processes in the brain at the cellular level. They can be synthetic or plant based.

Nootropics activate brain activity, improve memory, eliminate lethargy and apathy, increase stress resistance, and have an immunostimulating effect. Depending on the individual characteristics of patients with vegetative-vascular dystonia, the following drugs in this group are prescribed:

• phenibut;
• glycine;
• picamilon;
• piracetam;
• fezam;
• noopept;
• gliatilin;
• phenotropil;
• Actovegin.

These drugs are characterized by low toxicity and a minimal list of side effects. The main contraindication to their use is individual intolerance.

Diagnosis of vegetative-vascular dystonia and its treatment

The most important stage of the examination is the differential diagnosis between VSD and various organic pathologies of the relevant organs or their systems. It is carried out by specialized specialists. The next stage of the examination is performed by a psychoneurologist, whose task is to psychologically study the patient in order to find the causes of the development of autonomic disorders.

The main thing in these conversations is complete trust between the patient and the doctor, a comprehensive story about any unpleasant situations that could become an impetus for the development of pathology, the consequences of which must be gotten rid of.

Patients suffering from vegetative-vascular dystonia go to doctors for a number of years and receive a vague diagnosis of VSD along with assurances that everything is fine. For some, the psyche cannot stand it; they begin to doubt the sobriety of their own mind. Therefore, it is so important to have constant support for a patient with VSD from a neurologist who knows how to get rid of this painful disease, as well as self-education, thanks to which a person will better recognize the pathology that he has encountered and will treat it without unnecessary fear.

Adaptogens

Adaptogens are drugs that increase the body’s stability and resistance to various adverse environmental factors, such as:

• physical exercise;
• cold or heat;
• toxins;
• harmful chemical compounds;
• viruses and bacteria.

This effect is achieved by increasing the level of adenosine triphosphate, an acid that provides energy for various biochemical reactions occurring in the body. In addition, such products contain powerful antioxidants that are designed to protect cells from damage.

They also stimulate the cardiovascular system and enrich tissues with oxygen. When various damage is detected in the body, adaptogens stimulate the synthesis of proteins that are involved in their elimination.

Preparations in this group are plant-based. The most effective of them are:

1. Asian ginseng root. It has an antioxidant, tonic and anti-inflammatory effect, increases intelligence and mental activity.
2. Eleutherococcus. The fruits of this shrub increase stamina and stimulate the immune system.
3. Ashwagandha. The root of the plant is used for medicinal purposes. It relieves fatigue and anxiety, helping to fight nervous exhaustion. Normalizes the functioning of the thyroid gland.
4. Rhodiola rosea. The substances contained in it normalize the level of cortisol in the blood.
5. Cordyceps. This is a medicinal mushroom, its use increases endurance and resistance to stress due to the beta-glucans it contains. These substances stimulate the body's immune response.

Drugs affecting cardiovascular system

Treatment of the cardiovascular system is also included in the basic therapy of VSD. Medicines prescribed for the diagnosis of vegetative-vascular dystonia with symptoms indicating problems with the cardiovascular system:

1. Vinpocetine is a drug that helps improve cerebral microcirculation and blood rheological characteristics. It has a cerebroprotective effect, increases the diameter of capillaries, and has pronounced antioxidant activity.
2. “Obzidan” (other names of the drug are “Noloten”, “Inderal”) - a drug from the group of non-selective adrenergic blockers, prevents an increase in heart rate during panic attacks and other conditions with an increase in the level of adrenaline in the blood.
3. "Panangin" and "Asparkam" are popular antiarrhythmic drugs that improve the patency of impulses due to an increase in the concentration of potassium ions.

If autonomic dysfunction is accompanied by hypertension/hypotension, drug treatment to eliminate blood pressure fluctuations is prescribed with caution, preferring drugs based on traditional medicine recipes.

Vitamins

Vitamin deficiency negatively affects health and complicates the course of diseases. Vegetative-vascular dystonia cannot be ruled out, so they are always included in the list of medications for the treatment of this pathology. It is important to compensate for the lack of vitamins A, B and E, folic, nicotinic and ascorbic acid, pyridoxine.

Deficiency of thiamine or vitamin B1 negatively affects the functioning of the nervous, cardiovascular and digestive systems. Riboflavin (vitamin B2), like pantothenic acid, has a powerful effect on the functioning of the central nervous system and is involved in almost all metabolic processes.

Pyridoxine or vitamin B6, as well as B12, increases the body's resistance to various stressful situations. All the vitamins necessary for vegetative-vascular disorders are presented in such complex preparations as Complivit, Supradin, Pikovit. They are taken in short courses. They are recommended to be combined with taking nootropic drugs. It is advisable to take microelements and beneficial substances for any type of VSD.

Other medications for VSD

To treat the pathology in question, medications of various effects are used to eliminate the clinical manifestations of this disease. All vegetotropic drugs have their own purpose and are used to relieve individual symptoms. Despite the fact that neurocirculatory dysfunction is more common in women, treatment of vegetative-vascular dystonia in men is carried out with the same medications.

Most often, vegetative-vascular dystonia is accompanied by increased blood pressure. To normalize it, vasodilators are prescribed. Taking them improves blood circulation due to the expansion of the lumen of blood vessels. Medicines in this group:

• cinalotropil;
• Cavinton;
• trental;
• fezam.

To normalize blood supply and general strengthening of the body during VSD, the use of Cinnarizine is indicated. It not only improves brain activity, but also stabilizes the vestibular system. The drug is often used, although it is not a direct-acting drug for this disease.

For panic attacks that accompany VSD, tranquilizers - sedatives with enhanced effects - may be prescribed. They have a short but quickly calming effect, relieve anxiety and irritability, fear and tension. These are drugs such as Afobazol, Adaptol, Buspirone, Gidazepam, Phenazepam, Valium.

When VSD manifests itself in adolescents, treatment should begin with non-drug methods. As such, it is recommended to adhere to a daily routine, exercise and exercise, and a balanced diet. Physiotherapeutic procedures such as massage, reflexology, and medicinal baths are also effective.

Medications in the treatment of VSD in children are used if there is no effect from the above methods. If necessary, the course of treatment is selected individually and includes vitamin and mineral complexes, drugs to normalize blood pressure, and sedatives. Antidepressants should only be used in severe cases.

Andrey Kurpatov - how to cure VSD

Dr. Kurpatov is a highly qualified specialist in the field of medicine and psychology. His treatment methods are based on the impact on the human psyche, and do not require medical assistance or specific training. In one of his most popular, widely read works on the treatment of VSD, this doctor described in detail, but quite simply and clearly for everyone, the characteristics of the disease and effective ways to combat it based on the right psychological attitude.

As Kurpatov writes, vegetative-vascular dystonia is a disease affecting the nervous system, and its root cause lies precisely in the psyche of patients. Moral stress and a depressive state lead to attacks of VSD with characteristic symptoms:

• blood pressure fluctuations;
• headaches and dizziness;
• increased sweating under stress;
• causeless panic attacks, attacks of fear and anxiety.

REFERENCE!

If these symptoms occur, Kurpatov recommends getting rid of not only the disease itself, but also the cause of its occurrence - eliminating conflicts, stress, nervous situations, and normalizing the daily routine.

The main way to defeat VSD, according to Dr. Kurpatov, is to conduct auto-training. Since attacks of pathology occur against a background of stress and anxiety, it is important to learn how to prepare yourself to refuse them and overcome the fear of them. It must be remembered that constant thoughts and fear of an attack only aggravate the course of the disease and stimulate its development. To get rid of fear, the doctor recommends going through 3 stages:

1. Get rid of excess muscle tension, normalize respiratory function to restore normal body condition.
2. Familiarize yourself with objective information about the disease, its symptoms, and the causes of attacks to eliminate negative thoughts and groundless fears.
3. Start auto-training to correctly understand the essence of the disease and set positive thoughts.

Also, VSD, according to Kurpatov’s manual, worsens not only with stress affecting the nervous system, but also with an artificially suppressed stressful state of the body, provoked by disturbances in a person’s usual life activities. Such changes include:

• changing of the living place;
• changes in climate and weather conditions;
• a sharp change in the rhythm of life;
• hormonal imbalances;
• a sharp decrease or increase in physical activity.

In these situations, stress is a natural reaction of the body to a violation of usual living conditions. If the patient restrains this manifestation, the nerve impulse strengthens and hits the body, which causes an attack manifested by:

• rapid increase in pressure;
• dizziness and headaches;
• fever or sweating;
• semi-conscious or fainting state.

IMPORTANT!

In the book “A Remedy for Vegetovascular Dystonia,” Andrei Kurpatov advises not to refuse medical care and going to the hospital, and also strongly recommends taking medications prescribed by a doctor. Psychological attitudes will only help if the problem of VSD attacks lies in the person’s psychological negative mood.

Complex drug treatment includes taking the following types of tablets and injectable medications:

• Barbiturates - for people over 65 years of age in extremely rare cases, since the drugs are addictive and have a negative effect on brain activity (Corvalol, Valocordin, Barboval).
• Benzodiazepines and tranquilizers are anti-anxiety drugs, before using which it is important to consult a doctor and become familiar with the side effects of each drug: the more of them, the higher its effectiveness, and vice versa (“Phenazepam”, “Seduxen”, “Xanax”).
• Antidepressants - with the correct individual selection of medication, the drug helps relieve panic attacks and restores the normal functioning of the nervous system, but requires regular course use (Maprotiline, Pyrazidol, Tryptophan).
• Herbal antidepressants - relieve the symptoms of dystonia, relieve anxiety, panic attacks and depression, stabilize the performance of the nervous system, which is especially effective in the general stressful state of the body due to changes in habitual living conditions (Negrustin).
• Neuroleptics - relieve unnecessary anxiety, stabilize the functioning of the autonomic nervous system, are not addictive, but require individual selection of the drug for each patient by the attending physician (Atarax, Eglonil, Clozapine).
• Nootropics of synthetic and plant origin - improve the condition of nervous tissues, but do not affect the emotional background (Nootropil, Ginkgo Biloba, Neuromultivit).

ATTENTION!

Since many medications are addictive and have side effects, their use is necessary only when prescribed by a doctor and in strictly limited dosages.

An alternative effective remedy, according to positive reviews, is a herbal decoction according to the prescription of Dr. Kurpatov. To prepare it you need the following ingredients:

• birch buds - 100 g;
• dried chamomile flowers - 100 g;
• St. John's wort herb - 100 g;
• rose hips - 100 g;
• honey - 3 tbsp. l.;
• water (boiling water) - 600–800 ml.

All medicinal plants must be ground, mixed, added honey and poured boiling water. The medicine should be allowed to brew for 1 hour, after which you should drink it regularly before each meal and after dinner, 1 glass.

The herbal decoction helps relieve and calm the nervous system, normalizes heart rate and heart function, stabilizes blood pressure, and reduces the risk of panic attacks and causeless anxiety. The result will be noticeable within a month of regular use of the product. The medicine must be stored in a jar or other glass container at room temperature.

ATTENTION!

Before deciding to start treating VSD using traditional medicine, it is important to discuss the possibility of their use with your doctor!

Features of drug selection

There is no standard set of medications or one effective remedy for VSD, since the manifestations of the disease vary from person to person. Medications are selected according to 5 types of this pathology:

• hypertensive;
• hypotonic;
• cardiac;
• mixed;
• vagotonic.

In therapeutic practice, the course of treatment for VSD includes the prescription of the following groups of drugs: sedatives, cardiotonics, and those affecting the central nervous system. Treatment begins with the use of sedatives, because the manifestations of the disease are caused by a violation of the processes of excitation and inhibition.

Pregnant and lactating women should select medications with special care and caution. Drug treatment in this case is complicated by the fact that most drugs are contraindicated for them, and VSD during gestation and breastfeeding is a common phenomenon, since it is caused by sudden changes in hormonal levels.

Complex treatment of VSD at the Yusupov Hospital

Patients who suffer from vegetative dystonia experience changes in various organs and systems. They are functional in nature. This makes VSD fundamentally different from other diseases, which is a reason for reassurance. VSD can develop into psychosomatic diseases in adults such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, and bronchial asthma.

When choosing a medication for VSD, the nature of autonomic disorders (the predominance of activity of the parasympathetic or sympathetic parts of the autonomic nervous system), the severity of clinical manifestations, and the psycho-emotional characteristics of the patient’s personality are taken into account. In mild cases of VSD, preference is given to non-drug methods of therapy. Severe cases require the use of effective medications.

Therapy begins with normalizing the daily routine. It is important to get at least 8 hours of sleep at night. It is necessary to walk in the fresh air for at least two hours a day. Physical inactivity should be eliminated, computer work and television viewing should be limited to one hour a day.

Patients are recommended a set of exercises for morning exercises, which the senior instructor-methodologist of exercise therapy selects individually. Swimming, skating and skiing, measured walking, playing badminton and table tennis, and badminton have a beneficial effect on patients. Patients with VSD are not recommended to engage in group sports (football, basketball, volleyball), wrestling, kickboxing, boxing.

Patients should receive adequate nutrition with sufficient minerals and vitamins. Persons with increased sympathoadrenal activity and labile arterial hypertension limit the consumption of table salt, coffee, and tea. Chocolate, smoked meats, and spicy foods are excluded from the diet.

If the patient leads a sedentary lifestyle and suffers from a hypotonic form of VSD, he is recommended food that contains a sufficient amount of liquid, tea, coffee (preferably with milk), chocolates and chocolate, kefir, buckwheat porridge, peas. It is useful to take honey, freshly squeezed juices, infusions, compotes from viburnum, sea buckthorn, rose hips, raisins, and dried apricots at night for 2–3 months.

An important place in the treatment of patients with VSD at the Yusupov Hospital is given to individual rational psychotherapy. It is aimed at correcting the internal picture of the disease with a reorientation to non-drug methods of self-regulation.

For VSD, rehabilitation specialists at the Yusupov Hospital individually select physiotherapeutic procedures for each patient. Galvanization using the reflex-segmental technique, ozokerite, and paraffin for the cervical-occipital region are widely used. The choice of technique is carried out taking into account the direction of the initial vegetative tone.

With decreased tone of the autonomic nervous system, combined with a decrease in blood pressure, a general massage, massage of the cervical-collar area, calf muscles, and hands are performed. When sympathetic tone predominates, preference is given to massage in the areas of the spine and cervical-collar region.

For this purpose, neurologists prescribe nootropil, encephabol, aminalon, phenibut, glycine. Cerebrolysin is a drug prescribed for VSD in the form of intramuscular injections. For persistent headaches and increased intracranial pressure, courses of treatment with diacarb and diuretic herbs are carried out. To improve microcirculation, trental, vincapan, and cavinton are prescribed.

Patients with rapid heartbeat and a predominant increase in systolic blood pressure are prescribed small doses of β-blockers: atenolol, propranolol. In case of bradycardia, an increase in predominantly diastolic blood pressure, treatment begins with diuretics. Prescribe hypothiazide, triampur compositum. If there is no effect, the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor captopril is used.

Doctors will tell you what medications to take for VSD. Call the Yusupov Hospital and make an appointment at a time convenient for you. After the examination, the most effective medications for VSD will be selected for you.

Causes and principles of treatment of VSD

The first and most important reason for the development of this dysfunction is stress. This can be either a strong sudden shock or a stressful lifestyle for a long time. This is usually associated with heavy workload at school or work, an excessively fast pace of life, chronic fatigue, even nervous exhaustion.

Sometimes a combination of fatigue and decreased immunity becomes a favorable factor for the development of VSD. In this case, about the nature of the disease. Typically, in the adult category of people, the malaise worsens during the period of greatest weakening of the body, as a rule, in the off-season. At this time, the body is most vulnerable and susceptible to many diseases, including exacerbation of VSD.

The occurrence of the disease in childhood and adolescence is also due to the difference in the rate of muscle growth and the development of the cardiovascular system. An additional favorable condition for the development of VSD is a sharp hormonal surge. These circumstances, superimposed on one another, combined with academic load and stress, contribute to the occurrence of dysfunction of the vascular and autonomic nervous systems.

There are also so-called risk factors that, although not the cause of VSD, predispose to its occurrence. These are:

• chronic diseases;

• injuries;
• infections;
• disturbances in the functioning of the endocrine system;
• diets;
• sudden/frequent changes in climatic conditions;
• abuse of bad habits.

In fact, any of the listed causes and risk factors are only provoking conditions for the development of VSD. All people, without exception, go through adolescence with its hormonal surges and the phase of active muscle growth, as well as stressful situations that arise throughout everyone’s life. However, not everyone suffers from vegetative-vascular dystonia. Consequently, there are other, deeper reasons underlying this disease.

It is believed that such causes are damage to the central nervous system of the fetus during the perinatal period and hereditary predisposition. However, if some, for example, age-related and hormonal reasons cannot be avoided, then some of the negative factors can be corrected. You can eliminate the use of tobacco and alcohol, reduce physical activity, strengthen the nervous system, and minimize stressful situations.

If alarming symptoms appear, it is certainly necessary to treat vegetative-vascular dystonia.

To treat vegetative-vascular dystonia, a whole range of measures is used that have a diverse effect on the entire body. The treatment plan is drawn up by a neurologist who, if necessary, refers to other specialists, for example, an endocrinologist, cardiologist, etc. In total, treatment usually includes:

• physiotherapy;

• phytotherapy;
• soothing massage;
• swimming, water procedures;
• acupuncture;
• drug treatment.

In addition, throughout the entire treatment it is necessary to strictly maintain a balance between work and rest, not to overload yourself, not to be nervous, and, if possible, to experience as many positive emotions as possible. You should also take vitamins for VSD - they have a beneficial effect on the body’s condition and the functioning of the immune system.