Vegetovascular dystonia
VSD refers to disorders of the autonomic nervous system that cause a number of unpleasant symptoms. They are similar to the manifestations of other diseases and are quite vague, which is why many domestic doctors make this diagnosis in cases where they cannot or do not want to find the real problem. In this case, as a rule, there are no serious abnormalities in the body. For this reason, many doctors refuse to recognize this disease. Nevertheless, international medicine considers VSD a real disease and implies mandatory treatment.
Dystonia occurs in the presence of a hereditary predisposition, chronic stress and diseases of the nervous, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal or endocrine systems. Most often, it manifests itself against the backdrop of long-term experiences as follows: the human psyche tries to force an unpleasant situation out of the head, which is why neurotic symptoms appear throughout the body or in certain parts of it. The risk of VSD is increased in people who are often stressed, suffer from blood pressure problems, or have bad habits.
Dystonia comes in several types. The difference between them is which symptoms predominate. While in some cases high blood pressure is the most prominent problem in a person, in other patients heart pain is the most problematic. Such manifestations of the disease among patients lead to terrible thoughts that one can die from an attack of VSD.
Main types of VSD:
- hypertensive – characterized by high blood pressure, headache, a feeling of heaviness in the back of the head, darkening of the eyes and panic attacks;
- hypotonic – low blood pressure, general loss of strength, muscle weakness, irritability and apathy are observed, fainting is possible;
- cardiac – manifested by regular heart pain, tachycardia and arrhythmia occur, and regular sensations of lack of oxygen;
- mixed - a combination of symptoms of several types of dystonia is possible, often the whole spectrum of negative sensations manifests itself.
Vagotonic and cerebral types are also distinguished separately. In the first case, cardiac symptoms predominate, similar to serious heart disease. VSD can be chronic or manifest itself in the form of periodic crises and bright outbreaks. In the second case, VSD is characterized by impaired vascular tone in the brain, blurred vision, tachycardia and hot flashes.
When thinking about whether VSD is life-threatening, we must not forget that under the mask of dystonia there may be a serious illness that requires urgent treatment.
Is it possible to die
You cannot die due to vegetative-vascular dystonia. But this condition is dangerous because, firstly, it reduces the quality of life, and secondly, it leads to pathologies of other organs, which can lead to death. For example, a stroke, which is caused by high blood pressure and problems with blood supply. Cardiovascular system disorders are one of the manifestations of VSD.
Important information: Can there be an elevated temperature with VSD?
VSD is also a risk factor for the development of mental disorders, especially anxiety neurosis. Problems in the functioning of various systems and organs, insomnia, apathy and fatigue, emotional instability bring constant discomfort and reduce the quality of human activity.
Clinical manifestations
Dystonia manifests itself constantly with rare clearings or periodic attacks. At a time when the disease does not show itself, a person can often feel quite normal and have no health complaints. But the active phase of VSD will cause various symptoms. In some cases, it becomes very difficult to transfer them.
Manifestations of VSD:
- blood pressure disorders;
- fast or slow heart rate;
- shortness of breath, feeling of lack of oxygen;
- pain in the chest or heart;
- dizziness, headaches;
- heartburn, bloating, diarrhea, nausea;
- increased sweating, chills;
- numbness or tingling of the extremities, goosebumps;
- tinnitus, decreased visual acuity;
- worsening sleep, increased sleepiness during the day;
- irritability, apathy, neurosis;
- panic attacks, sudden fear of people;
- decreased attentiveness, deterioration of brain activity.
Such symptoms are very similar to a number of serious diseases. Therefore, before making a diagnosis, doctors have to prescribe a full examination to exclude other health disorders not related to the nervous system. Some people prefer to immediately diagnose VSD, bypassing all body checks. Such a decision can lead to serious consequences if the patient actually has diseases of a different kind.
Getting rid of illness
During the treatment of such an ailment as vegetative-vascular dystonia, one should strictly adhere to all the recommendations of the attending physician with the necessary qualifications and training.
If your emotional state often begins to get out of control, you can consult a psychiatrist. At the same time, one must overcome the fear and prejudice that the help of such a specialist is needed only when a person is mentally ill or close to going crazy.
You should pay attention to your lifestyle. It is important to create the right diet, increase sleep duration to 8-9 hours a day, and walk 2-3 hours a day. You can diversify your life by visiting the gym and active sports. You should remember the positive moments in life when you were delighted, crazy about it, and think about what is missing at the moment.
You should learn to think positively and get out of the rut of negative thinking. As you know, there are both good and negative moments in life. However, when you learn about the disease, you should never despair. It is important to receive and give positive things, to try to live a full life.
Dangerous consequences of VSD
The autonomic nervous system is responsible for many functions of the body and provides it with the ability to adapt to the external environment. With dystonia, all this begins to malfunction. The most problematic are long-term manifestations of the disease, which are often accompanied by feelings of anxiety. To understand whether vegetative-vascular dystonia is dangerous for human life, it is enough to understand the disorders that arise when it appears.
Dangerous manifestations of VSD:
- heart problems;
- breathing problems;
- disruptions in the endocrine system;
- depression, psychosis, panic attacks.
Such manifestations carry a certain danger. Even if there is no harm from their direct influence, there is no guarantee that the patient will not suffer from the consequences. For example, he may faint and injure his head. Another disease may also develop against the background of constantly high or low blood pressure.
Panic attacks in children are considered the most harmful manifestation of dystonia. A teenager has a very flexible psyche, which is why he may not even be aware of what is happening. In such situations, the child is capable of doing something dangerous without realizing it. At the same time, all the main symptoms in children often manifest themselves more clearly, creating more problems for leading a normal life.
If the dangers for ordinary people are rather arbitrary and may not arise at all for many years, then for pregnant women they are quite real. Pregnancy requires utmost care and maintenance of the mother's health. With minimal deviations there is a risk of serious harm to the fetus. Therefore, various complications are possible with dystonia.
Why is VSD dangerous for pregnant women?
- premature birth;
- increased toxicosis, gestosis;
- bleeding during childbirth;
- anomalies of labor;
- intrauterine fetal hypoxia;
- suture dehiscence after childbirth;
- lactostasis.
Such violations can result in serious consequences. In most cases, everything goes well, and minor deviations can be quickly treated. But sometimes problems with the child’s development may still arise, which will require special attention from doctors. Therefore, when planning pregnancy, you should definitely take into account the fact that the mother has vegetative-vascular dystonia and report this to your doctor. You also need to remember that some usual medications for the symptoms of VSD may be strictly prohibited during the period of bearing a child.
Risk of death
Many patients who have vegetative-vascular dystonia wonder: is it possible to die from this disease, how dangerous is it, what is the risk of death?
It is worth noting that vegetative-vascular dystonia, in fact, to a certain extent exists only in the patient’s head and does not pose any threat to life, it is not fatal, you cannot die from it, except, figuratively speaking, to die morally. And it’s quite easy, at least in a mild form, to go crazy. There is no physical risk of death.
In no case should you think about death, because in this case there is really no risk of death.
It should be borne in mind that many patients are easily suggestible and become enemies to themselves, having come to terms with the diagnosis. If you do nothing, you are unlikely to recover. However, by deciding to live without restrictions, fill your life with positivity and leave fear behind, you can overcome the disease.
If you don’t want to give up and are ready to really, and not in words, fight for your full and happy life, you may be interested in this article .
Types of pathology
The earliest and most established is the division of vegetative-vascular dystonia into two types of course - sympathotonic, vagotonic. These two conditions are radically different from each other in clinical course.
With sympathotonic dystonia, the patient is overly active, proactive, and efficient. However, this seemingly good condition has a negative side - sleep disturbances, a constant feeling of anxiety. The patient's appearance is similar to that of hyperthyroidism:
- shiny eyes, slightly bulging;
- dry skin;
- rapid heartbeat, breathing.
The vagotonic type of vegetative-vascular dystonia is characterized by excessive slowness and drowsiness. It is difficult for the patient to make choices and important decisions. Externally, moist skin, increased sweating, and salivation will be observed. There is a decrease in heart rate and breathing.
With this pathology, no morphological changes are detected in any internal organs. However, VSD and its consequences are manifested by symptoms that resemble various diseases, mainly of the heart and digestive tract. So why is VSD dangerous? Can vegetative-vascular dystonia lead to serious complications?
Causes
According to one definition, vegetative-vascular dystonia is a condition of the human body that is caused by an imbalance in the functioning of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). It is this imbalance that causes all the consequences in the form of disease. The fear caused by dystonia takes its origins from here.
As is known, the human nervous system includes somatic and autonomic.
The first is responsible for the functioning of the human muscles, following the brain signal as to how and in what direction this muscle can be used. These operations are carried out without the knowledge of the human mind.
However, if at least a desire is required for the final jerk at any distance or lifting a barbell, then you don’t have to worry about focusing your vision, inhaling, exhaling, or beating your heart. The ANS, which operates autonomously, is responsible for actions of this kind. Thanks to it, the constancy of the internal environment of the body is ensured immediately before death.
In extreme situations, breathing and heart rate increase, blood pressure increases, and there is a fear of bodily harm or even death. This way the body ensures the necessary adaptation to the current conditions and takes the required protective measures. Actually, the systems of the human body are well brought to mind in this, as well as other aspects.
Thus, we can say that the appearance of VSD in the human body, due to its origin in the ANS, is its reaction to certain dangerous circumstances. Such circumstances can come as a shock and make some people feel stressed and nervous; others may, at their own peril and risk, take the path of smoking or drinking alcohol. At a certain stage, as a result of a malfunction in the body, VSD may appear, which, of course, will need to be gotten rid of.
The mechanism of its influence on the body
The autonomic nervous system is a subsection of the human nervous system, which is responsible for the actions of the body that are not related to its conscious commands, as well as for the work of all internal organs.
The area of responsibility of the autonomic nervous system is breathing, heartbeat, digestion, unconscious muscle movements, sweating, the release of various hormones and the reaction to them or to commands from the intellectual part of the brain. The brain analyzes information about the surrounding world with the current situation in it, subconsciously giving commands to the human body using electrical signals and hormones. When there is a threat of danger, the brain stimulates the production of stress hormones, which enhance the work of some, while simultaneously inhibiting the action of other organs, giving preference to those that are designed to increase the effectiveness of human self-defense.
In some cases of a collision with danger, for example, with a predator, this is justified: it saves the body’s strength. But the disadvantage of such a system is that the vegetative department does not recognize a physical threat from moral or ordinary discontent, and also perceives a lack of nutrients or vitamins, diseases of internal organs or disruption of their functioning as a threat to life, although the person himself may simply not notice or feel this slight stress or anxiety.
Temporary deviations in the rhythm of the natural functioning of the body really help it increase the quality of the activity necessary at a certain moment, but prolonged stress leads to the fact that some organs become too tired, quickly wearing out, while others are depressed. Considering that all human insides equally support each other’s vital functions, the situation is further aggravated by mutual negative influence.
In addition, in addition to external stress influence, the human nervous system, registering a violation of the body’s vital functions, again plunges into a vicious circle of stress, which makes it quite difficult to quickly overcome the disease.
How to get rid of it yourself
We tried to find out whether the disease is life-threatening and what consequences it may have.
Considering that such vegetative-somatic phenomena are still poorly understood, although research has been ongoing for many years, there is no single general way to defeat VSD with maximum speed and minimal effort. However, modern medicine, both official and folk, has accumulated an extensive base of recipes and practices that effectively eliminate vegetative-vascular dystonia.
The cause of the disease is hidden in the human psyche, and therefore, it is impossible to do without specific treatment, because it is impossible to defeat any disease without eliminating its cause. Therefore, in addition to a neurologist and cardiologist, a psychologist or psychiatrist also deals with vegetative-vascular dystonia, depending on the severity of the problem.
Reviews containing the words “I defeated VSD” often contain recipes for healing by removing the patient from stressful influences and bringing oneself into harmony with the world around him, which contains a good ability to abstract from everything negative, using various practices such as yoga, Buddhism, etc. . or through self-development of willpower and self-control.
The experience of our ancestors, preserved in numerous recipes of traditional medicine, also helps patients well in the fight against diseases, especially symptomatically; before using certain methods of such treatment, you should consult with your doctor, since the thoughtless use of certain remedies can accidentally heal one organ disrupt the work of another, since everyone’s health conditions are different.
In addition to the above, medications with a placebo effect provide an excellent effect in the treatment of VSD, for example, the drug Eltacin, which contains a lot of useful things and has a positive effect on the body, but does not have any effect on the cause of the disease, although reviews of its miraculous properties are often enthusiastic both among patients and among doctors.
A person who has overcome autonomic dysfunction syndrome using traditional or medicinal methods, but has not realized the cause of its occurrence, is not immune from the recurrence of symptoms. To defeat VSD forever, you need to change the sensitivity of your psyche or change your lifestyle, eliminating from it some negative factors, especially those that poison your existence.
Important Features
It is possible to live with vegetative-vascular dystonia. People suffer from dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system for years, decades without concomitant diseases. Adequate therapy greatly improves the well-being of patients. If you maintain your health and prevent complications in a timely manner, then you don’t need to be afraid of VSD.
To reduce the risk of the consequences of the disease, it should be differentiated from the following pathologies:
- Coronary heart disease (CHD). The main danger is myocardial infarction.
- Hypertonic disease. Hypertensive crises closely resemble classic panic attacks.
- Pathology of the respiratory system. Frequent shortness of breath and a feeling of lack of air force doctors to look for organic pathology.
- Epileptic seizures. Paroxysm of nocturnal dystonia is sometimes accompanied by convulsions.
Causes of nervous system failures
It can be noted that the main cause of failures in the nervous system, which are often followed by VSD, is a violation of the perception of situations that a person encounters in life. In other words, events that do not foreshadow troubles and problems are perceived by a person as requiring attention and extraordinary. This behavior is characteristic of people who are susceptible to various kinds of phobias, panic attacks, and those who feel fear all the time. Usually such fear is far-fetched. In such an environment, you can easily go crazy.
An overly negative interpretation of the situation is often accompanied by signs of vegetative-vascular imbalance, the cause of which is dystonia.
Another significant factor is that the patient in the current situation cannot splash out his adrenaline. This energy is dangerous to a certain extent and needs to come down. But unlike animals, which can transfer all their negativity to the enemy or flee, this is in most cases unacceptable for humans. If you still lose your temper, then the person may hear remarks addressed to him that he has gone crazy, his nerves need to be treated, he is going too far, etc.
A fairly common situation in life is when a boss expresses his dissatisfaction to a subordinate in a rude and harsh form. The natural reaction of a subordinate is a state of nervousness, stress, and a surge of adrenaline. The heart rate and breathing rate increase, and fear arises, in this case for one’s reputation.
Muscle tension and increased blood pressure indicate that a person is ready to perform some physical action. But under standard conditions, he cannot attack his boss or, out of fear, run away, since in human society such a pattern of behavior is essentially unacceptable. Accordingly, the subordinate turns all the existing negativity onto himself, rather than splashing it out into the environment.
It is worth noting that some people have a normal attitude towards outright rudeness and rudeness (“none of your business”, “brainless chamber”, “so big, but no brain”, etc.), even wishing for death, but others gets nervous from ordinary, completely harmless phrases.
If such cases are repeated frequently, the patient does not develop immunity and only gets worse. Vegeto-vascular dystonia in such cases significantly complicates the patient’s life.