The symptom complex of vegetative-vascular dystonia includes many manifestations that affect the functioning of almost all organs. Extrasystole with VSD is a very common symptom and accompanies almost every VSD patient. It is exclusively neurological in nature and in most cases does not threaten the patient’s life, but it brings a lot of inconvenience and leads to an exacerbation of the disease.
What is characteristic of vegetative-vascular dystonia
It is important for a VSD patient to understand that his arrhythmia is of a functional nature. And no matter where exactly and in what quantity it occurs, one thing is clear: the heart is healthy, and the reason lies in something completely different.
Extrasystole in such patients manifests itself when a large amount of adrenaline enters the blood. But as soon as it decreases to normal, all sensations subside. That is, the problem is temporary and reversible. But patients tolerate it very hard. For them, this is like death: heart failures catch them suddenly, they can be repeated for several months and even years, until the cause is eliminated.
At this moment, a person is seized by a feeling of fear. He begins to choke, his legs give way, and he may lose consciousness. The patient becomes pale, begins to rush about, and scream. The sensation in the chest resembles a blow to the rib cage.
An even greater fear is the compensatory break after an extraordinary compression. The patient fears that his heart will stop. It seems to him that he will die, and this cannot be avoided.
If the excitement intensifies, then the symptoms worsen. Atrial fibrillation occurs. It seems that the heart works outside the regime, chaotically, as it pleases. Fortunately, this condition rarely occurs.
Measures to prevent attacks of VSD
Unfortunately, a universal panacea to overcome an attack of VSD has not yet been found. To cope with this problem, a person should completely reconsider his usual lifestyle.
First of all, it is necessary to eliminate nervous overload, establish a work and rest schedule and change your diet, giving preference to foods rich in potassium and magnesium. You need to sleep in a well-ventilated area and at least 8 hours a day. It is worth reducing the amount of time you spend in front of a TV screen or computer monitor. If this is not possible due to the nature of your professional activity, you must take breaks, setting aside time for rest and physical activity during the day.
Daily walks in the fresh air, cycling, jogging, and aerobics are very useful. And, of course, it is necessary to put an end to bad habits that can worsen the course of the disease - smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, etc.
Why do extrasystoles occur during VSD?
Cardiac “dancing” in vegetative-vascular dystonia can occur when both parts of the autonomic nervous system are disrupted.
If the sympathetic department fails, extrasystoles appear after physical exertion. They are poorly controlled by sedatives, and may even intensify after taking them.
If the functioning of the parasympathetic system is disrupted, in addition to cardiac symptoms, digestive disorders are of concern: epigastric pain, diarrhea, bloating. A cup of coffee or sweet tea or a brisk walk will help relieve such an attack.
If the cause is psychological, treatment measures are directed in the other direction.
Most often, dystonics are bothered by two types of extrasystole:
- Ventricular. Usually makes itself felt in the first half of the day. It is caused by disturbances in mental balance, for example, great joy or grief. It also appears when the weather changes or when drinking strong drinks. Other provoking factors include magnesium and calcium deficiency, osteochondrosis. It all starts with an intense beat in the heart area, followed by a pause. The patient becomes covered in cold, sticky sweat and develops a feeling of fear. Despair sets in, he cannot choose a comfortable position for himself, becomes numb or begins to fuss. The violence of his heart leads him into an uncontrollable state, causing him a lot of suffering.
- Supraventricular. The most common type of arrhythmia in VSD. The causes of this condition coincide with those of the ventricular form. In addition, dystonics who are addicted to antiarrhythmic and diuretic drugs are at risk. Patients claim that the condition worsens when lying down. It is this sign that indicates that the cardiac failure is functional in nature.
What will help during an attack?
A vegetative crisis without any disturbances in the internal organs is often caused by a psychological state. If you feel anxiety, palpitations, numbness in your arms and legs, trembling, headache - take a sedative, drink a warm drink (weak tea, mint or chamomile infusion, warm water with honey and lemon), take a comfortable position and try to relax the muscles of your back and shoulders .
Massaging your hands and fingers will help relieve muscle blocks and normalize breathing and heartbeat. It is better not to use other massage areas during a crisis: if the autonomic regulatory system is overexcited, direct impact on tense muscles can intensify and prolong the tension.
If you lose consciousness, you need to put the person on his side so that the relaxed tongue does not block the airway. Usually, fainting with VSD goes away quickly and on its own. But if within a minute you were unable to bring the person to consciousness, call an ambulance. Sufficient blood flow to the brain and a strong reflex impulse will help you wake up from fainting. Therefore, if a person falls on the floor, there is no need to raise his head and torso; it is better to leave him lying or move him to the couch. Sprinkle your face with cold water, sniff ammonia, press your finger firmly on the area between your nose and upper lip, run the back of a pencil or pen along your foot from heel to toes - these actions will help activate the cortex through autonomic reflexes.
During an attack, take an Eltacin® tablet and two Glycine tablets under the tongue. Amino acids will be quickly absorbed and will help restore the disturbed balance in the autonomic system. Glycine will also work as an inhibitory neurotransmitter and relieve excess excitation. But if you want attacks of dystonia to stop bothering you, take Eltacin® regularly, in courses, on the recommendation of a doctor or according to the instructions for the drug.
Extrasystole and other signs of VSD
Considering that extrasystoles cause severe discomfort to dystonics and knock them out of their normal state, they become the cause of the development of other symptoms of VSD. These include:
- increased sweating;
- irritation;
- worry and anxiety;
- weakness and malaise;
- chills and feeling of heat.
Panic attacks that occur during heart dances become the basis for the formation of cardioneurosis. A dystonic person risks developing a phobia against the background of such interruptions in the heart.
Attacks of arrhythmia that occur at night disturb the sleep of the sufferer and provoke insomnia. It can also accompany him as a result of constant worry and anxiety.
Extrasystoles in neurocirculatory dystonia, despite their harmlessness, cause circulatory disorders, including cerebral circulation. As a result, the patient experiences attacks of suffocation, lack of air, and dizziness. Shortness of breath appears.
One of the complications provoked by extraordinary heart contractions during VSD is a panic attack. It begins with an attack of panic and fear, accompanied by a feeling of anxiety and tension. Other symptoms include tachycardia, internal trembling and sweating, nausea, suffocation and dizziness. Characterized by unpleasant sensations in the heart area, tingling and numbness of the arms and legs. The panicker is overcome by fear of death, consciousness is confused, and thinking is impaired.
Thus, arrhythmia, being a sign of VSD, provokes the development of other symptoms of the disease and aggravates its course.
An attack of suffocation during VSD. Mechanics and removal
Most often, fear arises due to the fact that a person constantly continues to “wind up” negative impressions, once faced with any manifestation of VSD. For example, one of the common symptoms of vegetative-vascular dystonia is an attack of suffocation. The feeling of lack of air or the feeling that you cannot take a breath or swallow food is familiar to all people with VSD without exception. Then a panic attack begins. Most often, a person, being in the power of the “Demon of Suffocation,” simply lets everything take its course. He is afraid to die and does not even try to do anything. But after a while, after about half a minute, the attack passes and turns into tachycardia, the person breaks out in cold sweat and thinks that everything ended well. But the fear remained. The anticipation of the next attack does not leave the person, and it will certainly happen again. Each person, one way or another, can, if desired, find any symptom of VSD, but suspicious people with a fine nervous organization are susceptible to panic attacks.
What causes fear of suffocation?
Many people, faced with such problems, immediately begin to look for a solution everywhere, turning to various doctors, even examining the gastrointestinal tract. Often, in those susceptible to VSD, asthma is suspected. But the mechanics of suffocation in asthma and panic attacks are completely different, even rather opposite. With asthma, a person cannot exhale fully, while with VSD, a person cannot inhale. The reason for fear in this case lies in neuroses - this is a reaction to stressful situations and nothing more.
The only thing that can happen during an attack of suffocation in a person with VSD is loss of consciousness due to hyperventilation of the lungs and an increase in the level of oxygen in the blood. This condition is observed when you spend a long time in the forest, where the percentage of pure oxygen is higher than in megacities; accordingly, the body receives “stress” from fresh air; or when a severe bruise of the joints occurs, which causes darkness in the eyes. As you can see, an attack of suffocation is not something life-threatening.
Mechanics of suffocation during VSD
To fight diseases and their manifestations and emerge victorious, you need to know the pattern by which this or that attack occurs. When a stressful situation arises, the body prepares to repel the attack, strengthens all the actions of the organs to gain strength, that is, oxygen, but the individual restrains his emotions. As a result, it turns out that all the additional energy generated remains and overwhelms the body. The level of carbon dioxide decreases due to rapid breathing, the blood vessels narrow, and oxygen does not reach the brain in sufficient quantities. The result is panic. Actually, that’s why, when stressed, it’s better to “let off steam” without fear of being branded ill-mannered. Or disrupt the chain of signals sent by the brain.
How to cope with an attack of suffocation on your own
You can relieve an attack by tricking the brain. That is, if the brain center requires more carbon dioxide, you need to provide it. Fold your palms into a boat and breathe more deeply into them, you can use some kind of bag or something similar. Thus, the body is provided with carbon dioxide, the brain calms down, and panic goes away. Another option for tricking the brain is to get up and do something else that is fundamentally different from the current moment, that is, to distract it from the previously assigned task. If you sat and read, then get up and wash the dishes. The attack passes instantly. There is no need to resort to treating the symptom of suffocation with various inhalations and other things used to treat the respiratory system.
With VSD, it is not the respiratory system that suffers, but the nervous system.
You must always remember this feature and then, by constantly stopping the onset of an attack, you can get rid of it forever. It is also necessary to work on the nervous system, not to overload it, but if a stressful situation arises, you should not hold back your emotions, you need to give them a way out. Author: K.M.N., Academician of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences M.A. Bobyr
VSD is a malfunction of the human body
Vegetative-vascular dystonia. With this diagnosis, many shrug their shoulders: “Just think, dizziness and weakness! They don't die from this. Everything will go away by itself!” And they make a big mistake: vegetative-vascular dystonia is not something to joke about. After all, servicing a living organism is much more difficult than the most modern high-tech enterprise. Hundreds of indicators in various organs and systems are “read” by the brain every second from thousands of sensors. The brain immediately analyzes the information received and gives commands: to slow down or speed up the rhythm of the heart and lungs; process food into energy, send it to reserve or throw it away altogether; give rest to one or another organ, or put it on alert. But all this is possible for, say, any insect. Man is a complex system, burdened not only by physical needs, but also by mental reactions. That is why we are afraid, and our body has to “throw” adrenaline into the blood from fear, we cry from resentment and sweat from excitement, we sigh from grief and yawn from boredom. And it is not surprising that the body sometimes makes mistakes. These “mistakes” are manifestations of vegetative-vascular dystonia (VSD).
VSD has its roots... in childhood
As a rule, vegetative-vascular (also known as vegetative) dystonia makes itself felt in childhood. Children suffering from it differ from their peers: they are capricious, conflict-ridden, often get sick, and do not tolerate physical and intellectual stress well, especially at the beginning of the school year. In this case, the child may experience a constantly elevated body temperature, decreased or complete lack of appetite. Many suspicious parents begin to constantly twitch their beloved child by measuring the temperature, bring to the attention of those around him “weaknesses,” protect the child from playing sports, and “treat” him with all kinds of folk remedies. All this can lead to the development of an “inferiority complex” in a child: he is not like everyone else, it is difficult to be friends with him, he needs to be protected and spared. All this harms the child's psyche.
Diagnostics
If vegetative-vascular dystonia is suspected, the doctor usually prescribes a comprehensive examination due to the variety of symptoms. Only this approach helps to understand in detail the causes of the disease and methods of its treatment. What is important here is differential diagnosis, which allows one to exclude organic pathology. If VSD is suspected, the patient undergoes consultation with a neurologist, endocrinologist and cardiologist.
Identifying risk factors
Finding out the patient's medical history, the doctor establishes a family history of autonomic dysfunction. It is important if one of your close relatives has a stomach ulcer, bronchial asthma, hypertension, coronary heart disease, hyperthyroidism, or diabetes mellitus. In childhood, vegetative-vascular dystonia can be aggravated by recurrent focal infections - both acute and chronic.
Assessment of the state of the autonomic system
To prescribe effective treatment for vegetative-vascular dystonia, it is necessary to assess the initial autonomic tone (at rest) and determine indicators of autonomic reactivity. For this purpose, the patient’s complaints are analyzed, and an EEG (electroencephalography) of the brain is also performed. Autonomic reactions are verified through various functional tests.
Cardiovascular research
Since the causes of the disease are directly related to the condition of the blood vessels, in order to prescribe the correct treatment for vegetative-vascular dystonia, it may be necessary to undergo Doppler ultrasound of the vessels (neck, brain). It is also possible that your doctor will order an ECG (electrocardiogram).
It is highly recommended not to refuse treatment for vegetative-vascular dystonia, no matter how insignificant the chosen method may seem to you. If the doctor considers it necessary to prescribe therapy, complete the entire course - do not neglect your own health.
