Vegetative vascular dystonia the whole truth. What truth is hidden under the disease vegetative-vascular dystonia. How to cope with a panic attack and VSD

This is a very real non-disease. As they said earlier, this is a symptom complex. Like a cough with fever and runny nose. Look, there is a disease, for example, a duodenal ulcer. And there is a symptom complex - dyspepsia. A set of symptoms in our medical practice (I don’t know about foreign practice, so I’ll limit myself to ours) may well act as a diagnosis.

The result is confusion, which is actively used on the Internet to exaggerate the topic of all kinds of dysbacteriosis, erosions and other VSDs. A symptom complex is usually a sign of a disease. It is secondary, and if it is present, then it is worth looking for the cause. But sometimes the cause is not a disease. The manifestation of symptoms can be caused by a disrupted routine, poor diet, or stress. Therefore, the doctor may not find an organic cause and prescribe symptomatic treatment.

So, yes, there is no such disease - VSD, but the complex of symptoms in people is quite real and if there are no organic reasons for this complex, then this is not a reason to diagnose them as healthy and send them off without medical help.

Somatoform dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system (SDVNS) is a condition that is characterized by a violation of the neurohumoral regulation of the activity of internal organs (cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal tract (GIT), respiratory organs, endocrine glands, etc.), code according to ICD-10 F 45.3.

Vegetative-vascular dystonia is a kind of “garbage dump”, which contains a huge number of symptoms and conditions, ranging from “oh, mom, boys don’t like me”, ending with severe psychiatric and neurological diseases. This disease is not included in the international classification of diseases; it was invented by “Soviet scientists.” Often behind this pseudo-diagnosis lie completely understandable, recognizable diseases that can and should be treated.

Is it true. There is no disease called “vegetative-vascular distance”. But there is debate about vegetative-vascular dystonia in medical circles. Dystonia, that is, a violation of vascular tone when they cannot respond in a timely manner to changes in atmospheric pressure (cyclones, anticyclones, weather forecasters and all that), is essentially not a disease, but a symptom. A person doesn’t get enough rest, doesn’t eat right, is in a state of constant stress due to a job he doesn’t like or uncomfortable living conditions, maintains unpromising relationships, in other words, he doesn’t relax. These factors lead to the fact that the muscles and blood vessels are in hypertonicity, the pressure begins to jump, unpleasant sensations appear in the back and legs, and the person is haunted by a feeling of constant fatigue and loss of strength. This is just an indicative case of “disease from nerves.”

The devil is not as scary as his little one
Folk wisdom

The statistics are disappointing: up to 80% of the world's population suffers from one or another manifestation of VSD, and almost a third of them need qualified medical care. It is noteworthy that women are more susceptible to the disease than men. We can say that VSD is the scourge of modern humanity, the price to pay for the mind, career and material wealth that is so difficult for us to get, doctors say.

There are many myths associated with the diagnosis of vegetative-vascular dystonia. Indeed, if your blood pressure is fluctuating, your stomach hurts, you don’t have enough air and your heart is burning, cutting and jumping out of your chest, where can you suspect psychological problems? Obviously we are talking about diseases of the heart, lungs and stomach. And we begin our long journey to cardiologists, gastroenterologists, and therapists. The medications they prescribe do not bring relief, and often it even gets worse. As a rule, what helps is the favorite since Soviet times, corvaldin and phenazepam, which are not recommended to be used throughout the civilized world, to put it mildly. This is how the journey of every VSD student begins...

- Doctor, what’s wrong with me?
- I don’t know... Let’s write “VSD”.

Let's figure out what vegetative-vascular dystonia is?

Did you know that according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), there is no such disease as vegetative-vascular dystonia?! In the presence of vegetative-vascular dystonia syndrome, the diagnosis of somatoform autonomic dysfunction of the heart and cardiovascular system is made by excluding diseases such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, etc. That is, when serious organic diseases and pathologies are excluded as a result of the examination, the doctor makes a diagnosis of VSD, which actually says that you are healthy (!!!), you just have impaired autonomic function. It turns out that we become victims of the “vegetative component” of our stress; there is nothing wrong with our organs, their regulation is simply disrupted. And for VSD, it is not the heart, stomach, head and lungs that need to be treated, but the psyche using psychotherapeutic techniques. There is a diagnosis, but there is no disease! With which I congratulate you!

The main thing that a person with VSD needs to understand is:

1. No one has ever died from VSD (the attacks are unpleasant, but that’s all).
2. When diagnosed with VSD, there are no serious physical diseases of any organ that affects the VSD.
3. With VSD, we become hostage to our anxieties and habits. Let's learn to react to them correctly - let's forget about VSD.

A case from one's life:

One day before the New Year, I was getting ready to decorate the Christmas tree after work. But since the work day turned out to be busy, and I was very tired, I didn’t want to decorate the Christmas tree. But, being an obligatory person, I still forced myself to go decorate the forest beauty. And what came of it? Exactly 5 minutes later, I began to have a severe stomach cramp. The pain was so strong that there was no talk of any Christmas tree anymore. I had to lie down. And who defeated whom? Thus, over time, I realized THAT YOU NEED TO BE FRIENDS WITH YOUR BODY. The body is cunning. If you force him, he will still get out of it and put you to bed, but he will do it through illness.

As the wonderful Australian psychologist Andrew Matthews writes in his book “Live Easy!”:

This is how life works. First, they throw small stones at us to give something like a first warning. When we ignore these pebbles, bricks fly at us. Ignore the brick and you'll be crushed into dust by a huge boulder.
If we are able to be honest with ourselves, we can always tell when we did not pay attention to these warnings. But sometimes we have the audacity to ask: “Why did all this fall on me?”

In fact, with vegetative-vascular dystonia we pay for our inattention to our own mental health. Therefore, it is very important to learn the right attitude towards life, develop positive thinking and improve the quality of your life!

Vegetative-vascular dystonia (VSD) is a term used to designate a complex of functional disorders associated with dysregulation of vascular tone of the autonomic nervous system. This diagnosis is often entered into the patient’s chart for various neurological disorders of unknown etiology.

In fact, this term hides a wide variety of dysfunctions of internal organs and systems that are not accompanied by organic damage, but arise against the background of somatic or mental disorders. And the diagnosis “vegetative-vascular dystonia” itself is quite controversial, since it is not included in the ICD-10 (international classification of diseases). However, this term, along with the concept of “neurocirculatory dystonia,” is widely used by most physicians.

Vegetative-vascular dystonia: what is it in simple words

To understand what VSD is, we should take a closer look at the principle of operation of the autonomic system. It is part of the central nervous system and consists of two main divisions - sympathetic and parasympathetic.

They regulate the functioning of all organs, are responsible for blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory system functions, feelings of hunger or satiety, hormone production and even the urge to urinate and defecate. At the same time, the sympathetic department ensures the activation of the above processes, and the parasympathetic department ensures their relaxation. To understand how the system works, here is a simple example:

Feeling hungry, a person begins to eat. Once it is in the stomach, the organ’s receptors send a signal to the autonomic system, which in turn sends an impulse to the pancreas, activating the production of digestive enzymes.

After the process of digesting food is completed, the autonomic nervous system (ANS) commands the pancreas to stop producing digestive juices, and then the entire process (from the passage of food through the intestines to the urge to defecate) is also under its control. That is, the ANS regulates all functions of the body automatically, which allows us not to think about how we breathe, move, react to heat, cold and other external influences.

Lost connection

In cases where the functioning of the ANS occurs and the balance of functions between the parasympathetic and sympathetic departments is disrupted, various pathological manifestations are noted at the level of the organ where the imbalance occurred. But at the same time, the organ itself is not damaged or painful; there is only a loss of communication between it and the autonomic nervous system, which is manifested by various clinical symptoms (excessive sweating, chilliness, headaches, heart rhythm disturbances, etc.).

Good to know

Thus, VSD is not an independent disease, but only a complex of pathological manifestations that arise when the functions of various parts of the autonomic nervous system are disrupted.

But if dystonia is not treated, then over time such disorders can actually lead to real diseases, for example, hypertension, coronary heart disease and other pathologies.

In almost 80% of cases, vegetative-vascular dystonia is diagnosed in children aged 7-8 years, which is associated with the stress factor that accompanies the period of adaptation to a new team, when the child goes to school for the first time and gets used to new living conditions and mental stress.

In adolescents, manifestations of VSD are associated with the transition period, hormonal changes in the body and other stress factors. Symptoms of vegetative-vascular dystonia in adult patients are most often provoked by stress factors, the unfavorable realities of modern life, family problems, and uncertainty about the future.

Vegetative-vascular dystonia: causes

All causes contributing to the development of VSD in medicine are usually divided into primary and secondary.

Primary reasons include:

• Intrauterine lesions of the central nervous system of the fetus in the last months of pregnancy, complications during childbirth. This may be caused by smoking or drinking alcohol during pregnancy, taking medications without consulting your doctor, or damage to the hypothalamus during childbirth. Subsequently, the child exhibits inadequate reactions to stress reactions, expressed in emotional imbalance and a tendency to neuroses.
• Hereditary factor. If a woman suffers from manifestations of VSD, then the likelihood of developing a similar symptom in a child increases significantly.
• Environmental influence. The development of VSD is facilitated by conflict situations in the family and at work, severe stress, mental and nervous strain associated with high loads during training or professional activities.

Additionally, doctors identify a number of secondary causes. Among them:

• unfavorable environmental conditions (most often the diagnosis of Vegetative-vascular dystonia accompanies residents of large cities);
• regular stress, physical and emotional stress, leading to sleep disorders (insomnia) and depression;
• chronic diseases of the nervous, digestive, cardiovascular, respiratory systems, endocrine, somatic or allergic pathologies;
• vitamin deficiencies caused by unbalanced nutrition;
• fluctuations in hormonal balance associated with the onset of puberty (in women, symptoms of VSD occur against the background of premenstrual syndrome or menopause);
• exposure to bad habits (smoking, alcohol, drug use);
• diseases associated with metabolic disorders in the brain;
• increased meteosensitivity (the body's reaction to weather changes or climate change).

Secondary causes most often provoke various deviations against the background of existing dysfunctions of the autonomic nervous system.

Types of vegetative-vascular dystonia

Since this pathology is not included in the ICD, there is no unified classification of the disease. Doctors highlight only certain criteria when making a diagnosis and take into account the following factors:

• area of ​​localization (systems and internal organs involved in the pathological process);
• type of autonomic disorder;
• etiology (cause) of the disease;
• features of the course and severity of the disease.

1. Vegetative-vascular dystonia of the hypotonic type. In this condition, vascular tone is reduced, symptoms of vascular insufficiency are observed - weakness, low blood pressure, high fatigue, fainting, hypothermia, pale skin.
2. VSD of the hypertensive type. Accompanied by increased blood pressure and excessive vascular tone. The main symptoms are pain in the heart, a feeling of heat, headaches, palpitations, sweating, fluctuations in body temperature. If the manifestations of the disease are not controlled in time, the risk of developing hypertension increases.
3. Vegetative-vascular dystonia of the cardiac type. It manifests itself as pain in the heart of varying severity and changes in heart rhythm. The pain can be sharp, burning, or nagging, blurry. Moreover, during the examination there are no other signs of cardiac pathologies. The severity of symptoms increases during severe shocks, stress, and hormonal changes in the body.
4. Vegetative-vascular dystonia of mixed type. It is characterized by unstable vascular tone, as a result of which the condition is complicated by surges in blood pressure. Therefore, patients may be bothered by symptoms characteristic of hypertensive and hypotonic types of VSD.

In addition, according to the nature of the attacks, there are:

• mild crises - last 10-15 minutes, characterized by pronounced monosymptomatic manifestations;
• crises of moderate severity - pronounced vegetative changes are observed for 15-20 minutes and are accompanied by polysymptomatic manifestations;
• severe crises can last more than an hour, are expressed by severe vegetative polysymptomatic disorders and are accompanied by asthenia (weakness) that persists for several days after the attack.

VSD: symptoms

The signs of vegetative-vascular dystonia are very diverse, so it is often difficult to identify any specific and clearly defined symptom. The most characteristic manifestations of the pathology are conditions accompanied by sudden weakness, headache, dizziness, tinnitus, excessive sweating, and rapid heartbeat.

In severe cases, the course of the pathology is complicated by fainting, obsessive states (anxiety, suspiciousness), unreasonable fears, panic attacks, and emotional instability. Frequent accompaniments of VSD include asthenia, daytime sleepiness, and heart pain, accompanied by cardiac arrhythmias.

In the absence of provoking factors, the disease is asymptomatic. Sudden crises develop under stressful situations, high loads and other unfavorable factors. Attacks of VSD are especially difficult in older people who have a whole “bouquet” of concomitant diseases. As an example, here are two common types of vegetative crises:

1. Vagoinsular crisis- accompanied by pallor of the skin, the appearance of cold sweat, severe weakness, a drop in blood pressure, tremors of the limbs, hypothermia, dyspeptic disorders, and allergic reactions. The patient complains of pain in the heart, attacks of suffocation, a feeling of lack of air, and a severe headache.
2. Sympathoadrenaline crisis- is accompanied by completely opposite manifestations, namely increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, excessive excitability, dry mouth, and frequent urination. Sometimes there is an increase in body temperature along with a feeling of coldness in the extremities.

Signs

Among other common signs of autonomic disorders, experts identify:

• Cardiovascular syndrome is a consequence of cardiovascular disorders and is expressed in changes in heart rhythm (tachycardia, bradycardia), surges in blood pressure, pain in the heart area that is not relieved by taking nitroglycerin.
• Irritable bowel syndrome - manifested by pain and bloating, flatulence, lack of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and upset stool.
• Respiratory syndrome is accompanied by difficulty breathing, a feeling of lack of air, the inability to breathe deeply due to muscle spasm, loss of sensation in the limbs and dizziness.
• Asthenic syndrome is characterized by emotional and physical exhaustion and is manifested by rapid fatigue, weakness, drowsiness, decreased performance and intellectual capabilities. Frequent signs are irritability, short temper, inability to concentrate on the task at hand, absent-mindedness, and bad mood. Often asthenia is accompanied by orthostatic hypotension and associated fainting with a sudden change in body position (transition from a horizontal to a vertical position).
• Neurotic disorders are manifested by increased anxiety, panic attacks and depressive states. Patients with such disorders are characterized by excessive suspiciousness, worry about their health, sleep poorly at night, and panic attacks are caused by fear of death or serious illness.
• Violation of thermoregulation - during an attack, both a decrease in temperature (hypothermia) and an increase (hyperthermia) can be observed. In this case, the increase in temperature is small, does not exceed subfebrile values ​​(37.5°C) and is accompanied by chills.
• Cystalgia or frequent urination during a crisis is in no way associated with bladder pathologies, as confirmed by laboratory urine testing.
• when VSD manifests itself, it is expressed by anorgasmia in women and lack of erection in men.

Thus, vegetative-vascular dystonia can manifest itself in a variety of, sometimes completely opposite, symptoms, which largely depends on which organs and systems are affected by the disease. The variety of symptoms can make it difficult to diagnose the disease and choose the right treatment tactics.

Diagnostic methods

Diagnosis of vegetative-vascular dystonia causes certain difficulties, since this condition should be differentiated from other diseases with similar symptoms (heart pathologies, hypertension, bronchial asthma, infectious diseases, mental disorders). Therefore, in addition to a visit to a therapist, consultation with other specialists is necessary - a neurologist, cardiologist, endocrinologist, otolaryngologist, ophthalmologist or psychiatrist. The diagnosis of VSD is made on the basis of a number of laboratory and instrumental studies. Among them:

• pharmacological tests;
• EEG (electroencephalography);
• ECG (electrocardiography);
• ECHOEG (echoencephalography);
• REG (rheoencephalography);
• MRI of the brain.

Symptoms and treatment of vegetative-vascular dystonia are closely interrelated. Therefore, a course of therapy is selected only after a comprehensive examination and clarification of the reasons that provoke such a condition.

How to treat VSD?

Treatment of VSD is a complex and lengthy process, its main areas are:

• drug therapy;
• the use of physiotherapeutic procedures (balneotherapy, electrophoresis, electrosleep, phototherapy, acupuncture, etc.);
• therapeutic massage and physical education;
• adjustment of lifestyle, nutrition, normalization of daily routine;
• rejection of bad habits;
• elimination of stress and other traumatic factors;
• psychotherapist consultations.

The best results can be achieved by combining medication with other methods of non-drug therapy and eliminating external unfavorable factors (stress, conflicts in the family and at work).

Drug treatment consists of the use of drugs from the following groups:

1. Antidepressants (Amitriptyline, Prozac, Cipramil, Imipramine). They help eliminate increased anxiety, irritability, cope with psycho-emotional stress or apathy, and depressive states. Such remedies help relieve some unpleasant somatic symptoms (pain in the heart, muscles and joints), which cannot be treated with other drugs.
2. Tranquilizers (Diazepam, Relanium, Tranxen, Seduxen) are intended to prevent panic attacks, eliminate unreasonable fears, and increased anxiety.
3. Sedatives. More often they use safe sedatives based on plant extracts (tincture of valerian, hawthorn, motherwort, Novo-Passit, Persen, herbal teas). Such remedies act gently and have a beneficial effect on the nervous system, providing a sedative effect without harm to health.
4. Nootropics(Piracetam, Phenibut, Phenotropil). They improve blood circulation in the brain, eliminate the effects of hypoxia, and increase the body's resistance to stressful situations. Additionally, in order to normalize cerebral and peripheral blood circulation, the drugs Cinnarizine, Cavinton, Trental are used.

For symptoms associated with cardiac dysfunction, adrenergic blockers (Anaprilin, Atenol) are prescribed; to relieve heart pain - Verapamil, or.

For dizziness and headaches associated with intracranial hypertension or high blood pressure, diuretics are used (to remove excess fluid that causes increased pressure) and medications that improve cerebral circulation (Cavinton, Vinpocetine).

Folk remedies for VSD

In the treatment of vegetative-vascular dystonia, decoctions and infusions of medicinal herbs are widely used. You just need to choose them taking into account the type of VSD. So, for hypotensive type dystonia, the following plants will help:

• ginseng;
• Eleutherococcus;
• Schisandra chinensis;
• radiola pink;
• immortelle;
• juniper;
• nettle;
• dandelion.

These herbs have long been used in folk medicine to maintain vascular tone and eliminate weakness, fatigue and other symptoms characteristic of this type of VSD. Based on them, they make their own infusions or decoctions and take them strictly according to the recipe. Ready-made alcoholic infusions of tonic herbs can be purchased at the pharmacy.

When treating dystonia of the cardiac type, the choice should be made of hawthorn, hops, mint, peony, St. John's wort, valerian or rosemary. Herbs can be brewed and drunk like regular tea, or infused with alcohol and taken in a volume of 25 drops before meals, after dissolving them in a small amount of water.

Prognosis for VSD

Despite the mass of unpleasant symptoms, the prognosis for vegetative-vascular dystonia is positive. With timely treatment, compliance with medical recommendations, giving up bad habits, it is possible to avoid psychosomatic complications, unpleasant consequences from the cardiovascular system, brain and other vital organs.

A correctly selected treatment regimen and compliance with preventive measures in almost 80% of cases can stop further progression of VSD and significantly improve the patient’s quality of life.

Vegetative-vascular dystonia is characterized by diverse, often vivid subjective symptoms of the disease that do not correspond to the much less pronounced objective manifestations of a particular organ pathology. The clinical picture of vegetative-vascular dystonia largely depends on the direction of autonomic disorders (predominance of vago- or sympathicotonia).

Symptoms of VSD usually include headaches, weakness, fainting or fainting, tinnitus, fainting, and drowsiness. Another characteristic symptom of VSD is dizziness. People with vegetative-vascular dystonia quickly turn pale and red, are sensitive to weather changes, and sweat more. Often with VSD, rapid heartbeat and changes in body temperature are observed (especially with vegetative-vascular dystonia with impaired thermoregulation). Symptoms of vegetative-vascular dystonia can appear constantly or occasionally, depending on the degree of the disease. As medical research shows, the constant manifestation of symptoms of VSD usually occurs in people with congenital instability of the nervous system.
Manifestations of vegetative-vascular dystonia can be frequent and at the same time insignificant, and can cause fainting and panic attacks. In the second case, we can talk about the serious development of VSD and the need for treatment of vegetative-vascular dystonia. Unfortunately, crises (attacks of vegetative-vascular dystonia, panic attacks) to one degree or another occur quite often. We can say that panic attacks are constant companions of VSD.
Doctors do not consider VSD to be an independent disease, but consider the symptoms of VSD as a consequence of various disorders in the body. The most common cause of vegetative-vascular dystonia today is overwork, stress and a signal that the body has diseases that require professional treatment. When treating vegetative-vascular dystonia, it should be taken into account that any manifestation of VSD is a poor interaction between the vascular and autonomic systems, in which the nervous structures that regulate emotions play a crucial role.
Cardiopsychoneurosis.
If cardiovascular disorders predominate in the complex of existing autonomic disorders, it is permissible to use the term “neurocirculatory dystonia”. However, it should be borne in mind that neurocirculatory dystonia is an integral part of the broader concept of vegetative-vascular dystonia. There are three types of neurocirculatory dystonia: cardiac, vascular and mixed.
The cardiac type of neurocirculatory dystonia (functional cardiopathy) is manifested by rhythm and conduction disturbances (sinus bradycardia, extrasystole, paroxysmal and non-paroxysmal tachycardia, I-II degree atrioventricular block), disturbances in the processes of ventricular repolarization (nonspecific changes in the ST segment), and some forms of mitral valve prolapse.
Neurocirculatory dystonia of the vascular type is accompanied by arterial hypertension (neurocirculatory dystonia of the hypertonic type) or hypotension (neurocirculatory dystonia of the hypotonic type).
The mixed type of neurocirculatory dystonia has elements of both cardiac and vascular types with various combinations of their symptoms.

The course of vegetative-vascular dystonia.
Vegetative-vascular dystonia in children can occur latently, occurring under the influence of unfavorable factors, or permanently. The development of vegetative crises (paroxysms, vegetative storms, panic attacks) is possible. Crisis states occur during emotional overload, mental and physical stress, acute infectious diseases, sudden changes in weather conditions and reflect a breakdown in the autonomic regulation system. They can be short-term, lasting several minutes or hours, or long-term (several days) and occur in the form of vagoinsular, sympatho-adrenal or mixed crises.
Vagoinsular crises are accompanied by suddenly developing pallor, sweating, a decrease in body temperature and blood pressure, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and severe bloating, and occasionally angioedema. Possible syncope, attacks of pain in the heart (pseudoangina syndrome), migraine or shortness of breath, reminiscent of an attack of bronchial asthma.
Sympathoadrenal crises are accompanied by a feeling of anxiety and fear of death, chills, headache, tachycardia (often paroxysmal), increased blood pressure, increased body temperature (up to 39-40 ° C), dry mouth, frequent urination, and polyuria.

Treatment of vegetative-vascular dystonia.
Treatment for vegetative-vascular dystonia should be comprehensive, individual, taking into account the characteristics of autonomic disorders and their etiology. Preference in treatment is given to non-drug methods. These include normalizing the daily routine, eliminating physical inactivity, dosed physical activity, limiting emotional influences (TV shows, computer games), individual and family psychological correction, as well as regular and balanced nutrition.
Therapeutic massage, acupuncture, and water treatments have a positive effect. The features of physiotherapeutic effects depend on the form of autonomic disorders.

How to cure vegetative vascular dystonia.
To treat vegetative-vascular dystonia, doctors prescribe special medications, including sedatives for the treatment of vegetative-vascular dystonia and antidepressants. However, it should be borne in mind that taking medications for vegetative-vascular dystonia should only be done with the knowledge of a doctor, since they can be addictive!
Treatment of vegetative-vascular dystonia with folk remedies can be quite effective: in particular, infusions for cleansing blood vessels, cardiac infusions. There is a lot of information about this on various VSD forums. Treatment of vegetative-vascular dystonia with herbs (hawthorn, motherwort, etc.) also belongs to the folk treatment of vegetative-vascular dystonia and is only auxiliary in nature. Treatment of vegetative-vascular dystonia with folk remedies in practice does not provide recovery, but has a beneficial effect on the body.
The most useful exercise for vegetative-vascular dystonia is therapeutic exercise, which provides a general strengthening effect on the body. Physical therapy for VSD is an excellent means for training the body and increasing its performance. In case of vegetative-vascular dystonia, physical education, thought out taking into account the age and health status of the patient, is simply necessary. However, exercises for VSD should be gentle and completely exclude jumping. It should also be taken into account that an active lifestyle in general is a prevention of vegetative-vascular dystonia.
Rest is the best remedy for vegetative-vascular dystonia. Naturally, a person cannot quit his job. However, it is quite possible and necessary to allow yourself to travel outside the city! Much attention is paid to the treatment of symptoms of vegetative-vascular dystonia in sanatoriums - there are a lot of special procedures that will help a person feel much better. Based on the results, we can say that in the treatment of vegetative-vascular dystonia, sanatorium procedures are simply irreplaceable!
However, most people who prefer drug or alternative treatment for vegetative-vascular dystonia are not satisfied with therapeutic measures. As often happens, there is treatment, but no results. In this case, how to cure VSD?

Treatment of vegetative-vascular dystonia from the point of view of modern psychology.
The main attention should be paid to the causal role of emotional factors in the occurrence of diseases.
Especially important in this case are the eyes - the windows of the soul. People with lively and sparkling eyes usually look each other directly in the face, establishing eye contact that connects people's feelings. The Greeks were right when they argued that a healthy mind can only exist in a healthy body.
Fear, phobias - this causes panic attacks, vegetative-vascular dystonia or chronic fatigue syndrome. All this is treated by psychotherapists without pills, using proven techniques. Treatment uses behavioral therapy and hypnotherapy.
Treatment of vegetative-vascular dystonia: psychological aspect.
In Russia, as well as in the former CIS countries, it is customary to “forget” that man is not only a material being, but also a thinking one, possessing unique psychological characteristics and characteristics. And many diseases (including many symptoms of vegetative-vascular dystonia) appear due to psychological factors.
The cause of vegetative-vascular dystonia can be unfavorable genetics, poisoning, concussions, a sedentary lifestyle, previous flu, diabetes, and severe stress. However, statistics show that there are many VSDs, but the main ones were and remain psychological disorders (stress, depression, neuroses, overwork, chronic fatigue).
And if the cause of the disease is physical factors, then medications can and should be prescribed to treat VSD. However, medications for vegetative-vascular dystonia, which is caused by psychological disorders, are simply irrelevant and even harmful! Folk remedies will not help here in the treatment of VSD. In this case, the treatment of vegetative-vascular dystonia requires the help of a professional psychologist. Only in this case will the treatment of VSD be truly effective.
You can take medications and antidepressants for years to no avail, while with the help of psychotherapy it is possible to get rid of the symptoms of VSD and panic attacks in a few sessions.

How is vegetative-vascular dystonia related to panic attacks?
The description of panic attacks is very similar to the description of the symptoms of vegetative-vascular dystonia during a crisis (attacks of VSD). The nature of panic attacks and exacerbations of VSD is the same: in the body at these moments there is a high concentration of adrenaline, norepinephrine and acetylcholine. These biologically active substances cause emotional overload and pain. That is why patients in need of treatment for panic attacks are often diagnosed with vegetative-vascular dystonia and prescribed medications for VSD, while people need psychological help. Vegetative-vascular dystonia and panic attacks are easy to confuse, especially since in Russia not even all doctors know about panic attacks. Pain associated with VSD (and especially the headache characteristic of VSD) often does not require treatment with medications, but they continue to be prescribed. However, even in order to lower blood pressure (it increases with VSD of the hypertensive type), you do not need pills, but quick, professional psychological help.
Treatment of panic attacks and symptoms of VSD, like treatment of phobias, often does not require drug intervention. Panic attacks caused by VSD are treated using a non-drug method, recognized throughout the world and based on the most effective method of cognitive behavioral therapy.

Patients with vegetative-vascular dystonia live poorly, but for a long time - there is a lot of truth in this medical joke. This strange attack can greatly complicate life, sometimes turning it into hell, and at the same time pose no threat to life. Even with completely healthy internal organs, people suffering from VSD can feel so bad that they feel like real disabled people. The most offensive thing is that those around them begin to consider them malingerers - in fact, how can you trust a person who claims that his heart hurts despite an excellent cardiogram? Even some doctors believe that VSD does not exist. Who should you trust and why then does a person feel so bad?

What is VSD

VSD is one of the most mysterious diseases. It seems to be there, and it seems to be not. Some doctors believe that such a disease does not exist and that completely different diseases are hidden under the mask of VSD, which simply have not been identified and are not treated. Other doctors, on the contrary, believe that this disease exists, and it is associated with a violation of the regulatory function of the autonomic nervous system. But this failure can be caused by a variety of reasons, ranging from infectious diseases to hereditary predisposition, neurasthenia and liver diseases.

VSD has many names, as well as many faces. It is also hidden under the names of neurocirculatory dystonia, or dysfunction, vegetative dystonia, it can be called cardioneurosis, vegetative neurosis. Because the disease has many names, symptoms and manifestations, it is treated by a number of specialists: cardiologist, neurologist, endocrinologist, psychotherapist and psychiatrist. Seven nannies have a child without an eye - VSD continues to be the most mysterious disease. And what helps some sufferers has no effect on others.

So, it is completely unclear whether this is a separate disease or a set of symptoms (syndrome), but many suffer from this scourge, and women are 2 times more likely to suffer from this scourge. And almost 25% of patients who consult a cardiologist about heart pain have a completely healthy heart - obvious VSD.

VSD is actually an imbalance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems of the autonomic nervous system, which regulates the activity of internal organs. Unconscious and automatic activities - blood pressure, heartbeat, hormone release, and so on. As a result, at the slightest critical situation, the body begins to react inadequately to stimuli. And a vegetative crisis or attack occurs, so well known to all vegotonics - sharp fluctuations in pressure, dizziness, heartbeat, excitement. The autonomic system gives conflicting orders, the glands secrete hormones that are not currently required, the organs begin to prepare for stress in the complete absence of it. And everything leads to poor health in complete health.

People can go to doctors in circles for years, researching the causes of illnesses and becoming disillusioned with medicine. A cardiologist, endocrinologist, neurologist will not find any abnormalities in health, all tests will show that there are no organic lesions of the heart and brain. But there are symptoms, and we will talk about them on our website.

Who suffers from VSD

As a rule, VSD mainly affects emotional people, with a very, as doctors say, labile, that is, unstable, nervous system. This type very easily displays inadequate vascular reactions to everything - from physical activity to stress and weather.

It can appear at any age. But almost always those who suffer from it in adulthood discovered the first symptoms in childhood or early adolescence. And most often, the first symptoms appear during the period of hormonal changes in adolescence. In women, VSD can appear and worsen during any period of hormonal upheavals - during pregnancy and after it, during the restructuring of the body during menopause.

It can also be a consequence of illness and disruption of the endocrine glands. Although here everything remains unclear - whether the disorder causes VSD or the failure of the regulatory function of the autonomic system causes disruption of the endocrine glands.

It is assumed that heredity also plays a role. Parents with VSD have a high risk of having a child who will also subsequently suffer from the same disease. Flowers delivered in Moscow. Flor-boutique - flower delivery in Moscow. . Excellent flowers at reasonable prices. Delivery within the Moscow Ring Road is free!

What causes VSD

In addition to hereditary or non-hereditary weakness of the autonomic nervous system, other factors can cause VSD. Infectious diseases, including influenza and tonsillitis, can cause a failure of the regulatory ability of the autonomic system. Injuries, especially concussions, can also lead to this. A sedentary lifestyle leads to the fact that the blood vessels, due to lack of load, begin to work poorly and symptoms of dystonia appear.

There is a theory that states that symptoms of VSD are caused by improper functioning of the digestive system, especially chronic gastroduodenitis. After a course of treatment for gastroduodenitis, the symptoms of dystonia disappear. This theory was put forward back in the 50s of the last century, and there is information about successful cases of healing of VSD after treatment by a gastroenterologist.

A psychologist can help here too. In a number of people, VSD is caused by mental causes. Neurosis-like conditions lead to dystonia. Psychotherapists suggest the existence of a deep connection between secret fears and the appearance of VSD. A number of experts claim that a strong fear of death, expelled into the subconscious, can lead to the development of vegetative-vascular dystonia. In the same way, fear of life can give its symptoms.

Symptoms of VSD

She has many symptoms. But according to groups of symptoms, different types of VSD are distinguished.

If problems mainly arise with the heart, then VSD follows the cardiological type; If you have breathing problems, use respiratory. The cerebral type gives headaches; digestive disorders are a gastroenterological type; visceral leads to disruption of thermoregulation.

Often, the same person experiences several different types of VSD.

For cardiac type, arrhythmia, palpitations, dizziness, fainting, pressure surges. Based on how the pressure changes, VSD is classified into hypotonic, hypertonic or mixed type.

With VSD of the hypertensive type, sharp causeless increases in blood pressure, anxiety, palpitations, chills with cold extremities, and panic attacks are observed. With VSD of the hypotonic type, weakness, dizziness, fainting, drop in pressure, sweating, and lightheadedness appear. With a mixed type, these symptoms can change each other, exhausting a person and leading to loss of performance.

A panic attack is especially frightening for many, when suddenly, without any reason, an attack begins - pressure surges, increased heart rate, lightheadedness, dizziness, an uncontrollable attack of fear of death. A panic attack can last for several minutes or hours. In severe cases, the help of a doctor is required.

When cardiac symptoms predominate, VSD is often called neurocirculatory dystonia (dysfunction). An attack of VSD of the cardiological type is terribly frightening because it can resemble a heart attack. A person feels pain in the heart, he develops a feeling of fear, blood pressure can rise to high numbers and drop to low ones. Almost 30% of emergency calls for a possible heart attack occur precisely because of an attack of vegetative-vascular dystonia.

Many accuse the unfortunate person of malingering and suspiciousness and even stop paying attention to his complaints, considering him a manipulator. Meanwhile, he really feels very bad. Moreover, such people are actually in great danger. They themselves get used to the fact that all these sensations are associated with VSD and a panic attack. And if they actually have a heart attack, they may not see a doctor in time, considering the symptoms to be a normal attack of VSD.

Many people suffering from VSD report difficulty breathing, a lump in the throat, sore throat, and shortness of breath. In fact, this is not shortness of breath in its classic form.

With the gastroenterological type, the stomach often hurts for no apparent reason. In this case, a person can go to doctors and undergo detailed examinations. As a result, nothing will be revealed. In this case, many are given a vague diagnosis of “irritable bowel syndrome”, and that’s where it ends. In this case, VSD is characterized by unstable stools, digestive disorders, poor appetite, even its complete absence.

The cerebral type can cause numbness in the limbs, goosebumps, pain in different parts of the body for any reason. This is very frightening for many, because the person begins to suspect that he is having a stroke.

In women, VSD can cause disruptions in the menstrual cycle, and in men - erectile dysfunction.

Emotionally and psychologically, patients with VSD suffer from frequent mood swings, suspiciousness, increased anxiety, fatigue, drowsiness or overexcitation, problems with memory and concentration, and insomnia. In this case, the help of a psychologist or psychotherapist is necessary. Unfortunately, people with VSD turn to a psychologist last.

How to cope with a panic attack and VSD

At the onset of an attack with surges in blood pressure and palpitations, you can drink a glass of water, to which you add 50 drops of tincture of valerian/motherwort and eleutherococcus. Taking no-shpa and glycine tablets will help.

To get rid of a strong heartbeat, you need to close your eyes and press your fingers on your eyeballs for a minute. Massaging your fingers and neck will help normalize blood pressure.

In fact, simple methods are effective. A daily routine, proper nutrition and an active lifestyle will help reduce the number of attacks and make them less severe. Daily walks of at least half an hour help keep VSD within limits.

VSD is a disease so many-sided that it is simply impossible to describe all its symptoms. And despite the fact that it does not threaten life, it makes it much more difficult, since the person is afraid of attacks and does not know at what point he will feel bad again. Therefore, it is best not to delay your visit to the doctor and start treating the disease in a comprehensive manner.