Symptoms of vegeto-vascular dystonia

Vegetative-vascular dystonia has a wide variety of symptoms, since this disease is not considered a separate nosological condition. Rather, VVD, as abbreviated name for a complex symptom complex, provokes the deterioration of somatic diseases that have a psychogenic cause. These are all erosive processes of the gastrointestinal tract, hypotension and hypertension, coronary heart disease, endocrine diseases, asthma, neurodermatitis. This mechanism is associated with the principle of operation of two subtypes of the nervous system, which regulate various processes occurring in the body. The sympathetic nervous system controls us during the daytime, it controls physical activity, heart rate, partly intellectual activity, and the sympathetic system is also responsible for an adequate human response to stress. The parasympathetic system, on the contrary, protects the body's vital functions while the brain and sympathetic system are sleeping, that is, it controls rest and the process of resource recovery. Alternating, these two systems create a harmonious balance of activity and complete rest.

When the interaction of the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems is disrupted, a syndrome called vegetative-vascular dystonia develops. The vegetative part of the nervous system is autonomous by its nature, that is, it is weakly subordinated to the control of consciousness, for example, it is unlikely that anyone will be able to stop the heartbeat at will, it will work regardless of the desire or unwillingness of a person. The vegetative system controls the work of many organs and systems, but its main task is to maintain the constancy of this coordinated work or homeostasis. The term "dystonic disorder" clearly denotes the main symptom - a change in tone, and the localization of this process can be varied - from the endocrine to the cardiovascular system. Obviously, such "scatteredness" explains the variety of symptoms. In modern clinical neuropathological practice, more than fifty complaints of a subjective nature are described, which are presented by people suffering from VSD. According to the nature and course of the pathological process, vegetative-vascular dystonia symptoms are divided into the following forms and types described below.

Symptoms of the cardiac form of vegetative-vascular dystonia

This type of dystonia is characterized by all the signs of cardiovascular diseases. Pain in the heart is prolonged, often aching, dull. Sometimes there are spasms with stabbing pains, which are extremely disturbing and even frightening to patients. As a result, there is constant anxiety about sudden death. Such a thought only worsens the condition, severe shortness of breath develops, and blood pressure increases.

How to differentiate an attack caused by vegetative-vascular dystonia, the symptoms of which are so similar to cardiac ones that they are practically indistinguishable from a real heart attack? Painful sensations of vegetative-vascular etiology can last for weeks, they are not amenable to neutralization with cardiac drugs, including nitroglycerin. If the patient consults a cardiologist, as a rule, studies and examinations do not show changes in the functioning of the heart.

Tachycardiac form

Characteristic symptoms for this type of dystonia are increased heart rate, the pulse can literally be heard, it is so active. Blood rushes to the skin, the face turns red, sweating may increase. These signs also cause severe anxiety, up to the fear of death. This sensation activates the process and it can recur repeatedly. Vegetative-vascular dystonia symptoms can be so severe that a person can actually develop cardiac problems. This form is extremely difficult to independently differentiate from true paroxysmal, extremely dangerous tachycardia and arrhythmia, so a consultation with a cardiologist is required.

Hypertensive form

This type is characterized by periodic, spontaneous increase in blood pressure. Often, vegetative-vascular dystonia symptoms of the hypertensive type are combined with other types of dystonia - tachycardia or cardiac.

How to distinguish vegetative-vascular dystonia of the hypertensive type from a true hypertensive crisis? Unlike true hypertension, when the pressure rises regularly and the reasons for the increase are predictable, with dystonia, pressure surges cannot be explained by objective factors. In addition, arterial pressure almost never exceeds the threshold values of 165-170/90-85 mm Hg.

Visceral form

This type of dystonia is characterized by all the signs of pathological processes in the digestive system. This is periodic bloating and flatulence, not associated with the intake of provoking food. Painful sensations with bloating often pass after defecation. A violation of the defecation process itself may develop, which alternates constipation with diarrhea. Vegetative-vascular dystonia often manifests symptoms in several areas of the gastrointestinal tract - the stomach, intestines, pancreas.

How to distinguish attacks of visceral dystonia from true symptoms of gastrointestinal dysfunction? If the signs of digestive system dysfunction are associated with vegetative-vascular dystonia, they are not accompanied by an increase in body temperature and there are never blood clots in the stool. In addition, visceral intestinal disorders cannot be explained by the intake of poor-quality or non-dietary food. Often, a person, having noticed alarming signs, begins to follow a strict diet, excluding fried, spicy and fatty foods, but such a diet does not bring the desired result, the symptoms continue to manifest.

Hypotonic form

The hypotonic form is manifested by a rather strong decrease in blood pressure, dizziness, and severe headache are characteristic. Increased sweating with tremor is possible, which is very similar to the symptoms of hypoglycemia.

How to distinguish an attack of the hypotonic type from true hypoglycemia? If a person is "hypitic", he needs to eat a piece of sugar or drink sweet tea, then the first signs subside and you can proceed to the proper diagnosis of Vegetative-vascular dystonia, the symptoms of which are similar to a hypoglycemic attack, is not controlled by sweets and food intake, moreover, such measures aggravate the symptoms, up to the gag reflex.

Respiratory form

The respiratory form is very typical for all types of neurotic disorders. Psychoemotional breathing disorders are characterized by a feeling of constriction in the throat (lump), difficulty breathing, often this type is accompanied by regular coughing, which turns into an unconscious habit. A feeling of pressure in the chest, frequent urge to yawn, a sore throat - this is far from a complete list of signs of the respiratory type of dystonia.

How to distinguish the respiratory type from true signs of an inflammatory process in the bronchi, nasopharynx, throat? Vegetative-vascular dystonia exhibits symptoms that are extremely similar to true respiratory ones, but during dystonic attacks the patient's body temperature does not rise. In addition, laboratory tests (cultures) do not reveal signs of microbes or bacteria, and the X-ray is also often normal.

Asthenic form

The asthenic form is often combined with the hypotonic one. General decrease in vitality, constant fatigue, low stress resistance, inability to perform feasible physical or mental work, subfebrile temperature, tremor - these are the main signs of asthenic dystonia.

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Crisis form or vegetative crises

This is the most severe condition, when the attack occurs suddenly, squeezing the chest. It is not just shortness of breath, but a real respiratory arrest, fortunately, not critical in duration. However, even such an instant attack is enough to feel the fear of death, which is remembered and later serves as an independent trigger (trigger mechanism) for a relapse of the vegetative crisis. The crisis is accompanied by tachycardia, facial flushing, typical of an asthma attack. The danger of such crises lies in their spontaneity, they can be provoked by a real stressful situation, but can occur completely without reason. The extreme manifestation of vegetative crises are PA - panic attacks. The clinic of panic attacks is as follows:

• A sudden feeling of anxiety and fear, which sometimes lasts up to two hours;
• The heartbeat increases and the pulse quickens;
• Shortness of breath appears, breathing seems to stop;
• There may be dizziness;
• Often attacks are accompanied by tremors of the limbs;
• There is a feeling of fear of death, fear of losing control over consciousness and going crazy;
• There may be bouts of inexplicable aggression and irritability.

Vegetative-vascular dystonia demonstrates such multivariate symptoms that the disease often does not have one specific form, types and forms are usually mixed. For independent differentiation, the following characteristic features of VSD should be taken into account:

• If a person has a more active sympathetic part of the general nervous system, then it will be the most vulnerable, it will affect the symptoms - fear, tachycardia, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure. The weaker parasympathetic system does not have time to restore the body's resources during rest and sleep, so the symptoms of vegetative-vascular dystonia will most likely be of the hypertensive type.
• If the parasympathetic part of the nervous system is more active in terms of functioning, then it gives excess energy, which a person does not have time to distribute and spend. The symptoms of this type of disease are characterized by depressive disorders, decreased blood pressure, fatigue. Paradoxically, one's own internal energy begins to suppress many natural functions of the body, such a course of the disease refers to VSD of the hypotonic type.

Vegetative-vascular dystonia has multiple symptoms, often not clinically manifested, it is a rather severe, uncomfortable condition, however, it belongs to the category of functional disorders and, as a rule, has nothing to do with serious pathologies and diseases. Psychogenic neurological syndrome with proper diagnosis and therapeutic supervision is neutralized over time or, at least, can be managed. Treatment is prescribed by a neurologist, often such patients require a course of psychotherapeutic consultations.

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