Symptoms of vegetative-vascular dystonia

Vegeto-vascular dystonia symptoms are very diverse, since this disease is not considered separate in the nosological sense. Rather, VSD, so abbreviated as a complex symptom complex, provokes worsening of somatic diseases that have a psychogenic cause. These are all erosive processes of the gastrointestinal tract, hypotension and hypertension, ischemic heart disease, endocrine diseases, asthma, and neurodermatitis. This mechanism is connected with the principle of the operation of two subtypes of the nervous system, which regulate various processes occurring in the body. The sympathetic nervous system controls us in the daytime, it controls physical activity, heart rhythm, partly intellectual activity, and also sympathy is responsible for the person's adequate response to stress. The parasympathetic system, on the contrary, protects the vital activity of the body at a time when the brain and sympathetic system are asleep, that is, controls the rest and the process of restoring resources. Alternating, these two systems create a harmonious balance of activity and proper rest.

When the interaction of the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems is broken, a syndrome called vegeto-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 person's desire or unwillingness. 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 indicates the main symptom - a change in tone, and the localization of this process can be varied - from the endocrine to the cardiovascular system. Obviously, this "scatter" explains the variety of symptoms. In modern clinical neuropathological practice, more than fifty complaints of a subjective nature are described by people suffering from the VSD. According to the nature and course of the pathological process of vegetative-vascular dystonia, symptoms are divided into the following forms and types described below.

Symptoms of cardiovascular form of vegetative-vascular dystonia

For this type of dystonia all signs of cardiovascular diseases are characteristic. Painful sensations in the heart are long-lasting, often they are aching, dull. Sometimes there are cramps with stabbing pains, which are extremely disturbing and even frightening patients. As a consequence, there is a constant concern about sudden death. This idea only aggravates the condition, develops severe dyspnea, increases blood pressure.

How to differentiate an attack that provokes vegetative-vascular dystonia, the symptoms of which are so similar to the cardiological ones that are virtually indistinguishable from a real heart attack? Pain sensations of vegetative-vascular etiology can last for weeks, they can not be neutralized with the help of cardiac agents, including nitroglycerin. If a patient turns to a cardiologist, as a rule, studies and examinations do not show changes in the work of the heart. 

Tachycardia

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

Hypertonic form

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

How to distinguish the vegetative-vascular dystonia of the hypertonic type from the true hypertensive crisis? Unlike real hypertension, when the pressure rises regularly and the cause of the increase is predictable, with dystonia pressure jumps can not be explained by objective factors. In addition, when blood pressure almost never exceeds the threshold values of 165-170 / 90-85 mm Hg. 

Visceral form

For this type of dystonia, all signs of pathological processes in the digestive system are characteristic. This is a periodic swelling of the intestine and flatulence, not associated with the adoption of provoking food. Pain sensations during swelling often go away after defecation. There may be a violation of the very process of defecation, which alternates constipation with diarrhea. Vegeto-vascular dystonia symptoms often manifests in several zones of the gastrointestinal tract - stomach, intestine, pancreas.

How to distinguish attacks of visceral dystonia from the true symptoms of a disorder of the function of the gastrointestinal system? If signs of a digestive system disorder are associated with vegeto-vascular dystonia, they are not accompanied by an increase in body temperature and there are never any blood clots in the stool. In addition, visceral intestinal disorders can not be explained by the intake of poor-quality or non-dietary food. Often a person, having noticed in his anxious signs, begins to follow a strict diet, excluding fried, sharp and fatty meals, but such a diet does not bring the desired result, the symptomatology continues to manifest. 

Hypotonic form

The hypotonic form is manifested by a fairly strong decrease in blood pressure, characterized by dizziness, severe headache. Perhaps increased sweating with tremors, which is very similar to the symptoms of hypoglycemia.

How to distinguish an attack by hypotonic type from true hypoglycemia? If a person "gipuet", he needs to eat a piece of sugar or drink sweet tea, then the first signs subsided and you can proceed to proper diagnosis of Vegeto-vascular dystonia, the symptoms of which are similar to a hypoglycemic attack, no sweets and food intake, moreover, such measures exacerbate the symptoms, right 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 squeezing the throat (lump), it is difficult to inhale, often this type is accompanied by a regular cough, which turns into an unconscious habit. A feeling of pressure in the chest, frequent desires for yawning, choking in the area of throat - that's far from a complete list of signs of respiratory type of dystonia.

How to distinguish the respiratory type from the true signs of the inflammatory process in the bronchi, the nasopharynx, the throat? The vegetative-vascular dystonia symptoms are extremely similar to the true respiratory ones, however, in case of dystonic attacks the patient does not have a fever. In addition, in laboratory tests (cultures), signs of microbes, bacteria are not detected, the roentgenogram is also often normal. 

Asthenic form

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

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Creeping shape or crises vegetative

This is the most difficult condition, when the attack manifests suddenly, squeezing the chest. There is not just shortness of breath, but the real stop of breathing, fortunately, in duration is not critical. However, such an instantaneous seizure is enough to feel the fear of death, which is remembered and further is an independent trigger (trigger mechanism) for the recurrence of the vegetative crisis. Crisis is accompanied by a tachycardia, reddening face, typical for an attack of asthma. The danger of such crises lies in their spontaneity, they can be provoked by a real stressful situation, but can arise completely without cause. The extreme manifestation of vegetative crises are PA - panic attacks. The clinic for panic attacks is as follows: 

• Sudden appearance of a feeling of anxiety, fear, which lasts sometimes up to two hours; 
• The heart rate increases and the pulse increases; 
• There is shortness of breath, breathing seems to freeze; 
• There may be dizziness; 
• Often attacks are accompanied by tremor of the extremities; 
• There is a feeling of fear of death, a fear of losing control over consciousness and going insane; 
• There may be attacks of inexplicable aggression, irritability.

The vegetative-vascular dystonia symptoms show so multivariate that often the disease does not have one specific form, types and forms are usually mixed. For self-differentiation, it is necessary to take into account such characteristic features of the VSD: 

• If a person has a more active sympathetic part of the general nervous system, then it will be the most vulnerable, and 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 vegetative-vascular dystonia symptoms will most likely refer to the hypertonic type. 
• If the parasympathetic part of the nervous system is more active in terms of functioning, then it gives an excess of energy that a person can not distribute and expend. Symptomatic of this type of disease is characterized by depressive disorders, lowering blood pressure, fatigue. Paradoxically, the intrinsic internal energy begins to suppress many natural functions of the body, such a course of the disease refers to the VSD by the hypotonic type.

The vegetative-vascular dystonia symptoms have multiple, often not manifested clinically, this is a rather severe, uncomfortable condition, but it is classified as a functional disorder and, as a rule, has no relation to serious pathologies and diseases. Psychogenic neurologic syndrome with proper diagnosis and therapeutic supervision is eventually neutralized or, at least, manageable. Treatment appoints a neurologist, often such patients require a course of psychotherapeutic consultations.

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