Reasons for the appearance of neurosis against the background of VSD
In essence, neurosis is a state of exhaustion of the nervous system, which occurs during prolonged and intense stressful situations, unresolved internal conflicts and is manifested by a variety of physical and mental symptoms.
Among the physical ones there are:
cardiac or headaches;- feeling of weakness, fatigue;
- dizziness, darkening of the eyes;
- sleep disturbance (difficulty falling asleep, shallow sleep, frequent awakenings, feeling tired in the morning);
- GCT disorders (poor appetite, abdominal pain, dysfunction of the intestines and stomach);
- autonomic disorders (excessive sweating, pressure changes, feeling of irregular heartbeat).
Psychiatric include:
- hypochondriacal syndrome;
- increased anxiety, attacks of panic and fear;
- mood variability;
- communication problems;
- irritability, nervousness;
- high sensitivity to external stimuli: light, sounds, smells;
- low stress resistance.
The clinical signs of VSD are almost the same, however, in dystonia, somatic disorders predominate. The causes of these diseases largely coincide:
- prolonged emotional or physical stress;
- lack of sleep;
- bad habits;
- chronic diseases;
- poor nutrition;
- traumatic brain injuries;
- changes in hormonal levels;
- osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae.
It is easy to see that both the causes and main symptoms of VSD and neurosis are very similar. Doctors often confuse these conditions, or both diseases are present in one patient.
Symptoms
Symptoms of VSD and neurosis are numerous. With vegetative-vascular dystonia, the clinical picture is determined by which department (sympathetic and parasympathetic) predominates. The following clinical manifestations are possible:
- Rapid physical and mental fatigue.
- Mood instability.
- Neurological symptoms such as dizziness, paresthesia (sensitivity disorder) and headache.
- Signs of impaired thermoregulation in the form of a decrease or increase in temperature, sweating, chilliness and poor tolerance of heat and cold.
- Cardiac symptoms (chest pain on the left, a feeling of interruptions in myocardial function). If the parasympathetic department (vagotonia) predominates, the heart rate may decrease. With sympathicotonia, tachycardia (rapid heartbeat) is observed.
- Change in breathing rate. With vagotonia, breathing is deep but slow. With sympathicotonia it is increased (more than 18 per minute).
- Dyspeptic disorders (bloating, nausea, abdominal pain, bowel dysfunction such as constipation or diarrhea).
- Genitourinary disorders. With vagotonia, pollakiuria (increased mictions), increased erection and premature ejaculation are possible. With sympathicotonia, erection is normal, but libido (sex drive) is often increased.
- Decreased or increased blood pressure. The predominance of the parasympathetic department leads to arterial hypotension. Blood pressure drops to 100/90 mmHg. Art. and below. With sympathicotonia, hypertension is observed (BP from 140/90 mm Hg).
- Change in skin color. When the parasympathetic department predominates, the skin becomes pale, and with vagotonia it is prone to hyperemia.
- Sleep disturbance.
- Memory impairment and decreased attention.
Symptoms of vegetative-vascular dystonia often include neurotic manifestations. With neuroses, symptoms in the form of temper, instability, increased excitability, fears, obsessive thoughts, anxiety, mood lability and panic attacks come to the fore. Conversion disorders are possible. These include seizures, movement disorders, and signs of autonomic dysfunction.
Important information: Causes of tinnitus with VSD and its treatment
As with vegetative-vascular dystonia, physical symptoms are often observed with neuroses. These include shaking (tremors) of the hands, sweating, palpitations, sleep disturbances, nervous tics, increased blood pressure, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Treatment
First of all, if characteristic symptoms appear, you need to consult a doctor to undergo all examinations and establish an accurate diagnosis. This is very important, since dangerous diseases such as coronary heart disease or depression can be hidden under the guise of vegetative-vascular dystonia or neurosis.
Both neurosis and VSD require almost the same treatment. In this case, an integrated approach is used using medications, psychotherapy, physical therapy, and physiotherapeutic methods. It is also very important to follow preventive recommendations that have a greater impact on the causes of the disease.
Of course, first of all it is necessary to restore the patient’s psyche, because this is precisely the main reason. The doctor must identify factors, including hidden ones, that contributed to the development of the disease, and help the patient fight them, teach him to control stress. Modern medicine uses the approaches of psychoanalysis and cognitive behavioral psychotherapy. Meditation and auto-training are considered very effective preventive methods.
To relieve unpleasant symptoms, drug treatment is used. The following groups of drugs are used:
- antidepressants;
- sedatives;
- beta blockers;
- vitamins.
Physiotherapy has a complex effect on the body, is well tolerated by patients and has almost no contraindications. Its main methods include:
- acupuncture;
- electrophoresis;
- massage;
- water procedures.
Complex treatment
Since VSD is a complex of symptoms, it must be treated comprehensively.
Gastroenterologist
A digestive specialist will try to normalize your intestines if they are not working properly. A diet will be prescribed, a diet will be recommended, and medications will be prescribed.
If there are disorders in the circulatory system, you will be treated by a heart and vascular specialist.
You may undergo additional diagnostics, which is quite justified. After all, you need to be sure that the symptoms do not develop into a cardiac disease.
You can’t do without a prescription and a gentle regimen. You have to obey, since you came to the doctor.
Neuropathologist
For certain nervous disorders, it is worth contacting a nervous system specialist. This doctor must check all doubts that he may have during the examination:
If he finds something, then the treatment will be appropriate. Sometimes, pathology here can be eliminated faster than in other systems. Then there will be hope: to get rid of VSD soon.
If you urinate frequently, you may be referred to a urologist. But most often, with VSD, the cause here lies in failures of the nervous system, regime and nutrition.
Endocrinologist
If there is a hormonal imbalance, then you need to understand your physiology. An endocrinologist will tell you how to regulate hormone production. It is possible that he may send you to a neurologist or a psychiatrist to establish the causes of disorders in the body.
What not to do?
While visiting doctors, don’t get carried away: remember about your health. Doctors sometimes like to heal, but you need to treat VSD, and only natural healers do this. Therefore, to avoid being overtreated, take a little care of your health on your own. The best doctor for VSD is yourself!
Each person suffering from VSD has its own specific characteristics of this syndrome. One person suffers more from the circulatory system, headaches, and pulsating veins. Another patient experiences panic and indigestion.
Therefore, the first patient will need a cardiologist, the second - a gastroenterologist.
Leading Specialist
All those suffering from vegetative-vascular dystonia have something in common - everyone needs a psychiatrist, or even better, a psychotherapist. This is basically the same doctor. To put it simply, a psychotherapist is an “advanced” psychiatrist who is not only a specialist in the processes of the nervous system, but also a good psychologist.
The basis of treatment by a psychotherapist is influence on the subconscious. It will help you understand the reasons for your problems in life and improve your health. For this purpose, a simple conversation or hypnosis is used, and recommendations for independent study are given. If this was not done, then you are out of luck: the psychotherapist has descended to the level of a psychiatrist and prescribed you a set of medications.
Both mental health professionals should refer you for the following treatments:
Not sent? This means that nothing of this exists in your city. Or maybe the doctors just didn’t want to do it? You'll have to ask them.
Use of vitamin complexes
The name itself (translated as “amines of life”) speaks of the importance of these substances in the functioning of the body. With any disease, the consumption of vitamins increases significantly, while their intake from food may decrease (for example, due to impaired appetite). Therefore, most doctors prescribe appropriate medications to compensate for the deficiency that arises from VSD and neurosis:
- Vitrum;
- Supradin;
- Pikovit.
However, it is much better to use natural forms, in the form of fresh fruits and vegetables. Another danger is an overdose of vitamins, which is just as dangerous as their absence. Therefore, do not try to treat yourself; be sure to consult a doctor.
For the treatment of VSD and neuroses, the following vitamins are necessary:
- B1 (Thiamin) – found in bread, liver, beef, black currant;
- B3 (Niacin) – meat and dairy products, cereals;
- B6 (Pyridoxine) – carrots, nuts, potatoes, liver;
- B12 (Cyancobalamin) – beef, seafood, greens;
- PP (nicotinic acid) – apples, cherries, grapes;
- C (ascorbic acid) – citrus fruits, currants, cabbage, beets.
The effectiveness of gymnastics and exercise therapy
The effect of therapeutic exercises for VSD and neuroses is very great. During physical activity, “happiness hormones” are produced: endorphin and serotonin. This helps fight stress and neurasthenia well. In addition, exercise therapy strengthens general tone, immunity, improves blood circulation, which has a positive effect on the patient’s condition, especially in the hypotonic form.
A very good method that perfectly treats VSD and neurosis is breathing exercises that can train the autonomic nervous system and improve blood supply to the brain. They have a calming effect and help cope with panic attacks that often occur with VSD.
Exercise therapy classes should be strictly supervised by a doctor, because this is the only way they can bring benefit and not harm. It is recommended to leave professional sports for some time, which usually require significant stress that is incompatible with such a disease.
Treatment of VSD and neurosis
A doctor of any specialty can encounter neurosis and VSD; there is no clear definition of which specialist should treat it. Similar requests are found among therapists, cardiologists, neurologists, and other specialists.
The patient comes with complaints of symptoms from one or another organ system, but his sensations are often not confirmed by objective diagnostic methods. Most likely, the neurotic person does not have any pathology or has a mild version of it. However, increased anxiety and suspiciousness lead to a person overly focusing on his unpleasant feelings and even involuntarily strengthening them.
The key point in the treatment of neurosis in VSD is to find the reasons that caused the appearance of such a clinical picture and eliminate them.
Patients, as an integral part of treatment, are offered to work with a psychologist or psychotherapist. During it, you need to master the basic techniques for dealing with anxiety and panic attacks, learn to relax and be in harmony with yourself and your body.
Drug therapy that is used in the fight against neurosis in VSD may include sedatives (primarily of herbal origin), antidepressants, drugs that improve microcirculation, and, if necessary, various symptomatic drugs. All medications are prescribed by the attending physician and should not be used independently.
Moderate physical activity (walking in the fresh air, swimming, gymnastics, etc.) improves well-being and helps keep the entire body in good shape. Each patient is invited to choose the type of activity that suits him and spend time not only usefully, but also with pleasure.
