Are alcohol and VSD compatible? Currently, vegetative-vascular dystonia is not considered an independent disease. By this term is meant a violation of the coordination between the work of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Doctors definitely do not recommend drinking alcohol to patients suffering from VSD. However, some patients note improvement in well-being after taking small doses of alcohol. Is it so? Let's try to figure it out.
What is vegetative-vascular dystonia
To answer the question about the compatibility of the IRR and alcohol, it is necessary to understand the mechanism of development of this violation. In a healthy person, the work of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system is balanced. With vegetative-vascular dystonia, the function of these two parts of the central nervous system is disordered.
This leads to malfunctions of the autonomic nervous system. VVD is accompanied by a variety of symptoms. Most often, cardiological, vascular and neurological manifestations are noted.
In the old days, the diagnosis of vegetative-vascular dystonia was very often found in the patient’s medical record. Modern medicine does not consider VVD as a disease. This is an imbalance between the work of two departments of the autonomic nervous system. It is not dangerous to the life and health of the patient, but is accompanied by unpleasant sensations and discomfort. Exacerbation of symptoms is often noted after stress.
Causes of pathology
This violation is most often hereditary. It often develops in young children. A significant role in its occurrence is played by tobacco and alcohol. VVD often appears in those children whose mothers smoked and drank during pregnancy. These bad habits can provoke a deficiency of oxygen in the fetus. In the future, the child will develop dysfunctions of the autonomic nervous system. Currently, doctors believe that insufficient blood supply to the brain is the main cause of the occurrence of VVD.
If vegetative-vascular dystonia develops in adulthood, then it is most often triggered by the following factors:
- viral infections;
- head injuries;
- prolonged and severe stress;
- changes in the work of the endocrine glands.
However, these diseases and conditions of the body can only indirectly affect the development of the IRR. The main cause of this disorder is hypoxia of the central nervous system and a deterioration in vascular tone.
Varieties of vegetative-vascular disorders
Vegetative-vascular dystonia is divided into the following types:
- hypertensive;
- hypotonic;
- mixed.
The hypertonic type of dystonia is also known as VVD with panic attacks. This disorder is accompanied by bouts of uncontrolled fear and intense anxiety, as well as the separation of cold sweat. The reason for this condition is increased adrenaline production by the adrenal glands, which leads to an imbalance between the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems. Therefore, the hypertonic type of VSD is otherwise called the sympathoadrenal crisis. Under the influence of hormones in the patient, the vessels narrow, which leads to a headache, increased blood pressure, heart rate.
The hypotonic type of VSD is otherwise called neurocirculatory dystonia. Its cause is a violation of the regulation of vascular tone by the central nervous system. Neurocirculatory dystonia is characterized by increased activity of the parasympathetic nervous system, a drop in blood sugar and a sharp decrease in blood pressure. Hypotonic-type VSD attacks are called vagoinsular crises. They are accompanied by the following symptoms:
- the appearance of red spots on the face;
- increased sweating;
- weakness
- dizziness
- frequent urge to defecate;
- darkening in the eyes.
With a mixed type of VSD, the patient has a disturbed regulation of vascular tone both from the endocrine system and from the central nervous system. The patient has panic attacks, sympatho-adrenal and vagoinsular crises. There are frequent jumps in blood pressure. This type of dystonia is accompanied by meteorological dependence. Attacks become more frequent when weather conditions and magnetic storms change.
Features of VVD in women
Women are much more likely to suffer from vegetative-vascular dystonia than men. Pathology exacerbates during pregnancy or menopause, when hormonal changes occur in the body. This disorder is characteristic of patients aged 30 to 50 years. In older women, VVD usually does not occur.
Symptoms of VVD in women depend on the type of violation. In patients, dystonia of a hypertonic or mixed type is more common. Often, this pathology manifests itself for the first time during pregnancy.
In patients 30 to 40 years old, VVD is often accompanied by cardiological and vascular manifestations: pain in the heart, arrhythmia, and jumps in blood pressure. At the same time, no changes are noted on the ECG. In middle age, fainting, a feeling of tiredness, drowsiness, and headaches often occur. Depression, mood swings, irritability are possible.
In patients with VVD, the menopause is quite difficult. There is a feeling of heat, flushing of the face, decreased performance. In women aged 50 - 55 years, differences in body temperature can be observed.
Total exposure to alcohol
Is it possible to drink alcohol in case of VVD? Ethanol has a twofold effect on the human body. Alcohol has sedative properties. Under the influence of alcohol, adrenaline production by the adrenal glands decreases. This helps to eliminate feelings of anxiety and anxiety. Often this creates a false sense of well-being. However, the improvement in mood is very short-lived and soon gives way to depression and anxiety.
After drinking alcohol in the nerve cells, oxidation processes begin. Thus, the body tries to get rid of toxins. In this case, free radicals accumulate in the tissues. These are harmful substances that reduce the tone and elasticity of blood vessels. As a result, the condition of the patient with VVD worsens.
Ethanol first dilates blood vessels. The patient's blood pressure decreases, anxiety decreases, and mental calm calms down. At this point, a person may feel a temporary improvement in well-being. However, after this there is a sharp spasm of the vessels. This is accompanied by a sharp deterioration in the condition and aggravation of the symptoms of vegetative-vascular dystonia.
Alcoholic and hypertonic type of VSD
Small doses of alcohol can temporarily improve the condition of a patient with a hypertensive type of VSD. This occurs due to the suppression of adrenaline synthesis by ethanol. However, patients note that the period of improvement after taking alcohol is very short. Following the imaginary well-being, a very significant deterioration occurs very quickly. Sympatho-adrenal crises become more severe.
If a person systematically abuses alcohol, then he very often has panic attacks during VVD. Attacks can last several hours. This is due to the fact that ethanol provokes a sharp release of catecholamines by the endocrine glands. Excess of these substances causes a feeling of uncontrolled fear and anxiety.
Ethanol and Neurocirculatory Dystonia
Alcohol and VSD of a hypotonic type are categorically incompatible. Patients are forbidden any dose of alcohol. Ethanol dramatically increases headache and dizziness. In addition, alcohol dilates blood vessels, pressure can drop to critical numbers.
In medical practice, there have been cases when patients with neurocirculatory dystonia fainted after taking alcohol. Ethanol can also cause a large gap between the upper and lower blood pressure, which often leads to myocardial infarction.
Alcohol and a mixed type of dystonia
With a mixed type of VSD, the patient has frequent pressure surges. Ethanol first dilates, and then sharply narrows the vessels. This increases the differences in blood pressure and leads to a sharp deterioration in well-being.
If the patient systematically drinks alcohol, then this further reduces the tone of the vessels. This can lead to irreversible changes in the work of the heart.
Hangover
The hangover syndrome in patients with VSD is particularly difficult. You may feel unwell in the morning even if the patient drank a small amount of alcohol the day before. A hangover during vegetative-vascular dystonia is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- increased blood pressure;
- a feeling of panic and anxiety;
- difficulty breathing
- arrhythmia;
- pains in the heart.
It is important to remember that patients with VVD tolerate alcohol much worse than healthy people. Restoring the body after a hangover can take several days.
Possible consequences
The most common consequence of drinking is an exacerbation of the IRR after alcohol. Alcohol leads to an increase in blood pressure by 1.5 times. In addition, ethanol increases the load on the heart. After taking alcoholic beverages, patients often experience a panic attack or vaginal crisis.
All this indicates a categorical incompatibility of the IRR and alcohol. The consequence of drinking alcohol can be not only an exacerbation of vegetative-vascular dystonia. If, while taking ethanol, the patient is engaged in heavy physical work or is experiencing emotional stress, then a heart attack or stroke may develop.
In addition, a patient with VVD may become a chronic alcoholic. If a person periodically takes alcohol to relieve anxiety and fear, then drinking alcohol is a habit. It is important to remember that patients with panic attacks have an increased risk of forming a pathological dependence on ethanol.
Small doses of alcohol
Is it possible to drink small doses of alcohol with VSD? With violations of vascular tone, even a small amount of alcohol can harm the body. Doctors found that drinking a stack of strong drink leads to serious changes in blood pressure.
Some patients believe that small doses of alcohol improve well-being with VSD. This is an erroneous opinion. Even a small amount of alcohol negatively affects vascular tone and the functioning of the autonomic nervous system. There are many drugs that stop panic attacks. They are much safer than alcohol.
Light drinks
What kind of alcohol can I drink with VSD? Is beer and low alcohol cocktails allowed? These questions are often of interest to patients.
Often people consider beer a harmless drink, as it contains a small percentage of ethanol. However, this is a profound error. It is beer and carbonated alcoholic beverages that are most dangerous for patients with VSD.
In order to fully feel the relaxing effect of ethanol, you need to drink a fairly large amount of light alcohol. As a result, approximately the same doses of ethyl alcohol enter the body as when taking strong drinks. Beer hangover in patients with VSD is particularly difficult. This condition is accompanied by severe weakness, weakness and depression. A complete recovery of the body requires at least 48 hours.
How is ethanol excreted from the body?
Doctors recommend that patients with VSD completely abandon alcohol. However, many patients cannot exclude alcohol from their lives. In this case, it is allowed to occasionally drink no more than 50 ml of white wine. Strong drinks (vodka, cognac) should not be consumed under any circumstances.
There are cases when patients have a severe hangover after taking small doses of alcohol. How long does alcohol leave the body? And when can you expect better health? Ethanol excretion time individually. It depends on the gender and body weight of a person, as well as on the amount and strength of alcohol drunk.
To find out the approximate time for ethanol removal, it is necessary to calculate the concentration of alcohol in the blood. To do this, multiply your body weight by a factor of 0.7 (for men) or 0.6 (for women). Then you need to determine the amount of drunk one hundred percent alcohol in grams and divide it by the number obtained. Thus, the concentration of ethanol in the blood in ppm is calculated.
It should be remembered that about 0.1 ppm is eroded from the body per hour. However, this figure is approximate. The accuracy of this calculation is about 90%.
Patient Reviews
Most patients noted poor compatibility of the IRR and alcohol. In reviews of people reported deterioration in well-being after taking alcohol. Some had a feeling of calm and a decrease in anxiety after drinking alcohol. This condition lasted about 30-60 minutes. But subsequently there was depression, depression and a sharp deterioration in mood. In addition, pressure spikes and tachycardia were noted.
Patients also note severe drowsiness after drinking. The next day they were tormented by headaches, fatigue and a sharp decrease in performance. The hangover persisted for a long time, and the recovery of the body took from 1 to 3 days. This made patients with VVD refuse to drink alcohol.