Cervical osteochondrosis and VVD, the symptoms of which are very familiar to many, often "harmoniously" complement each other. What causes these diseases, and how to deal with them, will be described below.
How are VSD and spinal osteochondrosis related?
Osteochondrosis of the spine is a disease characterized by degenerative-dystrophic changes in the structure of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs. As a result of this, compression of the nerve trunks and blood vessels that feed the brain occurs. VVD against the background of cervical osteochondrosis is not a rare phenomenon. Moreover, it is believed that in 90% of cases it is osteochondrosis that causes the development of such a pathology.
Vegetative-vascular dystonia is characterized by a variety of disturbances in the processes of excitation and inhibition in the nervous system. In turn, this causes various malfunctions in the work of internal organs. But not only osteochondrosis can cause this condition. Some experts believe that vegetovascular dystonia, disrupting the functioning of internal organs and causing an imbalance in metabolic processes, can also contribute to the development of dystrophic changes in the spine. However, VVD and cervical osteochondrosis, the symptoms, treatment and diagnosis of which often overlap, can develop as two separate pathologies, with completely different causes. In this regard, the collection of anamnesis and the correct diagnosis of diseases are of great importance.
Cervical osteochondrosis and VVD: symptoms
VVD can develop covertly, have a constant course or manifest itself in the form of seizures (vegetative crises), which can provoke stress, increased physical or mental stress, and infectious diseases. In this case, many internal organs and systems suffer. Most often, VVD is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- from the cardiovascular system - chest pain, pressure fluctuations, heart rhythm disturbance;
- from the respiratory system - shortness of breath, suffocation, a feeling of lack of air, difficulty breathing;
- from the digestive tract, nausea, abdominal pain, flatulence, diarrhea or constipation are possible;
- genitourinary system - frequent urination, itching, pain in the genital area;
- disturbances of the vestibular system may occur dizziness and fainting.
In addition to the above, the patient may experience sudden chills or heat waves, sweating. The psycho-emotional sphere also suffers. Depression, sleep disturbance, tearfulness appear. There may be bouts of panic attacks.
Cervical osteochondrosis is more often manifested by headaches, aggravated by turning the head and not subsiding after taking painkillers. Pain can be given to the shoulder girdle, arms, chest. Another characteristic symptom is dizziness with sudden movements, “flies” in front of the eyes, hearing loss, ringing in the ears, loss of sensation, numbness and weakness in the limbs. If cervical osteochondrosis and VVD, the symptoms of which significantly aggravate the picture of the disease, are exacerbated, then the patient’s condition worsens sharply. This is due to the fact that emotional disorders also join pains and dizziness.
VVD for cervicothoracic osteochondrosis
Dystonia can develop not only with lesions of the upper spine. Cervicothoracic osteochondrosis and VVD, the symptoms of which very often complicate the disease, demonstrate a slightly different clinical picture. Here, the leading factor is the violation of the innervation of the internal organs (heart, lungs, intestinal tract), which occurs due to compression of the nerve roots, departing from the spinal cord with deformed structures of the spine.
In this case, pain in the chest or between the shoulder blades, characteristic of chest osteochondrosis, patients with VVD due to increased anxiety and a tendency to panic attacks are perceived as a direct threat to their lives.
VVD - panic attacks
And cervical osteochondrosis, and other diseases often affect the patient’s emotional sphere, but with dystonia this manifests itself much brighter. Many patients with VSD often experience episodic attacks of unmotivated anxiety called panic attacks. In fact, during such a seizure, the patient experiences uncontrollable fear and despair, while the emotional state is aggravated by physiological manifestations. During seizures, breathing and heartbeat significantly increase (it can reach 150–200 beats per minute, while the norm is 60–90), the skin turns pale, and profuse sweat appears.
Such a state can last both minutes and hours, and the frequency of its occurrence can also not be predicted. Such attacks do not pose a danger to human life, but significantly worsen its quality. Another feature of panic attacks is that under certain circumstances they can develop into phobias. So, if an attack found a person during an ascent in an elevator, it is possible that claustrophobia may develop in the future.
How to stop an attack
According to psychiatrists, anything can provoke a panic attack - from an unexpected meeting to a melody reminiscent of an unpleasant incident. At the same time, it is important, no matter how trite it sounds, to remain calm. If a panic attack occurred in someone else, you need to help him regain control of his condition. To do this, you can take his hands in a calm voice to try to convince that everything is fine, and he only needs to calm down. To even out breathing, you can perform breathing exercises together with the victim, accompanying them with a loud score. It’s important to stay close until the panic recedes.
If the patient remains alone with his misfortune, the main thing that is required of him is not to cheat himself, but to try to realize that everything that is happening to him now is just a functional disorder that does not threaten life in any way. Medicines in this case do not play any role, since objectively the body is completely healthy, therefore, nothing depends on their intake.
Panic Attacks: Treatment
For complacency in the event of a panic attack, you can take up to 50 drops of Corvalol. But do not get carried away with them, because because of the phenobarbital contained in it, this drug has long been banned for sale in Europe. The most effective way to escape from an attack is to focus on breathing, uttering aloud or silently memorized texts or prayers. Another technique that has been gaining popularity recently is Sytin’s mood. VVD (panic attacks), cervical osteochondrosis and more than 40 diseases are proposed to be corrected with the help of certain texts that give the correct psychological setting.
As for the treatment itself, you need to start it with a visit to specialists such as a cardiologist, neurologist, psychiatrist and therapist. After the necessary examination, they will confirm or refute the diagnosis. As a rule, therapy will consist of several stages:
- awareness that treatment is necessary;
- creation of motivation for recovery and the fight against negative emotions;
- reduction of excessive excitability of the nervous system (as a rule, soothing collections of medicinal herbs - valerian, lemon balm are perfectly suitable for this);
- recognition of the existence of internal conflict;
- psychological trainings.
Diagnostics
Cervical osteochondrosis and VVD, the symptoms of which are quite common in everyday life, nevertheless require serious diagnosis, and the patient’s further quality of life will depend on the stage at which an accurate diagnosis was made and treatment started. With cervical osteochondrosis, in most cases, everything is quite simple - the neurologist will make this diagnosis on the basis of examination and data from an X-ray examination, CT or MRI. But to diagnose dystonia is more difficult due to the variety of its symptoms and the lack of clear objective criteria. In this case, we can speak more about the exclusion of organic pathology. For this, patients undergo consultations with various specialists, and if it was found that deviations from physiological norms were not found, a diagnosis of VVD is made.
Another important aspect of the examination for dystonia is the assessment of vegetative tone. This occurs on the basis of complaints, EEG and ECG data, as well as various functional tests.
Treatment
As with other pathologies, the treatment should be comprehensive, including not only medicines, but also physiotherapeutic procedures, psychological trainings. The latter are especially important in the treatment of VVD. And cervical osteochondrosis, the treatment of which, it would seem, today is not difficult, refers to diseases that are prone to progression and worsening of symptoms. But if medical therapy is used to eliminate the symptoms of this pathology, which allows you to relieve pain and inflammation in the acute period, as well as physiotherapeutic procedures (massage, acupuncture and other effects), then the psychological effect is most important in the treatment of VVD.
As for drug therapy, in this case it is symptomatic, even if dystonia is complicated by a disease such as osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. The VVD forum can give many recommendations for taking various drugs and psychological techniques, but for your own safety it is worth remembering that only a doctor can prescribe medications. Before you start using any psychological training, it is also better to consult a specialist.
Prevention
Cervical osteochondrosis and VVD, the symptoms of which poison many lives, can be completely cured only in the early stages of development. The more important is the timely diagnosis and therapy. The implementation of simple rules that are familiar to everyone since childhood will help to avoid or reduce the risk of these pathologies. First of all, it is necessary to lead a healthy lifestyle, optimize physical activity, work and rest, abandon bad habits and stressful situations.