Lethargy, fatigue, drowsiness, dizziness, severe headaches - at low pressure, this condition is observed. In medical terms, this disease is called hypotension. The main symptom is a headache with low pressure. Moreover, lowered pressure is not inferior in danger to the increased rate. What can this disease lead to and is it dangerous for humans?
Hypotension is what?
This disease is often found in active young people, as well as in those who have a lack of body weight. With pathology, there is a headache with low pressure, weakness and drowsiness. Accordingly, these negative factors affect the quality of life.
Hypotension is a disease in which blood pressure is lower than normal. In the vessels, the pressure decreases. Typically, in patients with hypotension, pressure indicators do not exceed 100 per 60 mm Hg. Art.
Doctors classify hypotension into two types: acute and chronic.
In acute hypotension, a sharp drop in vascular tone is observed. In this case, the blood flow slows down, oxygen enters the brain weakly and a dull headache occurs.
The chronic form of hypotension is observed constantly. It does not threaten the normal functioning of the body, but it affects the quality of life.
If low pressure occurs in an elderly person, then perhaps we should talk about the development of ischemic stroke, which causes hypoxia of brain tissue.
Headaches, low blood pressure: causes
A chronic form of hypotension can be a completely normal condition for a healthy person. Moreover, most often this disease develops imperceptibly, since a person "attributes" all typical symptoms to typical fatigue.
Hypotension can occur even in trained athletes, active people living in a metropolis.
This disease can be transmitted by inheritance. However, most often this condition is caused by such external factors:
- constant presence in a stuffy, smoky room - lack of oxygen;
- sedentary lifestyle: sedentary work, ignoring sports and morning exercises;
- stress, neurosis, depression;
- taking certain medications;
- food or alcohol poisoning.
Typically, low blood pressure is found in young people, adolescents, and people with a weak physique. Hypotension may occur in a pregnant woman. However, after giving birth, blood pressure returns to normal.
Diseases you don’t even suspect
Secondary hypotension can develop under the influence of infectious or other chronic diseases, namely:
- diseases of the nervous system;
- hepatitis of all types;
- osteochondrosis;
- gastrointestinal ulcer;
- anemia;
- VVD;
- heart disease;
- allergy;
- heart disease.
The acute form of hypotension can be caused by trauma, which led to a large loss of blood, as well as after anaphylactic shock and severe dehydration.
Why does my head hurt?
Cephalgia (headache) appears against hypotension due to narrowing of blood vessels and a decrease in their tone. Accordingly, it affects the brain tissue. They receive less oxygen and nutrients. As a result, the cells “starve”, therefore, the functionality of some parts of the brain decreases. For this reason, a headache.
Headache with low pressure is also caused by a deterioration in the functioning of the veins. Accordingly, the outflow rate of venous blood, which contains carbon dioxide and toxins, is reduced. Therefore, the organ of the central nervous system is poisoned by its metabolic products.
What are the symptoms?
The main sign of hypotension is cold or wet hands in humans. The patient is constantly freezing, may feel chills even on a warm day in the summer. Consider what symptoms occur with low pressure:
- headache;
- nausea;
- apathy;
- general weak condition;
- constant fatigue;
- fast fatiguability;
- low level of performance;
- excessive sweating;
- excessive irritability;
- drowsiness.
Patients with hypotension are weather dependent. Headache with low atmospheric pressure can also occur. The head may hurt before the weather changes.
The acute form of hypotension is more pronounced. Usually it occurs from time to time. Most often, with a sharp change in body position, low pressure, headaches, dizziness, darkening in the eyes and tinnitus are observed. In rare cases, loss of consciousness is possible.
Pain in the head can have a different nature: bursting, aching, sharp. It can appear in a certain area of the head, and can spread diffusely. Often pain gives in the ear, jaw, eyes.
What is dangerous: consequences
A sharp drop in blood pressure is a dangerous phenomenon for everyone, without exception, and not just those suffering from hypotension. A decrease in pressure can lead to loss of consciousness, coma, and even death.
We will analyze the possible consequences of this condition:
- Hypotonic crisis may develop against the background of a nervous or physical strain. This condition usually lasts about 10 minutes. There is pain in the heart, a feeling of freezing, dizziness and lack of air. After stopping the attack for a long time, the patient retains general weakness, pallor and drowsiness.
- Shock is a critical condition of a person, which leads to a violation of metabolic processes in the tissues and structures of the body's cells. The patient's skin is cold and moist, pale mucous membranes. During the shock experienced, it darkens in the eyes, overcomes fear. If you do not call an ambulance on time, then perhaps this condition will lead to a coma.
- Collapse is a state of the body in which blood pressure drops sharply to a critical rate. Chills, weakness, shortness of breath, cyanosis - symptoms characteristic of collapse. The patient weakly reacts to light, facial features are sharpened, the pulse is difficult to feel. In this case, urgent medical attention is needed. Otherwise, a coma or death.
- Chronic cephalalgia is a condition in which a person constantly feels severe pain in the head. Accordingly, this affects the quality of life. The constant "aching" emotional and physical state of a person is exhausting. Sometimes it can cause a malfunction of the biochemical process in the brain.
Hypotension increases at times the risk of a person developing vascular thrombosis, cerebral stroke and thrombophlebitis. If a person’s hypotonic state has developed into a chronic form, then a person constantly needs to adhere to the doctor’s recommendations.
How to get rid?
Low-pressure headache: what to do? This is the main question that patients often ask the doctor.
So, if the pain in the head occurs due to the influence of an external factor, then it makes sense to cope with the problem on your own. For example, the pressure dropped sharply due to changing weather. It is enough to drink a cup of strong coffee or sweet tea and take a walk in the park in the fresh air.
There are pills for low headache pressure. Effectively helps to quench the pain "Citramon". All other drugs should be prescribed by your doctor, based on the features of your condition. Treatment should take place individually, and not be guided by reviews on the Internet about a particular drug.
The main pills that help overcome headaches with low pressure:
- "Askofen" - a drug with caffeine;
- "Pentalgin" - increases blood pressure and reduces headache;
- "Gutronom" - eliminates the effects of hypotension (weakness, dizziness, drowsiness);
- anticholinergics are substances that have a sedative property and dull the symptomatic signs of hypotension;
- "Regulton" - the drug leads to blood circulation activity and increases blood pressure;
- tincture of the Eleutherococcus extract helps in the chronic form of hypotension, restores blood flow and leads to muscle tone.
Taking a specific drug can be single and course. Do not refuse long-term medication if prescribed by your doctor.
Folk remedies
Headache with low pressure is reduced by folk remedies. It is recommended to drink green tea with honey. You can brew a decoction of lemongrass berries, mint and pink radiola.
The heating pad filled with warm water effectively helps. It must be applied to the forehead, arms, legs. You can lie in a warm bath, after adding sea salt or a decoction of pine needles.
If it is not possible to drink strong coffee or a pill, then you need to quickly rub your face, nose, ears and immediately go out into the fresh air.
Certain products, which contain vitamins C, B, B12, result in muscle tone. So, to eliminate a headache, you need to eat a slice of lemon with sugar. Doctors recommend even drinking 20 g of red wine.
When should you call a doctor?
You can’t tolerate pain. Especially if an unpleasant symptom of hypotension is felt by a pregnant woman.
People who suffer from hypotension are already accustomed to a constant headache. For this reason, they practically do not go to the doctor with this problem. However, if a person for a long time feels a severe headache, his condition is “broken”, exhausted, then you need to urgently consult a doctor. Otherwise, fainting, coma, and even death.
Prevention
It is generally accepted that hypotension is safer than hypertension. Patients with low blood pressure live longer. However, these are just theoretical judgments. Both hypotension and hypertension are almost equally dangerous.
Hypotonic patients need:
- normalize sleep: go to bed earlier, at least 8 hours a day;
- alternate work and rest: with sedentary work, take a break every 2 hours with physical exercises: squat, walk, do hand swings;
- include in everyday physical activity;
- reduce the appearance of stressful situations: learn to solve problems calmly, and not with a storm of emotions;
- quit smoking and other bad habits that negatively affect blood vessels.
Remember that walks in the fresh air, positive emotions, the right diet are the components of your healthy state without low pressure and headache. Take care of yourself!