Throughout life, a person is forced to encounter various pathologies, ailments and minor diseases. If you experience any discomfort, you should think about your health. It is best to consult a specialist and find out the exact cause of the onset of symptoms in order to start treatment in a timely manner.
Today, situations are not uncommon when young and old people suffer from spasms of the vessels of the head and neck, limbs, and also the brain. Therefore, it is worth considering these health problems in more detail.
General information
The vessels of the human body play a very important role, as they are responsible for the delivery of nutrients to the tissues of the whole body. Due to this, they are saturated with oxygen. If vascular spasms occur, circulatory disorders occur. Their narrowing is noted, which leads to violations of normal blood transmittance. Because of this, body tissues are forced to starve without oxygen and gradually break down.
Despite the harmless name, vasospasm is a serious pathology that needs timely treatment. If a person does not undergo therapy, then it is likely that he will have complications. This can even lead to limb amputation, stroke or heart attack.
Definition
Vascular spasms or angiospasm is a pathology in the process of which these elements begin to narrow and disrupt blood circulation. In the normal state, the organs of the human body should gradually relax and contract, due to which there is a blood distillation in all parts of the body. For the normal state of blood vessels, a person must lead an active lifestyle and constantly move. This will positively affect the operation of all systems.
With angiospasm, the vessels begin to strain and narrow too much. Because of this, they cease to normally distribute blood throughout the body, resulting in oxygen starvation. If this happens in the brain, it can provoke a person's problems with mental processes, coordination and cause severe headaches.
When vascular spasms occur in the limbs, the pain syndrome is localized in the arms or legs. It is fair to say that such phenomena are not always extremely dangerous. In some situations, angiospasm is the norm. This can occur as a defensive reaction to various factors. For example, if a person is cold, or if he suffers from bleeding, then in this case, spasms of blood vessels are a necessary measure in order to stop blood loss.
An interesting fact is that such states can even be triggered by emotions. For example, when a person is scared, his blood vessels begin to narrow, which leads to blanching of the skin. In a state of anger and aggression, the vascular system, on the contrary, expands. Because of this, blood begins to flow to the skin, and they turn red.
However, if there are no adequate reasons for the development of angiospasm, and this condition lasts a long time, then this indicates a pathology. This means that the brain no longer controls arteries.
Types of Cramping
Pathologies of this type are pronounced, moderate and peripheral.
In the first case, a narrowing of the cardiac artery occurs, which can cause angina pectoris. In this condition, a person may have a heart attack or severe pain in the sternum.
Speaking of vasospasm in a child or adult, it is worth noting that, as a rule, discomfort appears mainly at night and lasts a long time. If, shortly before the attacks, a person experienced serious physical exertion, then perhaps this condition is caused by this.
With moderate vasospasm, problems are most often localized in the lower extremities. It can also cause problems with the retina. If the lesion affects the legs, then the skin will turn pale or red. The same thing happens if the lesion reaches the eye. His nutrition may be disturbed.
Separately, it is worth considering peripheral spasms. They are most often found in medical practice.
Peripheral cramps
As a rule, this pathology is caused by vegetative-vascular dystonia. There are several subspecies of this angiospasm:
- Acrocyanosis. In this case, the malaise is due to poor blood supply to the capillaries. The main characteristic feature of this pathology is blue skin.
- Spasm of the hands.
- Mesh Livedo. In this case, the blue skin is also observed with the appearance of the same pattern on them. Also, a similar pathology can be caused by problems with the lungs and due to heart failure.
Causes of spasms of the vessels of the brain and limbs
As a rule, the lumen of the blood vessels begins to narrow due to the fact that the muscles of the vascular walls are actively contracting. Most often, this occurs against the background of a disorder in the functioning of the membranes of smooth muscle cells. Metabolic processes are disrupted. This leads to the fact that a person cannot function normally, since his body cannot fully experience muscle relaxation.
As a rule, angiospasm appears when diseases occur that are accompanied by a change in blood vessels, as well as their nervous system. There are several risk factors that provoke the appearance of this pathology. Smokers and alcoholics are most affected by it. You should also be careful of those who work with lead or carbon disulfide, as in this case there is a high risk of intoxication.
With hypothermia and frostbite, spasms of the vessels are very common consequences. It is worth being careful also to those who suffer from diabetes, hypertension, constant stress. Also, various diseases can lead to spasms of blood vessels. For example, pathology can develop against the background of atherosclerosis, brain tumor, osteochondrosis, endocrine disorders, sleep problems and cerebral hemorrhages. Also, a similar condition can provoke a passive lifestyle.
Signs
Symptoms of spasms of the vessels of the brain and limbs directly depend on which area is affected. However, there are several standard signs that most often appear with the development of this pathology.
Most patients complain of:
- Fatigue
- Frequent fainting.
- Memory impairment.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Severe headaches.
- The appearance of tinnitus, spots and goosebumps in the eyes.
- Weakening limbs.
The most common symptoms of spasms of the vessels of the brain, retina and lower extremities. It is worth considering these varieties in more detail. They are distinguished by their manifestation.
Brain
If we talk about spasm of the vessels of the brain, then this pathology is becoming more common today, and not only in the elderly, but also in the younger generation. Experts agree that the main reason for this is the deteriorating ecology, stress, frequent smoking, and alcohol consumption.
If we talk about the most obvious symptoms of cerebrovascular spasms, then you should pay attention to:
- Severe headaches that can even go down to nausea.
- Blood pressure problems. Moreover, it can be greatly increased or decreased.
- For problems with memory. A person complains that his thoughts are confused.
If cerebral angiography occurs , then in this case the symptoms will be more pronounced. With such a spasm of the vessels of the brain, pain can appear in various areas. Some patients complain that their eyes are getting dark, there is a whistle in the ears. Some may faint and suffer from loss of sensation in one part or another of the body.
Eyes
Another pathology that is often found in medical practice is retinal spasm. Previously, similar problems appeared only in the elderly, but today, young people can suffer from visual impairment.
As a rule, these spasms are caused by nicotine poisoning, hypertension, eye strain and for many other reasons. People spend more time looking at a computer monitor or TV, which also negatively affects the state of the visual system. Among the main symptoms it is worth highlighting visual impairment, the appearance of goose bumps in the eyes, irritation when a person blinks too often. Additional manifestations include headaches, general fatigue, dizziness.
Limbs
In this case, general symptoms are observed. If a person has a spasm of blood vessels in the leg, then he will notice a change in its color. At first, the skin turns pale. This is due to the fact that there is a strong outflow of blood, and the circulation of the limbs is disturbed. It causes a bluish blue.
At the final stage, the leg turns red. This is because the blood again began to pass through the tissues. At first, such an attack can last no more than 15 minutes, but gradually this time will increase. If the seizures are too long, then this leads to the fact that the tissues are deprived of oxygen for too long. Therefore, it is very important to pay attention to the symptoms of vasospasm. Treatment, if it is carried out in the first stage, will give a positive result. Therefore, do not delay.
Diagnostics
To begin treatment of spasms of the head vessels or problems in the limbs, you need to accurately determine the presence of this pathology. To do this, it is recommended to consult a doctor. Do not self-medicate, as this can lead to the development of serious complications.
If primary symptoms appear, you need to visit a therapist. After the initial examination, he will give the patient a referral to a narrow-profile specialist. In order to diagnose this pathology, in addition to visual examination, it may require ultrasound, duplex scanning, pressure measurement and other research methods.
After receiving the results, the doctor determines the causes of vasospasm. Treatment is prescribed based on these data. The doctor makes an optimal course of therapy. However, it all depends on the individual characteristics of the patient.
Vascular spasm treatment
If we talk about therapeutic measures, then they are usually complex. First of all, it is necessary to identify the root cause of the disease. It is very important that patients follow the recommendations of specialists.
Most of the effectiveness of therapy is that a person should not drink alcohol and smoke. It is also necessary to exclude situations in which the patient is overworked. Therefore, it is important to establish a daily regimen.
In order for the treatment of cerebral spasms to give results, it is recommended to avoid stress and stop being nervous for nothing. It is necessary to exclude foods that contain large amounts of cholesterol.
As a rule, this disease lends itself to conservative treatment. Therefore, doctors prescribe drugs that help relieve vasospasm. It is also necessary to perform some physiotherapeutic procedures and monitor your diet. This means that the patient must not only start taking medication, but also take a more serious approach to lifestyle.
If we talk about the medical treatment of spasms of the vessels of the neck, brain and limbs, then most often antispasmodics help fight attacks. Also, depending on the situation, the doctor may prescribe with an agent that improves microcirculation. Additionally, drugs may be needed to prevent blood clots.
ethnoscience
In this case, we are talking about additional treatment, which can be combined with taking medications. However, it is first necessary to consult a doctor and clarify whether the patient has intolerance to one or another plant.
If a person has a severe headache, and he thinks how to relieve spasm of blood vessels, then it is enough to apply a cold or garlic compress. If the pain is localized in the lower extremities, then in this case contrast baths are suitable.
Also in warm water, you can add decoctions of herbs (for example, chamomile, sage, string or eucalyptus). With this bath you can improve blood circulation in the limbs and relax the legs.
Fresh potato juice is an excellent way to prevent thrombosis. It is worth noting that traditional medicine helps to fight only with symptoms. It is impossible to completely cure an ailment by such methods. Also, if a person has a spasm of blood vessels at a temperature, then antipyretic drugs may be required.
Prevention
In order to prevent the development of vasospasm, it is necessary to adhere to the recommendations of specialists. First of all, you need to start eating properly. This means that it is advisable to eat as little fatty, spicy, salty and other junk food as possible. Instead, diet foods, fruits, and vegetables should be preferred. An active lifestyle also helps keep the whole body toned.