By confused, it is customary to understand a state of consciousness in which the ability to think at a normal speed is lost, clarity and sequence of thoughts are violated. Under this name, a whole group of lesions in the complex work of the brain is generalized. Let us consider in more detail the concept of "confused consciousness."
Symptoms of the disease
The first signs to detect confusion are problems with attention and orientation. Then memory disorders and logical thinking may begin to manifest. The violation does not necessarily affect all the higher functions of the psyche at once; only one of them, for example, speech recognition, can be damaged. Problems with memory or spatial orientation may be noted. In such cases, the diseases are respectively called aphasia, dementia and agnosia.
Fast and slow onset of the syndrome
The appearance of confused consciousness syndrome can be either fast or slow, depending on the causes that determine it. Often it is temporary, but it can also be permanent, usually associated with dementia and delirium.
Confused individuals are usually very silent, move a little and look depressed. It happens that the disease is accompanied by illusions and hallucinations. If the former arise due to a misinterpretation of stimuli, then the latter appear without them at all.
It must be understood that the confused consciousness of each is manifested individually, depending on the degree of intoxication or the severity of another cause. The slowness and inconsistency of thinking are clearly visible in the conversation, and these are the first symptoms associated with the diagnosis of “confused consciousness”. Therefore, in order to see the presence of a problem, one does not have to be a professional.
Disorientation, its varieties
Disorientation can be either allopsychic, in which a person is not able to name the date and place in which he is now, or autopsychic, in which his own identification is also difficult. Finding out the presence of disorientation is also easy by asking a couple of questions. According to the answers, the result is obvious - the consciousness is clear; confused - it means the time has come for professional help. You should contact a psychiatrist or narcologist.
When providing assistance, it is necessary to pay sufficient attention to the meaning of the word "confused". A person in such a situation really has difficulty in implementing decisions, including those related to consent to hospitalization, so often in such cases there is a need to carry out it on the basis of state indications.
Root cause dependence
The root causes often cause manifestations of characteristic signs. With VVD, obvious vegetation and moderate pain are visible, with a heart attack, the pain syndrome is very pronounced and sometimes can cause a shock state. Metabolic causes are usually accompanied by various characteristic manifestations, such as odors.
In older people
Confused consciousness in the elderly is chronic, so they can partially develop adaptation to it. If this condition is long in time, then most likely it will lead to a negative outcome. Speech in such cases is usually slow, inconsistencies can be observed in it, delusional ideas can sometimes be seen, illusory images can arise that turn into hallucinogenic ones. The mood of such persons also often changes and is difficult to predict, so you should be careful with them. Changes in sleep are also observed, and they can be diametrically opposite: from complete insomnia to excessive drowsiness.
Diagnostics
For diagnosis, both a classic survey and special neurological and psychiatric tests, such as the Glasgow Coma Scale, are used. And with organic diseases, it is necessary to conduct a blood test, urine test, an ECG and an MRI. This will help identify the root cause and begin proper treatment.
Confused consciousness: causes
This violation can occur due to a number of completely different reasons. That is why it cannot be a signal of a certain pathology, but it is necessary to be aware of its danger and try to find the cause. One thing is clear: such a disease indicates that the patient has a neurological problem .
Consider the possible causes of confusion:
1. Traumatic . The disease can result from traumatic brain injuries, especially if they have a penetrating nature. Although sometimes a brain injury can cause such problems due to the high sensitivity of brain tissue. Often the cause is aneurysm, characterized by a large number of dangerous manifestations.
2. Toxic . The cause of the disease can be poisoning with mercury, alcoholic beverages or drugs. In wartime, various neurotropic gases and organophosphorus substances were used as weapons in a similar manner. Neurotoxins can be found in foods such as carambola, puffer fish. The occurrence of similar effects of mushroom poisoning is also common.
3. The consequences of disease. Diseases accompanied by severe intoxication of the body and hyperthermia (flu, tonsillitis, acute respiratory infections and others), sometimes lead to confusion. This is especially true for children and adolescents. The risk of such conditions arising from injuries, fractures and large blood loss. Tuberculosis and syphilis are other possible causes. Encephalitis, acute diabetes, various types of severe hepatitis, and the final stages of AIDS can also be the cause.
4. Neoplastic manifestations , and not necessarily arising in the tissues of the brain. This is due to the fact that tumors are always accompanied by severe intoxication, so confused consciousness with oncology in the later stages becomes inevitable. The danger is not only classic tumors, but also leukemia. It appears in 15-30% of patients, and by the last weeks of life reaches 85%. It introduces additional tension into the condition of the patient and his family and affects the symptoms and methods of cancer treatment, including adjusting the effect on pain.
5. Circulatory pathology. Serious disorders, such as stroke, and ischemia, which are considered transient, that is, proceeding without consequences and are only a signal of the presence of problems, often provoke confusion. The severity of the disease and the manifestation of symptoms will be different depending on the severity of the pathology that serves as a trigger. With myocardial infarction, confusion occurs due to problems with blood circulation and the severity of pain sensitivity.
6. Vegetovascular dystonia due to partial disturbances in the areas of blood vessels and the autonomic nervous system is also accompanied by mild confusion.
7. The result of degenerative diseases. The manifestation can occur to a severe degree at the peak of senile dementia, senility of various origins, Alzheimer's disease. In this case, it is caused by problems of brain activity and problems with orientation.
The starting points of such processes can be a variety of situations of varying severity. For emotionally weak people, a strong emotional shock is enough. Even a lack of vitamins, hypothermia, prolonged deficiency of sleep and oxygen can lead to such consequences.
Confusion of Confusion
To treat confusion, it is initially necessary to establish the cause of its occurrence and to eliminate it already. Since often any drugs are the cause, it is necessary to stop taking all drugs until all metabolic disorders are corrected. The etiology of confusion is often determined quite easily due to specific symptoms, but sometimes you can help with this by performing a full examination of the body.
Alcohol as a cause
Sometimes you can determine the cause and adjust the trigger factors yourself. This applies to alcohol intoxication, lowering blood sugar. If sugar drops, sweet tea or candy will help. If you lose a large amount of fluid, you should resort to rehydration therapy using the funds available in the pharmacy. Absorbents and a large amount of liquid will help against alcohol intoxication.
Injury
If the cause was an injury, it is important to identify and eliminate it in time. Sometimes for this you have to resort to the help of neurosurgery. After an ischemic stroke, thrombolytics are used, with hemorrhagic, surgical treatment of hematoma is practiced. Exposure to toxic substances, in particular heavy metals, and radiation exposure also require appropriate targeted treatment. Diseases accompanied by intoxication and fever are treated with antiviral and antipyretic drugs. With VVD, the regimen of the day and diet are adjusted, soothing medicines and teas are also used: chamomile, mint, lemon balm.
There are certain drugs that can help get rid of the disease, but the most effective is to maintain a therapeutic and protective regimen. If the patient is in an excited state, beds with fences on the sides or a special chair are used. Sometimes doctors are forced to resort to the fixation of the patient, but this is advisable to avoid, giving him the possibility of unlimited movement in a limited space.
Time disorientation
If the disease is associated with time disorientation, it is important to ensure that there are things in the room that help to navigate: large calendars and clocks. This will reduce anxiety and help patients feel more confident. In case of insomnia, you should provide the patient with a radio receiver or leave him a book and the lamp on, which will help to take time. In general, it is important to communicate with the patient, support in him of faith in recovery. Confused consciousness in cancer is facilitated in this way.
If such drugs do not have a sufficient effect, resort to medication, usually consisting in taking antipsychotics. At the same time, there is no exact information about the advantage of any drugs over others; the main parameter is the presence of a sedative effect. However, they can not always be used. The medicine is first prescribed in the minimum dose, and then gradually increase it, while observing the reaction that occurs. It is important that there are no manifestations of the reverse action - an increase in behavior disorders.
Difficulty causes and recovery of the sleep and wake cycle. Sometimes, to improve night sleep, the patient is not allowed to fall asleep during the day. Sleeping pills rarely have the necessary effect, and more often than not the full cycle returns to normal only after the confused consciousness has passed.