There are many diseases whose symptoms can have a significant negative impact on health. In addition to this fact, there is also such a problem as the paroxysmal state of the brain. Its essence boils down to the fact that the symptoms of certain diseases for a short period of time significantly intensifies. Such a process can pose a serious threat to human life, for which reason it definitely deserves attention.
Paroxysmal Syndrome
In order to understand the essence of this diagnosis, you need to understand some terms. By paroxysm, or seizure, you need to understand the transient dysfunction of any systems or organs that occurs suddenly. This condition is divided into two main types: epileptic and non-epileptic.
But speaking generally, we are talking about a situation where a certain painful seizure increases dramatically to the highest degree. In some cases, the definition of “paroxysmal condition” is used to describe periodically recurring symptoms of a particular disease. We are talking about such health problems as swamp fever, gout, etc.
In fact, paroxysms are a reflection of the emerging dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system. The most common causes of these attacks are neuroses, hypothalamic disorders, and organic brain damage. Crisis can be accompanied by migraines and attacks of temporal lobe epilepsy, as well as severe allergies.
Despite the fact that there are several forms through which a paroxysmal condition appears, symptoms with similar characteristics can be found in all cases. We are talking about the following symptoms: stereotype and a tendency to regular relapses, reversibility of disorders and short duration. Regardless of the background of the disease, paroxysm made itself felt, this symptomatology will be present in any case.
Provocative factors
So, understanding that at the heart of such a problem as a paroxysmal condition, in fact, there are always cerebral disorders, it is worth paying attention to those diseases that can lead to a sudden deterioration in physical condition, without manifestation of noticeable symptoms.
It is this fact that allows us to argue that with all the abundance of various pathologies that serve as the background for the crisis, it is almost always possible to trace a single etiological picture.
You need to understand that doctors pay enough attention to this problem, therefore, a study was conducted of the state of a significant number of patients in order to identify common etiological factors that lead to the occurrence of paroxysms. The examinations were focused primarily on working with diseases such as vegetovascular dystonia, migraine, epilepsy, neuralgia and neurosis, etc.
What diseases lead to a crisis?
As a result of the above studies, a list of diseases with characteristic signs of paroxysm was compiled:
- Metabolic disorders and diseases of the endocrine system. This is menopause syndrome, Cushing's disease, pheochromocytoma, hypercapnia and hypoxia.
- Alcohol and drug poisoning can also provoke paroxysmal conditions. Technical poisoning and certain types of drugs can have a similar effect.
- A sharp increase in symptoms is possible with diseases of the internal organs such as pneumonia, hepatic coma, etc.
- Paroxysm can also occur against the background of diseases of the psychovegetative syndrome (neurosis, migraine, hysteria, depressive states, etc.).
- Inherited diseases also play an important role in provoking a problem such as a paroxysmal condition. This may be the impact of metabolic diseases, systemic degeneration of the central nervous system, etc.
- Do not discount the diseases of the nervous system of the organic type. We are talking primarily about post-traumatic cerebrovascular accidents, traumatic brain injuries and causalgia. But vascular pathologies of the brain, as well as neuralgia and ischemic diseases, can play their negative role.
How paroxysm may manifest: features
As mentioned above, in the vast majority of cases, a sharp exacerbation of symptoms occurs due to impaired brain function. In addition, manifestations that are directly related to cerebral disorders are often recorded, and this is one of the key features of this condition.
In addition, you need to understand that there is both a primary and secondary paroxysmal genesis. Primary is due exclusively to congenital manifestation factors, such as disorders in the brain and genetic disposition, which is formed during the development of the embryo. Secondary paroxysm is a consequence of the influence of internal and external factors. It manifests itself during life.
The features of such a problem do not end there. Such paroxysmal states in neurology are fixed that accompany the disease throughout the entire period of its course. Also, a sharp increase in symptoms can be of a one-time nature and be a consequence of a shock state of the central nervous system. One striking example is acute blood loss or a sharp increase in temperature.
There are also such cases when paroxysmal seizures, having a short-term and regular nature, affect the state of the whole organism. Such attacks often appear on the background of migraine.
Such changes in the body are able to fulfill the function of protection, due to which there is a stimulation of the compensation component. But this is possible only at an early stage of the disease. But the syndrome of paroxysmal conditions is very dangerous, since it turns into a significant complicating factor in diseases that cannot be called simple at first.
Children's Survey
In order to understand what non-epileptic paroxysmal conditions look like in children, it makes sense to pay attention to several relevant examples.
First of all, these are short-term breath holdings. A strong fright, frustration, pain, and also any unexpectedness can lead to such a problem. During this condition, the child can scream, while the scream itself is delayed on exhalation, after which loss of consciousness often follows. Sometimes clonic twitches appear. Such an attack lasts, as a rule, a minute. Marked bradycardia and voluntary urination are possible.
Attacks of this kind are most often recorded in the age period from 6 months to 3 years. At the same time, the good news is that their presence does not promise an increased risk of cognitive impairment or the appearance of epilepsy.
Paroxysmal condition in a child - what is it? It is worth paying attention to another example that clearly demonstrates a similar problem. It's about losing consciousness. Fainting in this case is the result of acute circulatory failure in the brain. In fact, this is nothing more than a manifestation of vascular lability.
Fainting occurs mainly in adolescents, among children who are at an early age, such conditions are rare. As for the causes of this problem, they include a sharp transition from horizontal to vertical position, as well as a state of intense emotional arousal.
Fainting begins with a feeling of darkening in the eyes and dizziness. Moreover, both loss of consciousness and loss of muscle tone occur at the same time. There is always the possibility that short-term clonic convulsions may appear during the oppression of the child’s consciousness. As a rule, children do not remain unconscious due to fainting for more than 1 minute.
Reflex epilepsy is another problem that can be caused by a paroxysmal condition in a child. That this is a rather dangerous condition is unnecessary to say. Such situations can provoke stressful situations and flashes of light. But complex activity and auditory stimuli are unlikely to be the cause of the appearance of reflex epilepsy.
Non-epileptic form
Considering the syndrome of paroxysmal conditions, it is worth paying attention to those diseases that are most often associated with such crises.
Four main types of diseases can be distinguished within this group, which are fixed in the clinic more often than others and, in turn, have other more specific forms. These are the following issues:
- headache;
- myoclonic syndromes and other hyperkinetic conditions;
- vegetative disorders;
- muscle dystonic syndromes and dystonia.
In most cases, these problems are recorded in patients under the age of majority. But recently, more and more often, the paroxysmal state first makes itself felt already in adulthood. It is also possible the dynamic progression of symptoms of the above diseases, which are aggravated against the background of chronic and acute cerebrovascular disorders or age-related cerebral disorders.
It is important to take into account the fact that in some cases, non-epileptic paroxysmal conditions can be the result of exposure to certain medications prescribed to neutralize circulatory failure, as well as diseases such as parkinsonism and some mental disorders caused by old age.
Epilepsy and paroxysmal conditions
This is a rather complicated diagnosis in terms of its negative impact on humans. But first, you should remember what epilepsy is. This is a chronic pathological disease of the brain, which is characterized by convulsions having a different clinical structure and constantly recurring. This condition is also characterized by psychopathic paroxysmal and non-convulsive manifestations.
Perhaps the development of two forms of epilepsy: genuin and symptomatic. The latter is a consequence of traumatic brain injuries, intoxications, brain tumors, acute circulatory disorders in the head region, etc.
It should be understood that the special relationship of the epileptic focus and different parts of the nervous system causes the occurrence of repeated convulsions of various clinical structures. Some features of the pathological process can lead to this result.
In addition, other paroxysmal conditions may occur.
Different forms of seizures
Epilepsy is not the only form of manifestation of disorders of the central nervous system. There are other paroxysmal conditions in neurology that can be classified as epileptic.
One striking example is the sensory (sensitive) Jackson seizures. Their manifestation occurs when a person is conscious. Symptoms in this case are reduced to tingling and numbness in the face, limbs and half of the body. In some cases, sensory seizures can go into motor seizures, which will greatly complicate the patient's condition.
Attention should be paid to Jackson's epilepsy. In this case, both sensory and motor seizures are possible. The latter are especially problematic, since they involve muscle cramps on the part of the face and limbs, which are located on the side opposite from the epileptic focus. In this case, disturbances in the consciousness, as a rule, are not observed. In some cases, motor seizures can go into generalized.
Complex absences can be atonic, myoclonic, and akinetic. The former make themselves felt through a sudden fall, the cause of which is a sharp decrease in postural tonus of the legs. As for the myoclonic form, it is characterized by rhythmic short-term muscle twitches, accompanied by a turn-off of consciousness. Akinetic abscess is a seizure with immobility, as a result of which falls are also likely.
Perhaps the manifestation of small absences, in which a person is also immersed in an unconscious state. There are no feelings of malaise upon its completion. The patient himself often cannot remember the moment of a seizure.
Kozhevnikovskaya epilepsy is characterized by limited short seizures of a clonic nature. They most often capture the muscles of the hands, but the tongue, face, and even legs can be affected by this process. Loss of consciousness with such convulsions is a rare occurrence.
Generalized status epilepticus
This form of seizure is serious enough to give it special attention. In fact, we are talking about the development of tonic-clonic seizures in all parts of the body. Such a paroxysmal condition manifests itself suddenly, while a slight muscle tension and moderate expansion of the pupils are fixed. The symptoms do not end there and pass into the tonic phase, lasting from 15 minutes to half an hour.
The tonic phase is characterized by tension of the trunk, limbs, as well as masticatory and facial muscles. At the same time, the tone of the body becomes so high that it is virtually impossible to change the position of the body.
As for the clonic phase, its duration is 10–40 s, during which rhythmic closures of the oral gap are recorded. In this condition, there is a high risk that a person will bite his tongue, as a result of which a reddish foam (stained with blood) may be released from the mouth.
The next phase of generalized status is relaxation, which is expressed in spontaneous bowel movements and urination. The troubles do not end there: each seizure culminates in post-paroxysmal exhaustion. In other words, inhibition of reflexes occurs, hypotension of muscles and deepening of coma. This condition lasts an average of 30 minutes. Next comes the final phase of epileptic prostration.
How to help with seizures
The treatment of paroxysmal conditions is the destiny of highly qualified specialists. Therefore, if signs of a single seizure become noticeable, especially when he is the first, the patient urgently needs to be hospitalized in a neurosurgical or neurological department. There he will be able to examine and determine the current treatment plan.
It is important to ensure that before the patient is taken to the hospital, he does not receive any injuries. It is also worth putting a spoon wrapped in a bandage in your mouth or using a mouthpiece.
In most cases, the treatment process for patients with epileptic status begins already in the ambulance. If there are no doctors nearby, and the person continues to have a seizure, then the first thing to do is to exclude the possibility of aspiration of vomit or mechanical asphyxiation due to loss of tongue. To do this, enter the duct into the mouth, having previously released it. It also makes sense to try to block cramps and support cardiac activity.
As for non-epileptic forms, here the causes of paroxysmal conditions can be completely different. It all depends on a key disease, the symptoms of which worsen. Therefore, the best thing that can be done is to deliver the person to the hospital as soon as possible, where they can examine him and make an accurate diagnosis.
Summary
Paroxysmal conditions can be attributed to the category of diseases that can not only significantly worsen a person’s condition, but also lead to death. This means that in case of seizures or other symptoms of this problem, you need to thoroughly deal with treatment. If everything is left to chance, then the risk of a sad outcome will increase significantly.