A cerebrovascular spasm is a suddenly appearing narrowing of the lumen between the walls of blood vessels. The condition is dangerous because it causes serious disruption to the central nervous system.
To prevent its onset, you need to know the reasons why it usually occurs. The symptoms of cerebral vasospasm, as well as how to treat this pathology, are now discussed.
general characteristics
Before proceeding to the consideration of the symptoms of cerebral vasospasm, it is necessary to talk about what processes occurring in the body this phenomenon is characterized.
So, the process of moving blood through the vessels is accompanied by a reduction and relaxation of their walls. In what cases does a spasm occur? In such, when the walls are reduced, however, relaxation does not occur. Because of this, the circulatory process is disturbed and pain occurs.
And here are some signs for spasm that are characteristic:
- Only small arteries inside the brain tissue are affected.
- Changes affect only one or several areas of the hemisphere, but not the entire brain.
- Spasm causes a powerful contraction of the muscle fibers of the vascular walls.
- The phenomenon can end in an instant or last several hours, but no more.
- At the same time, the functioning of nerve cells is significantly impaired due to a decrease in the intensity and speed of blood flow.
Most importantly, a malfunction of the brain leads to malfunctions in all organs and systems. Because for their full functioning, constant nutrition is necessary. And it is carried out precisely through blood-pumping vessels.
Symptoms
There are no specific signs of this pathology. Any one symptom of cerebral vasospasm may occur, and a person will not even think about the fact that this indicates problems with the reduction of their walls - he simply writes it off to something else.
But often several signs make themselves known at once. Namely:
- Strong headache.
- Flicker of "goosebumps" before the eyes.
- Dizziness.
- Decreased performance and increased fatigue.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Tinnitus, aggravated by physical exertion.
In especially severe cases, the following symptoms of cerebrovascular spasm appear:
- Speech impairment.
- Loss of orientation in space.
- Memory losses.
- Loss of consciousness.
- Lack of coordination of movements.
As a rule, everything happens suddenly. A person can calmly go about his business, but in the next second he experiences some of the above or even all the symptoms at once.
However, people with chronic spasm also occur. It manifests itself with milder symptoms, but is fraught with complications, and of these, the most severe is ischemic stroke. It develops if the lumen of the vessel is completely blocked.
If you do not provide timely competent assistance to a person, neurons may begin to die due to lack of blood supply.
Why does constriction occur?
Talking about the symptoms of cerebral spasm, the causes are also worth noting. A provoking factor, as a rule, is one of the following:
- Overwork. When a person works too much, his blood supply worsens. It is fraught with cramping.
- Lack of sleep. The brain, like any other body organ, needs rest. If a person does not sleep enough hours, his fatigue is not completely eliminated. Because of this, headache and spasms of blood vessels occur.
- Lack of oxygen. Because of this, the nutrition of the brain deteriorates significantly, and the vessels first respond to this. Therefore, it is important to often ventilate the room in which the person spends most of the time, as well as strolling in the fresh air.
- Smoking. People who smoke more than one pack of cigarettes a day are at risk.
- Vegetovascular dystonia. Symptoms include heart pain, rapid heart rate, high blood pressure and temperature, sweating, nausea, shortness of breath, and tinnitus.
- Tachycardia and other cardiac abnormalities.
- Oncology.
- Disorders of the thyroid and kidneys.
- Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
It is important to note that household situations can contribute to the appearance of symptoms of spasm of cerebral vessels in an adult. For example, an excessively long stay in the cold with an uncovered head, a large amount of alcohol consumed or severe stress.
Diagnostics
Having discovered the symptoms of cerebral spasm, treatment should be started as soon as possible. But before that, you need to make sure that headaches and other unpleasant manifestations are signs of this particular pathology. So you need a diagnosis. As a rule, in such cases, you need to contact an angiosurgeon or a neurologist.
After the survey and visual inspection of a person will be sent to undergo such procedures:
- An ultrasound that determines the presence of problems with blood clots, blood flow velocity and the condition of the arteries.
- MRI with contrast. This research method helps to identify almost all pathologies of the cerebral vessels, even small metastases invisible in conventional MRI. It is carried out with the introduction of a special drug into the blood that improves the quality of the images.
- X-ray with contrast. The procedure is similar to the previous one.
Depending on the individual characteristics of the body, the patient will be assigned one or another diagnostic method.
Antispasmodic treatment
Now you can talk about what you need to take to relieve symptoms of cerebral vasospasm. Drugs from the group of antispasmodics help eliminate pain, so treatment can not do without them. However, their effect is temporary, passes after a few hours, so taking these pills is combined with the use of other drugs. But about them a little later.
Effective antispasmodics are:
- "Papaverine". A myotropic drug that inhibits phosphodiesterase (enzymes) causes the expansion of arteries, reduces the tone of smooth muscles and blood vessels, improves blood flow. It also has a hypotensive effect.
- Drotaverin Forte. It has a myotropic and vasodilating effect. Reduces motor activity of smooth muscles of internal organs and their tone. The chemical composition is similar to the previous drug, but surpasses it in effectiveness and duration of exposure.
- No-Shpa. This well-known agent has hypotensive, vasodilating, myotropic and antispasmodic effects.
- "Bellalgin." It has an analgesic, moderate anesthetic, antacid and antispasmodic effect. Recommended for eliminating cramping and pain syndromes in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
- "Spazmolitin." This drug has anticholinergic activity, has a local anesthetic effect. The tool is effective, helps to cope even with neuralgia and neuritis.
All of these drugs used to eliminate symptoms and treat cerebral spasm are derivatives of atropine (m-cholinergic blocker).
You can also take "Andipal" - it is a spasmo-analgesic, a combination agent that combines the properties of "Papaverine", "Dibazole" and "Analgin".
Also, Eufillin, Atromidin, Atomax, and Mekavor tablets can help in eliminating symptoms and treating cerebral spasm.
Firming drugs
Their doctor will also prescribe. A long course of therapy without fail involves taking medications that help restore tone and strengthen the arterial walls. The drugs in this group include:
- "Vinpocetine forte." This remedy improves brain metabolism and blood circulation. It has a direct vasodilating effect on the vessels of the brain, due to its myotropic properties. Significantly improves microcirculation and blood supply in the brain tissues, normalizes the rheological properties of blood and reduces platelet aggregation.
- Cavinton Also improves brain metabolism and blood circulation. Increases brain tissue oxygen and glucose uptake and neuron resistance to hypoxia, improves serotonin and norepinephrine metabolism. This remedy also dilutes the blood and reduces platelet aggregation.
- The Bravinton. It has all of the above actions, and also increases the content of catecholamines in the brain tissue.
- Telektol. Expands blood vessels, has antiaggregant and antihypoxic effects. Enhances blood flow (especially active in ischemic areas).
- A nicotinic acid. This hypolipidemic agent compensates for the lack of vitamin PP, normalizes the concentration of lipoproteins and cholesterol in the blood, and also improves microcirculation and has a vasodilating effect at the level of small vessels.
Talking about what pills really help in eliminating the symptoms of cerebral vasospasm, it is also necessary to note that the medicinal plant periwinkle and products made on the basis of its derivatives - nitrogen-containing organic compounds have a long-lasting effect.
Calcium channel blockers
These drugs help restore rhythmic contraction and relaxation of the brain vessels. The most effective blockers are:
- Kordafen. It divides the processes of excitation and contraction, normalizes the flow of calcium ions, enhances coronary blood flow and improves blood circulation. Also reduces peripheral vascular resistance.
- Diltiazem. It has antiarrhythmic, antihypertensive and antianginal effects. This drug also dilates the coronary arteries, reduces smooth muscle tone and enhances blood flow.
- Isoptin. It has the same spectrum of action as the previous drug. It affects both the myocardium and peripheral hemodynamics.
In continuation of the story about the symptoms, causes and treatment of cerebral spasms, I would like to note that although the above drugs expand the arteries, they do not affect the veins. This is their significant advantage. In addition, of all existing blockers, they are considered the most harmless and universal.
What kind of remedy to take, only a doctor can say. Of the more serious drugs, Nimodipine is usually prescribed.
Sedatives
Continuing to list drugs that help in alleviating the symptoms and treating cerebral spasms, it is necessary to make a reservation that medications that have a sedative effect cannot be dispensed with.
The best are: Motherwort Forte, Corvalol, Valerian and Novopassit. It is better to take these drugs in the form of drops - dilute in a small amount of water and drink. So the active substances are absorbed faster, and the effect occurs literally in 20-30 minutes.
If these funds are ineffective, the neurologist prescribes a drug of synthetic origin, which has a more powerful effect.
By the way, also a person will need to take drugs that eliminate the effects of spasms. These include Cortexin, Piracetam, Glycine forte, and Nootropil. The course of treatment is usually 2-3 months.
Gingko biloba preparations
We can not tell about them, since we are talking about the treatment of cerebrovascular spasm with medicines. Symptoms and their manifestations can significantly alleviate drugs, which include an extract of a medicinal plant - gingko biloba.
They have a combined effect on cerebral blood flow. These drugs include Tanakan, Gingium, Bilobil, Ginkor Fort and Biloba.
All of these drugs relieve pain in the brain and cervical vessels, normalize blood circulation, dilute it, and also strengthen the walls of veins and arteries. In addition, they slow down the oxidation of organic compounds, eliminate brain edema and improve performance.
Folk remedies
They should be listed at the end of the topic regarding the causes, symptoms and treatment of cerebrovascular spasms. Folk remedies in combination with medications will have a positive preventive effect.
The best remedy is infusions. Here are two popular recipes:
- In a thermos, you need to fill up 1.5 tbsp. l dried thyme. Pour boiling water over a liter. Give 2-3 hours to infuse. Filter, mix with juice from the stems and leaves of a golden mustache (enough 5-6 drops). If this ingredient is not available, you can add 1 tsp. freshly squeezed garlic juice. Drink the resulting infusion of 2 tbsp. l twice a day, but not more than three times a week.
- Pour the chopped leaves of small periwinkle into an enameled saucepan. Pour a glass of cold water. Boil, and then simmer for another 10 minutes over low heat. Remove from stove, wrap with a towel for 1-2 hours. Drink the infusion in large portions throughout the day.
Despite the fact that these products include natural, natural ingredients, it is recommended that you consult your doctor before using them. Uncontrolled intake of such drugs can be harmful.