Psychovegetative syndrome is characterized by the fact that it can include a large number of different symptoms that arise from many systems and organs. Such signs are so diverse that a person can go to doctors for a long time to determine the diagnosis. But most often, numerous studies are not able to identify any pathology, and in this case, doctors recommend the patient to consult a neuropsychiatrist, suspecting the presence of a psychovegetative syndrome. So what is it?
Features of the manifestation of psycho-vegetative syndrome
This pathology is manifested by heart ailments, headache, increased sweating, nausea, dizziness, heaviness in the stomach, impaired urination, sensitivity to cold. All this is accompanied by an anxious, depressed and irritable state, internal anxiety, various phobias, apathy and insomnia. A thorough examination shows that all organs are absolutely healthy, and all the symptoms are false.
Causes
Psychovegetative syndrome manifests itself due to the constitutional characteristics of a person, mental and somatic disorders, under the influence of hereditary factors, as well as as a result of organic damage to the nervous system.
This disease can occur due to hormonal changes in the body, psychosomatic diseases (asthma, hypertension, etc.), psychophysiological changes (acute and chronic stress), diseases of the nervous system, neurosis, mental disorders, and some occupational diseases.
Such causes lead to the emergence of autonomic dystonia, which is often accompanied by panic attacks.
Symptoms
If there is a suspicion of a psycho-vegetative syndrome, its symptoms may be different. They can manifest themselves by the presence of a variety of syndromes that are treated only in a complex.
Cardiovascular syndrome is usually manifested by disturbances in the work of the heart (tachycardia, bradycardia), increased blood pressure, coldness of the extremities, hot flashes, changes in the color of the skin (cyanosis, pallor).
Cardiological syndrome is characterized by the occurrence of pains of a different nature or a feeling of discomfort in the precardial region. Sometimes it is believed that angina pectoris is manifested in this way, but in this case the pain does not go away even after taking nitroglycerin.
Also, with hyperventilation syndrome, a person may suffer from a feeling of lack of air, shortness of breath, cough. Due to rapid breathing, the body begins to lack carbon dioxide, which is manifested by muscle spasms and paresthesia in the perioral region and distal extremities. The lack of air causes the patient to faint - he begins to darken in his eyes, weakness and dizziness appear.
There are pains in the heart and stomach due to impaired motility of the gastrointestinal tract. A person’s appetite disappears, irritable bowel syndrome appears. In some cases, vomiting opens, upset stool, epigastric severity.
Psychovegetative syndrome with cerebrovascular disorders is accompanied by headaches, a tendency to fainting, noise in the ears and head, dizziness. They arise due to cerebral angioedema, the basis of which is considered to be dysregulation of the tone of the vessels of the brain of a hypotonic, hypertonic or mixed nature.
Psychovegetative syndrome is manifested by sexual dysfunction. In men, in this case, an erection or ejaculation is impaired, and in women anorgasmia or vaginismus occurs. Body temperature may rise or fall, chills appear.
What is a panic attack?
Many people suffer from panic disorder from time to time . Most often, such a pathology develops at the age of 20-30 years and mainly in women.
Psychovegetative syndrome with panic attacks has the following symptoms:
- respiratory, vascular reactions are disturbed;
- changes in thermoregulation, sweating;
- blood pressure rises;
- tachycardia occurs, the heart rate is disturbed.
Such symptoms, arising suddenly and for no reason, lead to the formation of emotionally-affective disorders. In this case, an unreasonable fear appears, reaching panic. It happens that the first panic attack later develops into a specific fear - there is a fear of a stroke, myocardial infarction, fall, loss of consciousness, madness, etc.
Between seizures, patients usually develop secondary psycho-vegetative syndromes. A person cannot be in a crowd, a store, too far from home, or, conversely, alone in an apartment. This leads to depression, reduced social activity, the patient loses interest in the world around him, fatigue, weakness increases, appetite decreases, sleep is disturbed.
Diagnosis of the disease
In order to diagnose psycho-vegetative syndrome, a comprehensive examination is required. First of all, the doctor must exclude all somatic diseases that manifest in this way.
High-quality diagnostics requires the consultation of several doctors of different profiles. A survey of the patient is considered very important. The doctor must ask him about all the sensations and find out all the subtleties of the manifestation of the disease.
In the process of examination, an electrocardiogram, computed tomography, MRI, and dopplerography of blood vessels are often prescribed.
Treatment
If a psycho-vegetative syndrome has arisen, its treatment should be possible if possible without the use of medications. The patient is prescribed massage sessions, reflexology, physiotherapy exercises. To reduce the manifestation of hyperventilation, breathing exercises are recommended.
In acute manifestations of the disease, the patient is prescribed benzodiazepine drugs. In an anxiety-depressive state with sleep disorders, antidepressants with a sedative effect are prescribed. Such drugs as beta-blockers are used for arterial hypertension, heart pain, and tachycardia.
It is important to lead a healthy lifestyle, temper the body, apply treatment that strengthens the body. In many cases, a positive effect occurs after rational psychotherapy, during which they try to convey to the patient that he does not have a disease that threatens his life.
Sanatorium-resort treatment is also practiced, which effectively affects the patient's body due to a change in climate.
Psychovegetative syndrome in children
In childhood, this disease is characterized by a combination of autonomic and psychoemotional disorders that arise due to various pathologies of the nervous system. Instability of such vegetative parameters as temperature and blood pressure, as well as poor tolerance of mental and physical labor contribute to the development of the disease. The syndrome is often observed with hormonal changes during the period of growing up. The disease is treated with drug and non-drug methods.
Conclusion
Thus, psycho-vegetative syndrome is a rather serious pathology, which can be accompanied by panic attacks, exhausting a person. In addition to drug treatment, the patient should eat right, rest normally and strive to get more positive emotions.