The autonomic nervous system is a part of nervous system that ensures the balanced functioning of all internal organs and maintains the constancy of the internal environment of a person. It is responsible for the glands innervation of external and internal secretion, controls vascular tone, regulates the respiratory rate, maintains normal body temperature.
The activity of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) is automatic, involuntary, and is not controlled by consciousness.
Diseases of the autonomic nervous system are caused by damage or irritation of any of its parts: central or peripheral.
The autonomic dysfunction (autonomic dystonia) can be considered as a disorder of the normal functioning of the autonomic nervous system. It is based on a congenital defect of hypothalamic regulation, which, in its turn, directly depends on external stress factors, injuries and infections. In addition, the hypothalamic discoordination often occurs on the background of hormonal imbalance in pubertal, menopausal periods, during pregnancy, it can be a consequence of physical overload, craniocerebral trauma, neuroinfections, and cerebrovascular pathology.
Vegetative dysfunction (vegetative dystonia) manifests a spectrum of clinical manifestations characterizing a violation of the ANS regulatory activity. For a person with vegetative dysfunction, meteorolability is characteristic (dependence on atmospheric pressure wave, humidity, and air temperature). Such people do not tolerate physical, emotional and mental stress.
Symptoms of autonomic dysfunction:
- general weakness
- increased fatigability
- intolerance to weather changes
- reduced working efficiency
- dizziness
- heart disruption
- out of breath feeling
- heart pain
- stomach ache
- unstable stool, meteorism
- sleep disorders, insomnia
- emotional disorders (panic attacks, anxiety, fear)
The term “autonomic dystonia” is morally obsolete; nowadays doctors use the term “autonomic dysfunction” instead. This diagnosis can be made only after a thorough examination and after the differential diagnostics with the exclusion of all possible diseases. But, unfortunately, the opposite approach is still observed in medicine, and the diagnosis “vegetative dysfunction” is found in medical records more often than others. Some doctors use autonomic dystonia as a kind of “diagnostic hole”, in which patient’s unclear symptoms are gathered together – when a completely different disease, such as cervical spine hernia, endocrinous or cardiovascular morbidity can hide behind the mask of autonomic dysfunction.
Examination of the patient reveals recovery of the tendon reflexes from the arms and legs, asymmetry of blood pressure, tachycardia, increased palms and soles sweating, eyelids and fingers tremor.
The autonomic dysfunction can occur permanently, i.e. signs of the disease can be present permanently and appear in the form of paroxysms (crises or attacks).
The panic attack is a paroxysmal vegetative crisis, which is characterized by symptoms of increased anxiety, fear of death, lack of air, breathing difficulty, dizziness, chills, excessive sweating, nausea, faintness, and frequent urination. This condition is associated with the sudden release of biologically active substances in blood (adrenaline, dopamine, etc.), under the influence of which all the above listed symptoms occur. This leads to heart rate increase, intense breathing, and increased sweating.
The condition is accompanied by significant psychological discomfort and unpleasant experiences. People suffering from panic attacks can develop agoraphobia – the fear of open space, public places or situations in a panic attack can recur.
Panic attacks have many causes of occurrence.
The reasons are susceptibility to chronic stress, increased anxiety, depressive conditions, brain circulation disorders, spine and nervous system diseases, sedentary lifestyle. The PA development often occurs at socially active age, between 20 and 40. This is due to the “age of responsible decisions”.
More often PA develops in people with high intelligence, developed willpower, inclined to self-analysis and self-control, with a heightened sense of responsibility, and psychological traumas suffered in childhood.
The combination of vascular, neuroendocrine, metabolic and trophic disorders caused by hypothalamus defeat is called hypothalamic syndrome.
Causes of hypothalamic syndrome:
- acute and chronic neuroinfection
- craniocerebral trauma
- acute and chronic intoxication
- brain tumours
- cerebrovascular insufficiency
- psychic trauma
- endocrine disorders
- chronic diseases of internal organs
Most often the hypothalamic syndrome appears as vascular, thermoregulatory and sleep formula disorders.
Diseases of the autonomic nervous system in the majority of cases are chronic, with periodic paroxysms. The treatment of such disorders is always long and complex, so you should not count on a quick cure.
In “Bersenev’s Medical Centre” we apply the metameric method developed by Dr. Bersenev for the autonomic nervous system treatment. More than 40 years of practice, thousands of recovered people – these are the evidences of treatment method effectiveness. But it must be remembered that positive result depends on the patient himself and on his desire to recover. The specialists of our clinic have developed an individual treatment program for each patient. In addition, for the period between the courses of metameric injections, the patient receives recommendations that must be strictly followed. Only in this case it is possible to achieve long-lasting remission and protect yourself from repeated attacks (paroxysms).
To make an appointment for the consultation, diagnostics and treatment session, please call (044) 238-22-31.
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