What are the dangers of psychogenic dizziness? Psychogenic dizziness: symptoms, treatment Dizziness, anxiety, causes

Dizziness is not always caused by physiological disorders - sometimes even a completely healthy person experiences this symptom with regularity. If the malaise is preceded by panic, fear, emotional stress of any kind, there is a high probability that the resulting dizziness is of a psychogenic nature.

general description

Psychogenic dizziness is a disorder of a psychological nature, with an unstable emotional state of a person being the basic provoking factor of the disease.

Often, “motion sickness,” or motion sickness, is mistaken for psychogenic dizziness. Children and pregnant women, as well as women during menopause, often suffer from increased sensitivity of the vestibular region, which can cause similar symptoms.

This type of dizziness is officially called imaginary and, due to the absence of problems with the vestibular apparatus, is not classified as true vertigo.

Nevertheless, psychogenic dizziness can become a source of serious problems - the symptoms have significant external manifestations and negatively affect all aspects of the patient’s life.

Symptoms

Psychogenic dizziness has its own distinctive features and can be distinguished by:

• absence of the characteristic sensation of vertigo circling objects and one's own body;
• dark or cloudy veil before your eyes;
• shortness of breath;
• growing feeling panic;
• noise in the ears;
• nausea;
• faster heartbeat;
• loss coordination and balance, as at the stage of mild intoxication.

When making a diagnosis, specialists pay attention to the presence of accompanying signs, such as painful irritability and general psychological instability, insomnia, neuroses, problems with memory and concentration.

Quite often, psychogenic dizziness is one of the manifestations of VSD (vegetative-vascular dystonia) or other autonomic disorders. In this case, all or some of the following symptoms occur:

• presyncope weakness;
• tide blood to the face, body sweating;
• sharp transition from cold in a fever;
• "com" sore throat, dry mouth;
• muscular pain;
• pain in breasts in the absence of heart disease;
• spontaneous shiver in the arms and muscle spasms;
• rapid but painless urination;
• reduced sexual attraction.

This type of dizziness is extremely difficult to diagnose, since in most cases the person is physically absolutely healthy.

The body is functioning properly, the tests are normal, and at the same time the patient suffers from many alarming symptoms. Often, having experienced a sudden attack for the first time, the patient is terrified of its repetition, thereby provoking relapses and aggravating his complex psychological state.

If outbreaks of dizziness - especially in older people - are characterized by a specific duration (an hour or more) or are accompanied by elevated body temperature, discharge from the ears, intense migraine or vomiting, you should immediately consult a neurologist.

Psychogenic dizziness occurs both involuntarily and under certain stressful situations.

Causes of attacks

The occurrence of any psychologically difficult circumstances: the death of loved ones, sudden severe fear or lack of adequate sleep and rest can serve as a trigger for the onset of regular attacks. In addition, congenital health problems in moments of stress can contribute to the development of dizziness of a psychogenic nature in the patient.

Experts share several main factors, which in most cases are the cause of illness.

Anxiety-depressive syndrome

It is expressed in sudden mood swings, constant unreasonable fears for oneself or loved ones, problems with sleep, and a decrease in general tone. Pain may occur.

Postural phobic syndrome

Repeated outbreaks of short-term loss of orientation in space, which arise spontaneously or are caused by triggered phobias.

Panic attack syndrome

Often the provoking element is not only regular panic attacks, which manifest themselves as outbreaks of acute irrational anxiety and panic, but also intense fear in anticipation of the next attack.

Experts still have not agreed on why some people have mental exacerbations accompanied by symptoms of psychogenic dizziness, while other people are not susceptible to its occurrence.

Diagnostics

In addition to the psychogenic factors in the development of dizziness, doctors distinguish three main types:

• paroxysmal dizziness;
• basilar migraine;
• disease Meniere.

To determine the nature of dizziness, the doctor prescribes:

• samples balance;
• audiography;
• definition nystagmus;
• Ultrasound blood vessels and MRI of the brain;
• x-ray skull and cervical spine;
• general and biochemical analysis blood, including sugar.

If clinical tests do not reveal the presence of organic pathologies, and the patient has obvious neurotic disorders, the doctor diagnoses “psychogenic dizziness” and prescribes appropriate therapeutic measures.

Treatment

For successful treatment of psychogenic dizziness, you should contact a psychotherapist and neurologist. An integrated approach to treatment, which requires the use of both medications and other effective methods, is the most effective.

Drug therapy

As a rule, in the treatment of dizziness associated with psychogenic disorders, the patient is prescribed two types of medications: to normalize the functioning of the cardiovascular system and for an antidepressant and sedative effect. The last group includes drugs such as Amitriptyline, Desipramine, Atarax.

Taking Benzodiazepines, which include Diazepam and Oxazepam, requires careful monitoring in patients with hypochondriacal or hysterical neuroses.

If depressive moods predominate, tricyclic antidepressants are prescribed. The tranquilizers Grandaxin or Phenazepam are often used.

With vegetative-vascular dystonia, taking certain psychotropic drugs can aggravate the patient's condition or cause persistent addiction. Drug therapy should be selected by the attending physician, taking into account all the individual characteristics of the patient. Self-prescription of drugs for the treatment of psychogenic dizziness is strictly prohibited.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapeutic methods of treatment, when used regularly, give stable positive dynamics. The most effective:

• meditation and breathing practices;
• spa treatments, including massage, Chinese acupuncture, mud baths;
• physical exercises, including strengthening the vestibular apparatus;
• contrasting shower;
• aromatherapy.

A qualified psychotherapist will help you overcome fears and worries, teach you to control your psycho-emotional mood, which will contribute to a speedy recovery and final relief from dizziness.

Complications and consequences

At first glance, the symptoms of psychogenic dizziness are not critical for the patient’s body. However, they are not as harmless as they may seem - a sudden attack can cause fainting, which is dangerous due to an unsuccessful fall and injury of varying degrees of severity.

Along with this, deep stress - the root cause of dizziness - has a negative impact on overall well-being, increasing the risk of heart disease, stomach ulcers, pancreatitis, migraines and many other serious diseases. Prolonged mental stress contributes to the exacerbation of chronic pathological processes in the human body.

Prevention

Attentive attitude towards yourself, reasonable care for your own physical and mental state can prevent the development of psychomatic dizziness. These symptoms are the second most common among all complaints of this type, which once again proves the great importance of a stable emotional background for human health.

At the first signs of a depressive crisis and immersion in apathy, you should step away from the daily routine, give yourself rest, and restore your mental balance. It is important to be able to share negative experiences - close people will help you calm down and find a way out of a difficult situation.

To effectively prevent psychogenic dizziness, you must:

1. Rational nutrition with a predominance of fresh plant foods and products containing vitamin B, which strengthens the nervous system.
2. Sufficient reception liquids– from 1.5 liters per day.
3. To not allow overwork, which provides the body with a good night's sleep.
4. Refusal nicotine, alcohol and caffeine, which worsen blood circulation and the general condition of a person.
5. Classes sports, walks in the open air.

A stable psycho-emotional state is the basis of physical health and a high quality of life.

It is very important to identify the problem in a timely manner and make every effort to successfully resolve it.

It has long ceased to be a rare disease, and therefore its symptoms are known to almost the entire population of the planet aged 25 years and older. The problem is that in addition to the main signs of this disease, manifested in the form of muscle and joint pain at the site of its localization, as well as headaches of varying intensity, there are also a number of subtle factors that indicate the beginning of its development. How to treat dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis? Often a person does not even suspect that they are a consequence of changes in the condition of the bones, cartilage and joints of the upper segment of the spine.

Such phenomena associated with the disease include:

• cochleovestibular disorders (dizziness);
• psychoneurological disorders (panic attacks, depression).

How to get rid of dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis

This symptom is rarely associated with spinal disease affecting the cervical spine. The stuffiness, heat, hunger, and stress are “blamed” for the attack that happened, but not on him, and in vain. In most cases, dizziness is the result of deformation, displacement, destruction of the connecting elements of the neck, proliferation of fibrous tissue, leading to compression of the vertebral arteries. Dizziness occurs due to a deficiency of nutrients and oxygen necessary for the normal functioning of the brain and cerebellum, due to the difficulty of their transportation through the main artery.

The feeling of the movement of things around you or the movement of yourself is well known to people with problems of the musculoskeletal system. Such a phenomenon can be permanent or appear periodically during a change in posture, turning, tilting the head, changing a horizontal body position to a vertical one or vice versa. The duration of such manifestations varies from a couple of minutes to several hours, depending on the general health of the patient and the stage of the disease. Dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis: symptoms are often accompanied by symptoms such as:

• tinnitus;
• disorientation in space;
• throbbing headache;
• loss of vision clarity;
• hearing loss, muffled sounds;
• numbness of the limbs;
• nausea;
• impaired coordination of movements.

Panic attacks

Violation of proper blood circulation and insufficient nutrition of the brain, for which cervical osteochondrosis and dizziness, fears and depression are to blame, also lead to changes in the state of the internal environment of the body:

• the pH of the blood changes (the concentration of hydrogen protons, due to which tissue respiration occurs, decreases);
• Calcium metabolism is disrupted (due to its normal course, neuromuscular excitability is regulated and bone tissue structure is preserved).

Fears that people regularly experience without good reason indicate the presence of a psychoneurological disorder called panic attacks in cervical osteochondrosis.

Horror and panic suddenly felt by a person can disturb him either once a month or five times a day. The time interval of the attack itself also does not have a specific meaning; it can last three minutes, or it can drive the patient to hysterics, lasting several hours. It all depends on the individual characteristics of the body and the degree of neglect of the disease. Preconditions that cause panic attacks are:

• long-term physical activity;
• emotional fatigue;
• stressful situations;
• weather change.

Along with unreasonable anxiety, patients are often worried about other phenomena:

• cardiopalmus;
• difficulty breathing, shortness of breath;
• chills, trembling in the limbs;
• digestive disorders, vomiting, nausea.

Depression

This symptom is due to the following factors:

• changes in the chemical balance of the brain (nutrition deficiency due to insufficient blood circulation for normal functioning, compression of the vertebral arteries);
• depletion of energy resources (exhausting constant pain tires the body, there is no strength or desire to do anything);
• limitation of social activity (does not allow you to realize all your abilities, difficulties arise in carrying out various tasks related to professional activities, and finding employment).

Awareness of the limitations of one’s capabilities and dissatisfaction with the course of one’s life ultimately lead to a very dangerously depressed person’s state of mind.

The desire to get rid of the torment caused by changes in the condition of the elements of the upper spine through treatment with anti-inflammatory non-steroidal drugs can also result in the occurrence of such a neuropsychiatric disorder (such a side effect is not excluded).

Major depression is characterized by a number of signs that distinguish it from a temporary attack of bad mood, namely:

• loss of interest in everything, lack of a sense of pleasure;
• fatigue that manifests itself over a long period of time (months);
• constant feelings of anxiety, worthlessness and guilt;
• inability to concentrate, fear of making independent decisions;
• isolation, apathy, aggressiveness towards others;
• unstable appetite (overeating or starvation);
• sleep disorders (insomnia or oversleeping).

Dizziness with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine: treatment

Of the variety of possible treatment methods, the following are considered the most effective:

1. Manual therapy. Procedures aimed at increasing the degree of elasticity of the ligamentous and muscular apparatus and improving the motor ability of the vertebrae. Unlike traditional massage, it is performed using hands on specific areas of the disease and with a certain limitation of effort.
2. Physiotherapy. A set of actions aimed at normalizing metabolism. It is carried out using exposure to ultraviolet radiation, electromagnetic fields, and low-frequency electrical impulses.
3. Gymnastics. Exercises whose task is to restore the lost range of motion of the joints and lost muscle strength, thereby restoring normal blood circulation. The health-improving gymnastics program is compiled by a specialist based on the stage of the disease and the general well-being of the patient.
4. Reflexology. Impact on bioactive points of the body, with the aim of generating an impulse that is transmitted to the nerve center of the disease-affected area, triggering the self-healing process. The main method used to treat spinal diseases is acupuncture.
5. Massage. The procedure helps to normalize the processes of lymph and blood circulation, eliminating the deficiency of oxygen and nutrients in the brain and cerebellum. It can be done independently, but a greater effect can be achieved with the help of the professional hands of a massage therapist.
6. Drug treatment. Tablets for dizziness in cervical osteochondrosis are designed to solve the problem associated with metabolic and blood flow disorders. These include medications designed to relieve swelling, eliminate pain, relax muscles, relieve spasms, restore nerve cells and stimulate microcircular processes.

It is often practiced to use several methods simultaneously during dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis (massage + reflexology + gymnastics). This approach gives faster results.

You cannot make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment on your own. If you discover any symptoms of the disease, you should immediately seek help from a specialist.

E.G. Filatova, Department of Nervous Diseases of the Federal Faculty of Applied Physics of Moscow Medical Academy named after. I.M.Sechenova

Psychogenic dizziness refers to vague sensations described as dizziness that occur with emotional disorders (usually neurotic disorders associated with stress).

Often, patients mistake for dizziness darkening and double vision, flickering of objects, the appearance of a “grid” or “fog” before the eyes, a state of “lightheadedness,” a fainting state (lipothymia), a feeling of “emptiness” or “fog” in the head, a subjective sensation instability

The famous dizziness researcher T. Brandt, based on extensive clinical experience, identified the most common causes of dizziness:

1. benign paroxysmal vertigo,
2. psychogenic dizziness,
3. basilar migraine,
4. Meniere's disease
5. vestibular neuronitis.

Thus, dizziness caused by mental illness ranks 2nd. However, in everyday clinical practice, doctors rarely make this diagnosis, and also underestimate the role of the mental factor in disability with true vestibular vertigo, and their insufficient success in treating patients is largely due to this.

Diagnosis of psychogenic dizziness

Diagnosis of psychogenic dizziness includes two sequential and mandatory stages.

The first stage is a negative diagnosis aimed at excluding all other possible causes of dizziness:

• lesions of the vestibular system at any level;
• somatic and neurological diseases accompanied by lipothymia;
• neurological diseases accompanied by impaired walking and balance.

This requires a thorough examination of the patient in some cases with the involvement of otoneurologists, cardiologists, hematologists, etc., as well as a thorough paraclinical study.

The second stage is a positive diagnosis of neurotic disorders associated with stress.

Among emotional disorders, the most common cause of dizziness is anxiety or anxiety-depressive disorders. It is the frequency of anxiety, which is the most common emotional disorder and is observed in the population in 30% of cases, that determines the high prevalence of psychogenic dizziness.

The clinical picture of anxiety disorders consists of mental symptoms, the most common of which are anxiety, worry about trifles, a feeling of tension and stiffness, as well as somatic symptoms, mainly caused by increased activity of the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system. Some of the commonly observed physical symptoms of anxiety are dizziness and lightheadedness.

Purely anxiety disorders are relatively rare in clinical practice. In most cases (70% of patients), anxiety disorders are combined with depressive disorders. The mental symptoms of anxiety and depression are largely similar and overlap. The comorbidity of the two most common mental disorders is determined by common biochemical roots - the role of serotonin in the pathogenesis of both conditions is discussed. The high effectiveness of both tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) and some selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) for anxiety and depression confirms the anxiolytic and antidepressant effects of serotonin. Finally, with the long-term existence of anxiety disorders, the patient inevitably develops a feeling of complete spiritual paralysis and depression. The onset of depression is accompanied by symptoms such as chronic pain disorder, weight loss, sleep disturbances, etc., which can increase anxiety symptoms. Thus, a vicious circle develops: the prolonged existence of anxiety causes the development of depression, and depression increases the symptoms of anxiety. The high frequency of comorbidity between anxiety and depression is taken into account in the latest classifications: a special subgroup has been identified within anxiety states - mixed anxiety-depressive disorder.

The feeling of dizziness most often occurs in patients with generalized anxiety disorder. In this case, the patient suffers from constant unjustified or exaggerated fears for his family, health, work or material well-being. At the same time, an anxiety disorder is formed regardless of any specific life event and, thus, is not reactive. In such a patient, at least 6 of the general anxiety symptoms listed above (the “rule of six”) can be observed every or almost every day for more than 6 months.

A patient with generalized anxiety, turning to a neurologist, rarely reports mental symptoms, but, as a rule, presents a lot of somatic (vegetative) complaints, where dizziness can be the leading symptom or actively presents the only complaint of dizziness. This happens because the patient is most alarmed by the feeling of dizziness, thoughts of a stroke or other serious brain disease arise, mental disorders (fear, difficulty concentrating, irritability, wariness, etc.) are regarded as a reaction to a serious, currently time undetected disease. In other cases, mental disorders are mild, and the clinical picture is actually dominated by dizziness. The latter option is especially common in cases where anxiety disorders occur in patients with congenital vestibulopathy. Such people have an imperfect vestibular apparatus since childhood. This manifests itself in the fact that they do not tolerate transport well (they get motion sickness), heights, swings and carousels. In an adult, these symptoms are less relevant; over the years, the vestibular apparatus is trained and vestibular disorders are compensated, however, when anxiety occurs, various sensations may arise (instability, fog in the head, etc.), which are interpreted by them as dizziness.

One of the most important features of psychogenic dizziness is its combination with disorders in other systems, since the somatic manifestations of anxiety are always multisystem (Fig. 1). The doctor’s ability to see, in addition to complaints of dizziness, the disorders that naturally accompany it in other systems, allows us to understand its clinical essence and determine its psychosomatic (vegetative) nature. For example, dizziness in generalized anxiety disorder is often associated with increased breathing (hyperventilation syndrome), in which, due to excessive blood oxygen saturation and hypocapnia, presyncope, paresthesia, muscle spasms or cramps, cardialgia associated with increased tone of the pectoral muscles as a result may develop. increased neuromuscular excitability, tachycardia, etc. To identify polysystemicity, it is necessary to actively ask the patient about the presence of other complaints and disorders, in addition to dizziness.

Psychogenic dizziness can also be one of the main symptoms of panic disorder. It is characterized by the recurrence of panic attacks and anxiety in anticipation of the next attack. The diagnosis of a panic attack is characterized by the presence of emotional disorders, the severity of which can range from a feeling of discomfort to panic and other mental or somatic symptoms - at least 4 out of 13, among which one of the most common is dizziness. Dizziness in the picture of a panic attack can occur spontaneously, without any apparent reason (according to patients, “out of the blue”). However, in more than half of the cases, it is possible to find out that dizziness arose after emotional stress or fear experienced by the patient, especially for the very first and, as a rule, the most severe attack.

A special type of phobia is phobic postural vertigo. It is described by patients as instability in the form of attacks (seconds or minutes) or a feeling of an illusory violation of the stability of the body lasting a fraction of a second and can occur spontaneously, but is more often associated with special perceptual stimuli (overcoming a bridge, stairs, empty space).

The most demonstrative is psychogenic dizziness in patients suffering from agoraphobia. At home, surrounded by relatives or a medical facility, the patient may not experience dizziness or it may be mild (serve himself, do housework without difficulty). A neurological examination does not reveal any walking or balance disorders in such a patient when special tests are carried out. When moving away from home, especially in transport, in the subway, dizziness, gait disturbance, instability, suffocation, heart pain, tachycardia, nausea, etc. occur.

Patients with vestibular disorders have higher levels of anxiety than healthy people. Thus, a study of 800 patients with Meniere's disease revealed distinct symptoms of post-traumatic disorder, comparable in severity to disorders that occur after myocardial infarction or cardiac surgery. These symptoms arose as a reaction to the stress they experienced as a result of an attack of systemic dizziness (vertigo). Along with the repeated emotional experience of an attack of vertigo after a certain period of time, patients developed sleep disturbances, explosiveness, emotional instability, anxiety, depression, as well as numerous somatic complaints. Dizziness began to have a different, non-systemic character in the form of instability, darkening of the eyes, a feeling of lightheadedness, etc. Physiological arousal that occurs in response to vertigo has bilateral connections with the vestibular and autonomic nervous system and can cause imaginary vestibular-vegetative symptoms or intensify true ones. In the future, such patients may experience chronic anxiety due to the presence of anxious attitudes. Patients who have suffered an attack of benign paroxysmal vertigo or Meniere's disease believe that their vertigo is a sign of a serious illness that can cause severe irreparable harm to health and cause difficulties in the social sphere. Such attitudes lead to the avoidance of activities that, in their opinion, can provoke dizziness: physical activity, work, as well as situations in which it is difficult to cope with dizziness (transport, especially the metro, store, train station, etc.). As a result, anxiety that arises as a reaction to dizziness causes more severe disability than vertigo symptoms alone.

In all of these cases, dizziness is a symptom, a manifestation of one or another type of anxiety disorder.

Thus, the following clinical features of psychogenic dizziness can be distinguished:

• is non-systemic in nature and is described as “brain fog,” a feeling of mild intoxication, or fear of falling. Fluctuating instability in the form of attacks (seconds or minutes) or a sensation of an illusory violation of the body’s stability lasting a fraction of a second are possible;
• appears spontaneously, but is often associated with special perceptual stimuli (bridge, stairs, empty space) or situations that are perceived by the patient as provoking factors (subway, department store, meeting, etc.);
• dizziness and complaints occur while standing and while walking, despite normal performance of stability tests such as the Romberg test, tandem walking, standing on one leg, etc.;
• the cardinal clinical sign is a combination with disorders in other systems (polysystemic), which indicates the secondary psychosomatic (vegetative) nature of psychogenic dizziness;
• the onset of the disease follows a period of experienced fear or emotional stress, often occurring in persons with vestibulopathy (congenital inferiority of the vestibular apparatus);
• anxiety and anxiety-depressive disorders accompany dizziness, although dizziness can occur without anxiety;
• There are no objective clinical and paraclinical signs of organic pathology.

Treatment of psychogenic dizziness

When treating psychogenic dizziness, complex therapy is used, combining both non-drug and medicinal treatment methods.

Non-drug treatments include the following: Firstly, vestibular gymnastics, aimed at training and reducing the excitability of the vestibular apparatus. Secondly, breathing exercises (switching to the abdominal type of breathing, in which exhalation is twice as long as inhalation). Such breathing exercises reduce hyperventilation disorders comorbid with psychogenic dizziness. To relieve severe hyperventilation disorders during a hyperventilation crisis, breathing into a paper or plastic bag can be recommended. And thirdly, psychotherapy.

Medicinal methods

Psychotropic therapy has priority in the treatment of psychogenic dizziness.

The first-line drugs for the treatment of anxiety disorders are antidepressants - SSRIs, Paxil and Fevarin have an anxiolytic effect; less commonly used due to the presence of a large number of side effects and poorer tolerability of TCAs (amitriptyline). Traditional anxiolytics are benzodiazepines (phenazepam, diazepam, alprazolam, clonazepam, etc.). In some cases, a positive effect in the treatment of anxiety disorders is achieved with the use of “small” neuroleptics (sulpiride, tiapride, thioridazine), usually using small doses.

The drug Atarax (hydroxyzine) has demonstrated pronounced effectiveness against psychogenic dizziness developing as part of generalized anxiety disorder. Atarax is a blocker of H1-histamine receptors, has a pronounced anti-anxiety, antihistamine, antipruritic and antiemetic effect. In a study conducted at our department, prof. A.D. Solovyova showed that in patients with vegetative dystonia syndrome, which is the main neurological manifestation of generalized anxiety disorder, complaints of dizziness and lipothymic (presyncope) states decreased by almost 80%.

As an additional therapy, the drug Betaserc is used, which reduces the excitability of the vestibular apparatus and is effective for all types of dizziness, including psychogenic.

The effectiveness of Betaserc was tested in patients with psychogenic dizziness using a special computer program developed by employees of the Institute of Medical and Biological Problems L.N. Kornilova et al. A joint study with our department showed that the drug objectively improves vestibular reactivity and the state of the oculomotor system (Fig. 2). A follow-up study revealed that the effectiveness of Betaserc was relatively short-term, so it should be used for a long time for this type of dizziness as a means of additional therapy, especially in cases where dizziness develops in people with congenital vestibulopathy and acts as a leading somatic symptom.

Thus, the relationship between the psyche and anxiety is complex: anxiety can cause dizziness and dizziness itself (vertigo) can cause anxiety, which intensifies true symptoms and causes imaginary ones. Understanding the complexity of the relationship between mental disorders and dizziness will improve the rehabilitation of patients.

Literature

1. Parfenov V.A., Zamergrad M.V., Melnikov O.A. Dizziness: diagnosis and treatment, common diagnostic errors. M., 2009.
2. Parfenov V.A. Diagnosis and treatment for dizziness. Treatment sick nervous syst. 2009; 1:3-8.
3. Oosterveld W.J. Current diagnostic techniques in vestibular disorders. Acta Otolaringol (Stockh) 1991; 479 (suppl.): 29-34.
4. Melnikov O.A. Some aspects of diagnosis and treatment of dizziness. Treatment doctor. 2000; 9:1-4.
5. Morozova S.V. Dizziness in the practice of an internist. Cardiovasc. ter. and prof. 2003; 1: 105-10.
6. Neurology for general practitioners. Ed. A.M.Veina. M., 2001; 27: 456-70.
7. Filatova E.G. Anxiety in neurological practice. Treatment nervous bol. 2005; 1:7-14.
8. Golubev V.L., Vein A.M. Neurological syndromes. M., 2002; With. 695-704.
9. Solovyova A.D., Akarachkova E.S. Betaserc in the treatment of dizziness. Treatment nervous bol. 2004; 1: 17-21.

Dizziness is one of the most common symptoms in various neurological and mental diseases. Dizziness due to neurosis can manifest itself differently in each person. This symptom cannot be left without attention and treatment, since first of all it signals possible malfunctions in the functioning of the central nervous system.

Symptoms of dizziness with VSD

The most common symptoms of dizziness in vegetative-vascular dystonia and neurosis are:

• feeling of confusion;
• a feeling of unreality of what is happening, which is accompanied by “fog” in the head;
• loss of clarity of vision and blurriness of surrounding objects.

Additional symptoms that often accompany dizziness with VSD are:

• increased blood pressure;
• an inexplicable feeling of fear and anxiety;
• cardiopalmus;
• chest pain;
• trembling in hands;
• shortness of breath (feeling of lack of air);

As a rule, dizziness occurs in attacks. Sometimes it can be associated with certain situations and occur at home, at work, in public places, etc. Sudden onset dizziness often causes severe discomfort. At the same time, the person will feel constant tension, fearfully anticipating new attacks.

It often happens that after the first attack, a person is so afraid of the second that he himself provokes it. At the same time, he worries and stresses himself out all the time. In this case, it is recommended to remain calm and, instead of expecting dizziness, try to distract yourself from negative thoughts.

As for the drug treatment of dizziness with vegetative-vascular dystonia, you need to be very careful here, since sometimes taking psychotropic drugs can cause even more problems than be beneficial.

Important! Taking strong ones can provoke a whole range of side effects in a person, among which are orthostatic hypotension, accompanied by dizziness and confusion.

For this reason, treatment with medications should only be used in extreme cases. Today, the most effective methods for getting rid of psychogenic dizziness are:

• hypnotherapy;
• short-term psychotherapy;
• visiting a psychologist;
• aromatherapy.

Causes of dizziness in neurosis

According to researchers who study the psychosomatics of dizziness, this phenomenon is more common in people prone to panic attacks (attacks of severe anxiety). Most often, psychogenic dizziness occurs due to nervousness. Moreover, there are a lot of factors that can provoke it. For example, it could be chronic fatigue, constant worry about your health or the condition of loved ones, and even inadequate sleep.

The very nature of dizziness serves a protective function for the human body. The symptom reduces visual acuity, so psychologically a person protects himself from stress and an unfavorable environment.

Despite the seeming harmlessness of this reaction of the body for human health, dizziness is very dangerous, since a sudden attack can cause a person to lose consciousness. In addition, constant stress will put a strong strain not only on the nervous system, but also on the brain, thereby provoking the occurrence of angina, arrhythmia and other diseases.

Dizziness after stress often occurs suddenly. As a rule, this is caused by severe nervous tension or fear. Often the symptom is accompanied by severe weakness and darkening of the eyes. This is primarily due to a sudden drop in blood pressure. In this case, the nervous system simply cannot cope with the load placed on it, so for a split second it ceases to function normally.

Another cause of dizziness is prolonged depression. In this state, the entire human body undergoes severe stress, even if it does not show it outwardly.

In addition to dizziness, with depression a person may develop diseases such as stomach ulcers, pancreatitis, etc. Depression can also aggravate chronic diseases and lead to constant pain in muscles and joints.

The last reason that can provoke dizziness during VSD is hyperventilation syndrome (increased breathing). It is accompanied by anxiety, in which a person begins to unconsciously and intensely inhale air. Because of this, his blood is oversaturated with oxygen, which leads to hypocapnia (lack of carbon dioxide in the body). In this condition, dizziness, fainting, or even loss of consciousness may develop.

Conclusion

In order to completely cure dizziness, it is necessary, first of all, to eliminate the psychological causes of its occurrence, be it stress, anxiety, depression or severe nervous tension.

Active physical activity (sports, swimming) and a new hobby will help you cope with these mental states. In addition, nutrition also plays an important role. To maintain a normal nervous system, it is recommended to consume more fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains.

VSD refers to a pathology that occurs in a large number of patients more often than usual. The main symptoms of this disease include dizziness. It occurs as a result of diseases of the human nervous, cardiovascular, and vestibular systems.

Somatic diseases lead to a significant decrease in the level of oxygen entering the body. Dizziness with VSD can appear unexpectedly, regardless of where the person is. In some patients, this type of ailment does not have pronounced symptoms, while in others, on the contrary, it can have numerous manifestations.

Frequent attacks significantly worsen the general condition. You should not treat the disease with disdain, because this is a rather dangerous symptom, indicating the presence of a disease of the nervous system, heart, and blood vessels.

Types of dizziness

To establish a correct diagnosis, you need to consult a specialist. He will be able to determine the type of disease present in the patient and prescribe which pills to take.

In medical practice, there are two types of ailments associated with VSD.

1. Present (systemic, true). This type is present in people with problems of the cardiovascular system, with malfunctions of the vestibular apparatus, after severe head injuries, as well as with a variety of brain tumors.
2. False. It is one of the characteristic symptoms of vegetative-vascular dystonia. It occurs as a result of insufficient blood flow with useful substances to the vessels of the brain, with insufficient blood supply after suffering stress.

Causes of dizziness with VSD

A common cause of this disease in VSD is insufficient blood supply to the vessels of the brain. But besides this, there are a number of factors that provoke dizziness in neurocirculatory dystonia.

• Genetic predisposition.
• Psychological, emotional stress. In these cases, dizziness after stress is very common.
• Malfunctions of the hormonal system.
• Various somatic diseases.

Many patients suffering from VSD experience frequent attacks of panic attacks, which are caused by stressful situations and unreasonable fears. Dizziness during panic attacks accompanies the patient during the entire attack.

Diagnosis and treatment

To establish the correct diagnosis, people suffering from dizziness due to VSD need to undergo a full examination by a specialist who will prescribe a comprehensive diagnosis to identify diseases, neurotic disorders, and depression.

Treatment of attacks during VSD can be either medication or alternative medicine.

Frequent fainting with vegetative-vascular dystonia can occur after stressful situations. Also, with psychogenic (false) dizziness during VSD, the patient feels that his legs are weak, the ground is moving away from under his feet, weakness, and rapid heartbeat.

The attack occurs spontaneously, the duration may vary. During an attack, you need to lie down, measure your blood pressure, take the necessary medications if necessary (sedatives, drugs to lower blood pressure, etc.), and perform other procedures.

How to get rid of dizziness with VSD?

For people susceptible to systematic dizziness due to VSD, spontaneously occurring attacks interfere with movement, cause discomfort, cause psychological trauma, and during this period they are poorly oriented in space.

In such situations, a person begins to look for the causes of attacks. The main task remains how to get rid of dizziness during VSD.

First of all, you need to completely eliminate thoughts about the attack itself and dizziness, avoid stress and psycho-emotional stress. If you have a persistent feeling that an attack is approaching, you must:

• Take a comfortable position, sitting or lying down (the attack may then disappear after a few minutes).
• Ventilate the room.
• Massage your forehead, temple area, earlobes.
• Try to look at one point.
• Take a sedative.
• Stabilize blood pressure (take blood pressure-lowering medications).
• Take a warm shower.

Preventive measures

Prevention of dizziness during VSD consists of measures such as:

• Healthy lifestyle, quitting smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages.
• Performing a set of exercises that help develop stress resistance.
• Health monitoring.
• Timely contact a doctor at the slightest malfunction of the body.

What to do to avoid fainting during an attack? One of the effective ways to prevent these conditions is to avoid stressful situations and visit crowded, noisy places. To prevent the patient from becoming dizzy when walking on the street, it is necessary to reduce the number of vegetative attacks or alleviate them.

For this you need:

• Give up bad habits, get enough sleep.
• Balanced diet.
• Classes in the pool, climatotherapy, aromatherapy.
• Boosting immunity.
• Treatment of diseases, hormonal imbalances.

Conclusion

One of the unpleasant symptoms that manifests itself regardless of a person’s location, time, or area of ​​activity is dizziness due to vegetative-vascular dystonia. It is very important for people suffering from this disease to know about the causes of the attack, diagnostic methods, methods and methods of treating this disease, as well as how to avoid its occurrence.

Stressful situations and concomitant diseases directly affect dizziness with VSD. Therefore, giving up alcohol and smoking, staying in the fresh air, and eating well and properly will help get rid of unpleasant symptoms.

Treatment of this disease with VSD should occur under the careful supervision of a specialist who, when making a diagnosis, prescribes drug therapy in combination with alternative medicine methods.