Cerebral vasospasm
The human brain is the main regulator of all processes in his body. This "commander-in-chief" needs adequate food to carry out his duties normally. It is carried out through numerous vessels that deliver oxygen with the blood flow to the brain. The movement occurs due to the regular contraction and relaxation of the walls of the arteries and veins. A number of reasons can provoke a spasm of the vessels of the brain, in which their tone increases. Prolonged absence of the relaxation phase impedes blood flow, resulting in severe pain syndrome.
Spasm of cerebral vessels, causes
The appearance of any malaise is always due to some factors. The disease cannot develop from scratch. For such a pathological condition as cerebral vasospasm, there are more than enough reasons. All of them can be divided into two main groups: medical and so-called household.
The first includes various diseases that contribute to the violation of the tone of the vascular walls:
- Atherosclerosis. The progressive narrowing of the lumen of blood vessels is due to the deposition of cholesterol plaques on their walls;
- Osteochondrosis of the upper vertebral region. As a result of degenerative changes in the processes of the vertebrae, there is a narrowing of the holes through which the arteries go to the brain;
- Vegeto-vascular dystonia. Dysfunction of the nervous system can contribute to both a prolonged spastic state of cerebral vessels and their prolonged expansion, causing impaired blood flow;
- Endocrine Disorders. Problems with the thyroid gland or complications of diabetes mellitus often provoke disruptions in the blood supply to tissues.
With spasm of cerebral vessels, the reasons can be physical or mental fatigue, lack of sleep, systematic stressful situations, as well as prolonged static, most often sedentary work. Smoking, alcohol, and unhealthy diet play a very important role in the violation of vascular tone.
Weather conditions have a significant effect on the contraction of the walls of arteries and veins. Fluctuations in atmospheric pressure cause a specific reaction in the cerebral vessels in many people. Some of them may feel in advance the approaching change in the weather with a gradually increasing headache.
Spasm of cerebral vessels, symptoms
The main symptom of a violation of the tone of cerebral vessels is a recurrent headache. It can occur suddenly, in case of a sharp onset of spasm. If the tone does not change so quickly, the intensity of the pain increases gradually. This allows you to take the necessary measures to prevent the deterioration of the body's condition. With a spasm of cerebral vessels, the symptoms depend on the speed of its onset and duration.
A gradual deterioration in blood flow, in addition to increased pain, is accompanied by a number of specific signs. This is the approaching nausea, feeling short of breath, palpitations, pale face. If the spasm begins at night, sleep becomes restless, intermittent. As a result, after waking up, a feeling of "weakness" arises, which leads to irritability or, on the contrary, to apathy.
With a sharp spasm of the cerebral vessels, the symptoms are usually manifested by sudden pallor, sweating, numbness of the lips, and cold extremities. The headache is of significant intensity, has a different character, most often - squeezing or pressing. Often, this condition is accompanied by dizziness and vomiting, after which some improvement in well-being may occur.
Cerebrovascular spasm, treatment
Periodic spasm of cerebral vessels significantly impairs the quality of life. In addition, it is dangerous for the development of complications, the most formidable of which is ischemic stroke. Prolonged disruption of blood supply causes various consequences, depending on the affected area.
When a spasm of the cerebral vessels occurs, treatment should be directed, first of all, to normalize blood flow. This is achieved by the use of vasodilators and antispasmodics. They help to reduce vascular tone, improve tissue nutrition, relieve pain. After carrying out such measures to relieve spasm of cerebral vessels with essential drugs, it is extremely important to find out the cause of its occurrence. To do this, it is necessary to undergo an examination that will allow you to find "weak points" in the body.
Further treatment involves a parallel effect on the vessels and the source of problems with them. There may be several reasons for the spasm. These are cervical osteochondrosis, diabetes mellitus, and thyroid problems. Therapeutic measures aimed at the underlying disease reduce the risk of cerebral ischemia. To prevent spasm of blood vessels in the brain, drugs prescribed by a doctor can improve blood supply to tissues, preventing the development of stroke.
You can relieve a spastic headache through acupressure. To do this, pressure should be carried out on the points located in the temporal fossa, on the bridge of the nose, in the middle of the eyebrows and on their inner corners.
Like any disease, vascular spasm is easier to prevent than to deal with its consequences. The best preventive measure is an active healthy lifestyle. It provides for a balanced diet, reasonable physical activity, normalization of sleep and wakefulness. Plants such as viburnum, chokeberry, hawthorn and many others are very useful as agents that prevent spasm of cerebral vessels. Decoctions and infusions made from them strengthen the walls of arteries and veins, and also help remove cholesterol plaques.
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