Treatment of insomnia
Treatment of headaches and migraines
Treatment of gynecological diseases

After hard work, to restore physical strength, a person needs good rest and sufficient quantity sleep. Insomnia is one of the most common diseases of mankind. With a mild degree of the disease, it is difficult to fall asleep or you wake up frequently. In severe cases, you don’t fall asleep until midnight or later.
People who are overweight often sleep poorly due to periods of apnea (stopping breathing) during sleep. As a result of a prolonged lack of breathing, partial awakening occurs, people snore, mumble and, having restored their breathing, try to fall asleep again.
They never fully wake up, but they do not get a good night's rest, and they get up in the morning feeling tired and needing to sleep during the day.

There are a lot of factors that cause insomnia, especially with an accelerated rhythm modern life, heavy pressure from work and study, constant stress. Insomnia often causes dizziness, headaches, physical fatigue, memory loss, absent-mindedness, and irritability. And subsequently, this leads to deterioration in work and study results, reduces the body’s defenses and even causes mental illness.
Therefore, it is necessary to eliminate the causes of insomnia in a timely manner and overcome its negative impact on the body. This is the only way to guarantee a person’s health.

Elixir "Antey"
(Strengthens the nervous system, Eliminates insomnia;
Regulates hemodynamics. Cleanses and nourishes the liver)

Release form: 1 package - 10 bottles of 10 ml.

Compound: Cassia tora, koike lacrima-iobi, poria coconut, Ural licorice, awnless unabi, etc.

Main components: Saponins (100 ml of product contains 20-30 mg of saponins), polysaccharides; glycosides and anthraglycosides; flavonoids; phytosterols; organic acids; saturated and unsaturated fatty acids; fats, protein; essential oil; mineral salts; macro- and microelements (potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, magnesium, copper, zinc, cobalt, molybdenum, chromium, aluminum, phosphorus, barium, selenium, nickel, strontium, lead, iodine, boron); vitamin C, E; bitterness, gums, resins, pectin substances.

Pharmacological properties: Biologically active substances the drug affects the central nervous system (CNS), compensating for its functional disorders, improving brain activity and relieving the harmful effects of nervous and physical stress; have a general strengthening, sedative effect; regulate hemodynamics (including normalizing cerebral circulation); promote hematopoiesis (improve blood composition, cleanse and nourish the kidneys, spleen and liver); normalize heart function (dilate coronary vessels, which improves blood supply to the myocardium; relieve arrhythmia); stimulate the immune system.

Indications for use: Functional disorders nervous system (neurosis, neurasthenia, sleep disturbance, insomnia, anxiety, etc.); impaired blood supply to the brain and related conditions (dizziness, migraine, headaches, stroke, etc.); asthenic conditions associated with great mental and physical stress, stress (chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, irritability, memory impairment, absent-mindedness and others); functional heart disorders (arrhythmias, coronary disease, heart failure).

Effect on meridians: Heart, liver, kidneys, spleen, lungs.

Peculiarities: Does not contain hormones or artificial colors. No side effects were identified. Can be used for a long time.
Directions for use:
Recommended course: 1 month - 30 bottles.
It is advisable to use in the morning and evening, half an hour before or after meals.
Contraindications: Not identified.

www.zdoroviev.narod.ru

What diseases do these symptoms indicate?

In women, such symptoms are observed during pregnancy. Nausea, dizziness, weakness indicate that conception has occurred and become the first symptoms by which a woman learns that a new life is developing inside her.

These signs can develop during general intoxication of the body, when some substance that affects the body has entered the gastrointestinal tract.

Viral infections often have such symptoms in the first 3 days of illness. High temperature, nausea, weakness, dizziness indicate that the body is having difficulty coping with the virus that has entered inside, and intoxication with waste products of the aggressive virus begins. This happens with rhinovirus and intestinal flu, meningococcal infection and cerebral encephalopathy. This condition cannot be treated at home. Patients are threatened by sudden onset of cerebral edema, which leads to the death of the patient.

Nausea, chills, weakness, dizziness can be a symptom of the onset of an acute inflammatory process in the middle ear. Damage to the vestibular apparatus creates the illusion of objects moving around and the body rotating in space. Cold sweat and vomiting are added to this unpleasant sensation.

Chronic dizziness, accompanied by ringing in the ears, in which the audibility of sounds on one side disappears, may be a sign of a developing brain tumor. If nausea and weakness are added to these symptoms, this may mean that the tumor is large enough that it is compressing the center responsible for the gag reflex.

The causes of dizziness, nausea, and sudden signs of general weakness in women may be associated with migraine attacks. Its onset is often accompanied by tinnitus, photophobia and the appearance severe irritation from any sounds.

People with a weak vestibular system may experience a sudden attack of seasickness in transport. It is always accompanied by weakness in the body, dizziness and nausea. Temporary relief occurs only after vomiting.

Rotation of objects around the eyes and the illusion of moving the body in space are sometimes observed after alcohol abuse. Alcohol poisoning is always accompanied by dizziness, tinnitus, nausea, and weakness. Symptoms disappear after the body is completely cleansed of intoxication.

If a person experiences these unpleasant signs without obvious reasons, they should be examined by contacting an endocrinologist, neurologist or oncologist. These symptoms are often present in the conditions these doctors treat.

Neurological diseases and problems with the cardiovascular system

With lesions of the central nervous system, such symptoms are often observed in patients seeking medical help with severe intoxication of the body or with traumatic brain injury. A person should seek medical help if the following symptoms occur:

• took some medicine orally in large quantities;
• worked with household poisons or chemicals;
• consumed any type of alcoholic beverages;
• fell and hit his head;
• received a strong blow to the back of the head or crown of the head;
• I accidentally drank a liquid of unknown composition.

An acute condition accompanied by dizziness, nausea, weakness and fear of death can occur with a heart attack or stroke. This is common symptom serious disruption of the circulatory system, and life-threatening.

Lack of oxygen due to insufficient blood supply often manifests itself as general weakness, nausea, dizziness and drowsiness. Changes blood pressure with a sudden change in activity and increased loads, they can cause similar symptoms in older people.

In winter, during a period of sharp temperature changes, when a person who has been in a warm room for a long time goes out into the cold and begins to move quickly, he may develop general weakness. This pathological condition develops after 10-25 minutes of active walking and is accompanied by dizziness and cold sweat. The appearance of this condition indicates that the walls of the vessels are weak and cannot withstand such loads. To strengthen blood vessels, the doctor prescribes special dietary supplements.

Severe neurosis or prolonged depression is accompanied by a feeling of a veil in the head, fear of falling and general weakness, with increased sweating. Dizziness, along with other symptoms, can occur for a long time in depressive states and requires proper treatment.

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine in women and men can also cause similar symptoms. Pinched nerve fibers lead to weakened signals from the central nervous system, and this can cause any symptoms.

Hormonal disorders

Disturbances in the functioning of the internal secretion organs often cause weakness, nausea, dizziness and drowsiness. In people suffering from such symptoms, examination may reveal diseases such as:

• diabetes;
• hypothyroidism;
• anemia;
• glaucoma.

If nausea, dizziness, weakness are constantly observed, the causes may be disorders of the pituitary gland, thyroid gland and hypothalamus. It is possible to find out why the body’s condition has sharply worsened only in the office of an endocrinologist. He will order a full examination and diagnose accurate diagnosis.

It will not be possible to cure hormonal disorders that lead to such symptoms on your own. Special treatment is needed, adjusted by a doctor who will periodically prescribe tests and monitor hormonal levels.

Hormonal imbalances in women cause not only headaches due to sharp jumps blood pressure, but also cause severe dizziness, which can cause loss of consciousness. A sharp loss of strength, general weakness and depression should be considered as obvious signs hormonal disorder associated with the development of diseases of the endocrine system.

This condition is especially common in women experiencing age-related hormonal changes that begin after 30 years.

Early menopause syndrome can be observed in women aged 30 to 40 years. They complain of insomnia, problems with blood pressure, increased nervousness, and headaches.

Climax in early stage can be stopped with the help of restoratives and proper nutrition. But this can only be done after the doctor makes the correct diagnosis.

Diseases of the genitourinary system

Symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, and weakness are often observed in diseases of the digestive and urinary system. Poorly functioning kidneys lead to general intoxication, and this, in turn, causes a pathological state of the body. If signs of poisoning appear in the absence of urination or small amounts of urine, you should urgently call an ambulance and go to hospital for treatment. Therapeutic measures may take several weeks.

If only mild dizziness and nausea are present, this may indicate that the person has not eaten for a long time. This condition often occurs in women who decide to lose weight and sharply limit themselves not only in food, but also in water. This is very harmful to health, and the first signs of intoxication in the body begin with these symptoms. If a woman continues to refuse to drink, she will put a lot of strain on the urinary system, and this will lead to an inflammatory process in the kidneys.

With a lack of water, the brain is able to completely shut down the secretion of water from the cells, and the kidneys will stop working. Complex biochemical processes It is difficult to start outside a medical institution, and therefore you should always listen to your inner feelings and not bring the body to a serious illness in the pursuit of harmony.

Possible cause: inflammation of the pancreas

Digestive diseases

Exacerbation of chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract can also lead to headaches, nausea, dizziness and general weakness.

Often this is how inflammation of the pancreas begins, preceded by pain in the right side. Colic in the gallbladder and hepatitis, caused not only by a virus, and regular use of pills can cause poor health. The cause of deterioration in general condition may be:

• long-term treatment;
• mixing alcohol with medication;
• low-quality alcohol;
• sweet alcoholic drinks such as liqueur;
• indigestion;
• incompatibility of products.

If a deterioration in your general health appears during treatment with antifungal drugs or other medications, you should inform your doctor about this. In case of pathological conditions, call an ambulance and be sure to report everything medicines ah, which the sick person had taken before.

Indigestion can occur in a healthy person who decides to try everything on the table during a holiday feast. This can lead to symptoms of acute poisoning, even though all the food was fresh. Often, intoxication of the body begins with individual intolerance to a certain product. This can seriously compromise human health and therefore requires urgent health care.

If the symptoms are quite pronounced and the discomfort intensifies, you should not self-medicate. You need to understand that such symptoms indicate a significant deterioration in the condition of parts of the brain and other vital systems of the body, which can lead to the death of a person who frivolously refuses hospitalization.

antirodinka.ru

Reasons for headaches

This symptom, known to absolutely everyone, can have various roots. The most common ones include:

• high blood pressure;
• migraine;
• consequences of diseases;
• the effect of certain medications;
• overwork, stress.

Very often, headaches depend on the quantity or quality of sleep. For example, morning headaches are associated with insufficient sleep. On the contrary, in the case of migraine, sleep becomes a savior, easing the next attack.

Pain due to hypertension

People with high blood pressure often experience insomnia and headaches. With hypertensive diseases, they typically appear during awakening or in the evening if there has been stress.

The resulting insomnia has several types:

• difficulty falling asleep;
• awakenings occur frequently at night;
• awakening comes early.

Diseases that are accompanied by improper sleep patterns confidently lead to pain in the head. The combination of muscle strain with emotional stress occurs against the background of futile attempts to fall asleep.

Migraine

With migraines, headaches are dependent on sleep, and this dependence is twofold. The main trigger for this is lack of sleep. It leads to a migraine attack (sometimes it can be caused by oversleeping). But the end of this attack is characterized by the beginning of falling asleep.

In addition to improper sleep patterns, migraines can be caused by fatigue - excessive physical or mental stress. Changing time zones or poor diet also contribute to the development of migraines and subsequent sleep disorders.

Interesting fact: men are much less susceptible to this disease than representatives of the fair sex. The ratio is 2:5. Predisposition to migraine can be hereditary, and most often it is transmitted through the female line.

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

With this disease, there is periodic cessation of breathing in a sleeping person. After stopping, there is a sharp awakening. Plus, such patients often have headaches.

Respiratory arrests are caused by insufficient muscle tone in the respiratory tract. During sleep, sometimes they narrow, which reduces the amount of oxygen - hypoxia. When the muscles collapse, breathing stops.

The outcome of headache is a consequence of hypoxia and nocturnal hypertension. Sometimes such symptoms hint at the approach or onset of a stroke.

Disorders in healthy people

Insomnia combined with headaches does not always occur as a result of any disease. Healthy people are also susceptible to it if there are the following reasons:

• changing sleep patterns;
• overwork;
• stress;
• depression;
• constant worries.

To solve this problem, it is necessary to eliminate its causes. The most effective help is sufficient night rest, which is ideally 8–10 hours. A restful, deep sleep will most likely relieve headaches.

Interaction of two diseases

The connection between these diseases is twofold. Sleep can trigger headaches, but it can also relieve them. People suffering from headaches have poor quality sleep in 30–60% of cases. This is statistical data. But according to other observations, this figure can reach 90%.

This suggests that headaches must be treated in conjunction with medications that regulate sleep quality. If you can eliminate the causes that provoke sleep disorders, you will most likely be able to overcome discomfort in my head.

Treatment of insomnia

In addition to drug treatment, which should be resorted to only as a last resort, simple actions will really help:

Popular wisdom suggests additional funds to combat insomnia. Recipes for various infusions and decoctions are easy to find, and application can provide effective help.

These simple rules can be of real help in achieving good sleep and saying goodbye to headaches. And they will be the guarantee that you will not only wake up, but will also be rested and fresh.

bolitgolova.net

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Dizziness at night when turning the head or in other conditions is a symptom of many diseases that can develop in a child or an adult. These diseases, as a rule, are chronic and constantly progress, leading to increased attacks of dizziness at night and reducing a person’s quality of life. In such situations, the patient should always seek qualified help from a doctor who will carry out all the necessary clinical researches, and will also select effective treatment.

Some people complain of dizziness while resting at night

Clinical manifestations

Generally speaking, dizziness is a normal reaction of the body to a number of different stimuli of the vestibular apparatus. For example, they accompany rides on carousels, swings, etc. This situation is due to differences between the resulting visual image and data on body position. This imbalance occurs in many men and women.

But dizziness at night, when the body is motionless and in a horizontal position, no pathological sensations should arise. However, some people have a predominant complaint of dizziness at night, including when turning their head. In addition, patients complain of nausea and vomiting. If the patient turns over in bed, then all the symptoms become stronger.

Revealing specific reason The appearance of symptoms is possible only in a medical institution when visiting a doctor.

In such situations, you should not hope that the symptoms will disappear in the morning and the illness will go away on its own. You should always seek medical attention from medical institution to identify the main cause of night dizziness.

Occurrence of attacks

Doctors tend to consider several causes of dizziness during sleep.

When a person experiences dizziness at night, the reasons for this condition can be different. Why might night dizziness occur? Doctors identify the following conditions.

• Diseases affecting the inner ear, primarily various labyrinthitis. Such diseases are always accompanied by dizziness when turning the head, including at night, as well as other symptoms: tinnitus, decreased hearing acuity, etc. If left untreated, otitis media can lead to complete deafness.
• Atherosclerosis in the cerebral arteries disrupts the blood supply to the brain, including its vestibular part. The patient notes dizziness during and after sleep, as well as a decrease in memory, attention and other mental functions.
• Unstable blood pressure, accompanied by its increase or decrease, very often becomes the cause of the periodic appearance of this symptom.
• Osteochondrosis accompanied by compression blood vessels and nerve roots, can also cause severe attacks of dizziness at night.

Dizziness may be one of the symptoms of osteochondrosis

In addition, other conditions can cause the feeling of rotating objects - diseases of the cardiovascular system, endocrine disorders, pregnancy, etc. In each clinical situation, the underlying disease can be identified only after a neurological examination of the patient using laboratory and instrumental methods.

Chronic lack of sleep, frequent stress and fatigue lead to gradual depletion of the central nervous system. This condition is manifested by dizziness, depression and apathy. For these diseases, it is necessary to consult a psychiatrist to identify possible causes of mental disorders.

Diagnosis of the disease

The appearance of dizziness during sleep requires contacting medical institution due to a large number of possible reasons. When attempting to make an independent diagnosis and prescribe treatment, the progression of the underlying disease and the development of its complications are possible.

Interpretation of the results obtained should only be carried out by a medical specialist. Patients should not try to independently evaluate the data of the examination methods performed.

Diagnosis algorithm:

• Collecting patient complaints with careful questioning about the characteristics of his work, lifestyle, and previous illnesses.
• External examination of the patient, neurological examination and mandatory consultation with an otolaryngologist to exclude damage to the middle ear.

At a consultation with an ENT doctor

• Blood and urine tests to assess general health and identify inflammatory processes.
• Additional methods, including radiological studies (radiography, computed tomography, ultrasound procedures, etc.).
• Consultations with related specialists, including a psychiatrist.

An integrated approach to diagnosis allows us to identify the underlying disease leading to dizziness and select based on this effective methods therapies, including medicinal and non-medicinal.

Treatment approaches

Effective treatment of diseases is possible only after a full clinical examination of the patient and consultation with a doctor. In this case, treatment should primarily be aimed at eliminating the underlying disease:

• disturbances in blood pressure, most often its increase, require the prescription of medications from the group of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, for example, Enap, Enalapril, etc.;

Antihypertensive drug

• for osteochondrosis, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Ketorolac, Nimesulide), muscle relaxants, and physiotherapy and massage;
• to eliminate the consequences of cerebral atherosclerosis, vascular-active medications (Actovegin, Cerebrolysin), nootropics (Piracetam, Nootropil) and antioxidants (Tocopherol, Dihydroquercetin) are used;
• the fight against dizziness and associated clinical manifestations requires the use of antihistamines (Pipolfen), sedatives, including herbal ones, and antiemetics (Metoclopromide).

Under no circumstances should you self-medicate. This is fraught with the development of side effects of therapy, as well as possible progression of the underlying pathology.

In addition, many patients use traditional medicine. However, such treatment approaches do not have proven effectiveness and safety, and therefore they should not be used as monotherapy, but should always be prescribed in combination with medications.

Dizziness during or after sleep is an unpleasant symptom that causes a decrease in quality of life and is accompanied by significant discomfort for the patient. There are many reasons for the development of such conditions, and only the attending physician, after conducting a clinical examination, can make an accurate diagnosis. In this regard, in no case should you delay contacting a medical institution. Early start therapy allows you to achieve full recovery and ensure the absence of relapses of various diseases.

Nausea and weakness, dizziness and drowsiness are widespread ailments that arise from overwork, lack of sleep and rest.

It is necessary to pay attention to your health if these symptoms recur regularly, as they can signal serious illnesses.

To understand which doctor to contact if, you need to find out possible reasons of your painful condition. At the same time, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the signs of certain diseases.

Endocrinological problems

Diseases of the endocrine system can cause dry skin, drowsiness, weakness, dizziness, and nausea. These diseases are incurable, but their symptoms can be successfully controlled with medications.

This disease is characterized by weakness, severe nausea, frequent urination, cracks and corns on the feet, constant feeling hunger, irritability, dry mouth, itchy skin and the smell of acetone emanating from the body. If such sensations appear, contact an endocrinologist.

Hypothyroidism

A malfunction of the thyroid gland is accompanied by swelling of the body, weight gain and memory impairment. Metabolism is disrupted. The disease is most common in women.

Hormonal shifts

Changes in hormone levels in women cause pressure surges and headaches. Weakness, dizziness, insomnia, drowsiness and nervousness are observed in women during menopause.

Brain lesions

Injury

Headache, dizziness, nausea and drowsiness after hitting your head will require hospitalization. The presence of these ailments indicates a concussion.

Tumor

Signs of a growing tumor in the brain: frequent dizziness with ringing in the ears, while the patient ceases to hear sounds on one side.

Nausea and a feeling of lethargy that accompany the described conditions may indicate a large size of the tumor, which presses on the area responsible for the gag reflex. With malignant and benign formations, throbbing pains in the head appear during sleep, which disappear after waking up. In the described conditions, an MRI is performed.

Intoxication

Exposure to poisons causes poisoning of the body, which can provoke neurointoxication. At the same time, there is a headache, a feeling of nausea, and vomiting.

Migraine

Acute painful pulsation in the temples, forehead and eyes accompanies migraine. It occurs after waking up. The attacks are accompanied by lethargy, fatigue, nausea and vomiting. At the beginning of the disease, tinnitus, sensitivity to light and sound appear. The causes of the disease have not been identified by medicine; the patient’s condition is alleviated with medications.

Iron deficiency

A feeling of lack of air, powerlessness, dizziness are classic manifestations of anemia. Sometimes the patient suffers from taste distortion and hair loss.

Lack of iron leads to disruption of hemoglobin synthesis, and the brain experiences oxygen starvation. If a blood test for hemoglobin confirms the diagnosis, treatment with drugs that saturate the body with iron and a diet will be required. Liver, red meat, fruits, especially pomegranates and apples are recommended.

Clinical manifestations of mental illnesses: partial or temporary memory loss, apathy, headaches may occur.

Severe drowsiness, decreased physical and mental activity may indicate depression. Additional symptoms include headaches and heart pain. Psychotherapists and neurologists will help to cope with this condition. By taking medications, patients consistently recover from depression.

Taking medications

The desire to sleep and dizziness are provoked by:

• painkillers;
• neuroleptics;
• hormonal agents;
• drugs with a sedative effect;
• medications for allergies and hypertension;
• agents to reduce uric acid levels.

If the patient suffers from side effects of the medication, the doctor can select an analogue or change the dosage.

Intoxication

The symptoms in question can occur with viral intoxication and alcohol poisoning. All consequences disappear after the release of toxins.

Toxicosis of pregnant women

Pregnancy is often accompanied by confusion, weakness, fainting, and nausea. The cause of this ailment has not yet been identified. There are only hypotheses. According to one of them, toxicosis is provoked by intoxication with waste products of the fetus, according to another - hormonal changes.

Diseases of the genitourinary system

Impaired kidney function leads to general intoxication. If the patient has urinary retention and the first signs of poisoning appear, you should call an ambulance.

Weight loss

Slight dizziness and nausea during fasting may indicate intoxication. With a sharp restriction of food and liquid, the functioning of the urinary system is disrupted, which provokes an inflammatory process in the kidneys.

Inflammation in the middle ear

Chills and a feeling of nausea, weakness signal the onset of inflammation. Then there is a feeling that everything is spinning and the body is rotating in space. This condition occurs due to damage to the vestibular apparatus.

Neurology and cardiovascular problems

Weakness and bouts of vomiting can cause some neurological ailments and dysfunction of the heart and blood vessels.

Arterial hypotension

During a decrease in blood pressure due to impaired blood supply, the brain is not sufficiently supplied with oxygen. This causes headaches and nausea. Hypotension is diagnosed by measuring blood pressure.

Vegetovascular dystonia

The disease is characterized by symptoms of dysfunction of the cardiovascular and central nervous systems. To stabilize the patient, psychotherapeutic methods, acupuncture, and lifestyle changes are prescribed.

Hypersomnia

This disease is called “sleep intoxication” because the patient constantly feels the desire to sleep. The patient sleeps 18-20 hours a day. The cause of hypersomnia is considered to be neurological disorders. The disease is permanent or periodic. It is treated with medications prescribed by a neurologist or psychiatrist.

Dizziness is one of the signs of breath-holding syndrome. After a delay of several seconds, the patient’s measured breathing resumes, but the brain, having received less oxygen, reacts with dizziness.

Vertigo

A change in the functioning of the inner ear, which causes loss of balance control and interferes with the functioning of the vestibular system, is the main cause of vertigo. The patient suffers from the feeling that everything around is moving and spinning, while he feels nauseous.

But the sensations appear only in a standing position; there are no deviations while lying down. The therapist prescribes medications that relieve attacks.

Situations that require medical advice

A person requires medical attention if nausea, weakness, dizziness and drowsiness occur after:

• working with chemicals and poisons;
• taking medications in large dosages;
• blow to the crown or back of the head;
• accidental use of an unknown substance.

You should not delay visiting a doctor if you experience the following sensations:

• sharp severe pain, including when changing body position;
• persistent hiccups;
• hallucinations;
• memory problems.

Treatment

If the cause of weakness and nausea is clear, then sometimes it is enough to take a pill, get some sleep or just lie down. But if fatigue and symptoms do not go away, and new ones are added to them, you need a doctor.

To begin with, you should come to an appointment with a therapist, who will collect an anamnesis and refer you to a highly specialized specialist. If the examination results are not sufficient for a diagnosis, examinations will be required. Most likely, the patient will be observed by a neurologist, psychiatrist, endocrinologist or neurosurgeon.

Following these simple rules will help speed up your recovery:

• give up bad habits;
• walk for at least an hour every day;
• eat healthy food;
• replace coffee and tea with clean water;
• drink at least 2 liters of fluid per day;
• live in your daily routine, comfortable for your body;
• get enough sleep;
• seek help in a timely manner.

Immunity

In completely healthy people, drowsiness may appear after eating, caused by overwork, nervous or physical, overeating and lack of sleep. A routine and eating small portions every 3 hours will help get rid of the craving for sleep during the day. If the recommendations do not help, then you need to strengthen your immune system.

Weakened immunity is manifested by the following symptoms:

• weakness;
• poor wound healing;
• colds in children more often than 4 times a year, in adults - more than 2-3 times;
• ARVI requires long-term treatment and is severe;
• enlarged lymph nodes;
• fungal infections of the mucous membranes (candidiasis);
• pustular skin lesions;
• relapses of respiratory tract and sinus diseases.

Winter “hibernation”, accompanied by indifference to what is happening, can be a sign of serious exhaustion of the nervous system. The root cause lies in seasonal hypovitaminosis or winter depression due to a lack of serotonin. Vitamins in combination with medications prescribed by a doctor will help you cope with ailments.

The right pace of life and a serious attitude towards the body helps to live fully and maintain health for many years. If nausea, weakness, dizziness, sleepiness become constant, you need to use medical assistance to clarify the reasons.

These symptoms, which at first glance seem harmless, may indicate serious problems in the body. A timely visit to the doctor will increase the chances of recovery.

Nervous diseases: Brain abscess. Atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels. Insomnia. Headache. Dizziness. Cerebral palsy. Stuttering. Hiccups. Stroke. Coma. Migraine. Fainting and fainting-like conditions. Osteochondrosis, etc.

Brain abscess. A limited cavity in the thickness of the brain tissue filled with pus. For abscesses to occur, it is necessary that a pyogenic microbe (streptococcus, staphylococcus, E. coli) enter the brain tissue. Typically implemented in three main ways. Firstly, with hidden injuries to the skull (trauma and surgery), the infection can enter the brain directly with hair, pieces of clothing, and bone fragments.

Secondly, the microbe can be brought with the blood or lymph flow if there is some kind of purulent inflammatory process in the body (pneumonia, erysipelas on the skin, furunculosis, sore throat, sore tooth).

Thirdly, the infection can enter the brain from the paranasal sinuses (sinusitis, sinusitis) or from the cavity of the inner ear (otitis media) through a thin bony septum separating them from the cranial cavity.

The peculiarity of a brain abscess is that under certain circumstances (use of strong antibiotics) the source of infection can become encysted, i.e. a fencing shaft is formed around it. Behind this barrier, the infection can “sleep” for a long time, without manifesting itself, but when the vital forces of the body decrease (colds, stress, hunger, old age), the abscess can begin to develop again.

Symptoms and course. Patients may complain for a long time of headaches, nausea, dizziness, fever, weakness in certain parts of the body. There may be periods of drowsiness or, conversely, agitation. Later, more severe mental disorders appear: hallucinations, delusions, disorientation, progressive depression of consciousness. In the most acute stage the patient develops uncontrollable “cerebral” vomiting, paralysis, stupor (severe drowsiness) and, finally, coma.

Recognition. It can be difficult to make a diagnosis, so you should know that diseases of the ear, nose, throat, teeth, pneumonia, head injuries, boils, can become the “soil” for brain abscesses. A headache lasting more than 12 hours is a cause for serious concern, and accompanied by an increase in temperature, mental changes, and depression of consciousness is a direct indication for calling an ambulance.

Treatment is surgical. The prognosis is serious.

Arachnoiditis(from the Greek "arachne" - spider). Inflammation of the arachnoid membrane of the brain - a thin network of blood vessels and connective tissue formations that cover the outside of the brain. The infection penetrates the arachnoid space in the same ways as with a brain abscess, but aseptic inflammation is also possible (not associated with microbial damage, for example, with a closed brain injury). The brain, normally, “floats in lakes of cerebrospinal fluid” (cerebrospinal fluid). When inflammation occurs, the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid is disrupted, its outflow from the head to the spinal cord becomes difficult, and the cranial nerves become inflamed. There are three main forms of arachnoiditis: optochiasmal, or arachnoiditis of the anterior cranial fossa (a consequence of inflammation in the paranasal sinuses), arachnoiditis of the posterior cranial fossa (most often a consequence of disease of the middle ear) and basal arachnoiditis (inflammation at the base of the brain). Arachnoiditis of any localization has a number of common symptoms: 1) occurs 10-12 days after the infectious disease; 2) the main manifestation is headaches, with a feeling of fullness or pressure on the eyes; 3) sleep disturbance; 4) decreased performance; 5) blurred vision. Women are more likely to get arachnoiditis. The peculiarity of arachnonditis is that it is difficult to diagnose, even using the most modern research methods. Its widespread prevalence among the population explains the large number of patients with hypochondria and asthenoneurotic disorders. The treatment is outpatient, courses of psychotherapy, vitamin therapy are carried out, absorbable and vasodilators. The prognosis for life and work is favorable. For recovery - doubtful.

Ataxia(from the Greek: disorder). Impaired coordination of movements due to damage to the frontal lobes of the brain, cerebellum, and deep sensitivity pathways in the spinal cord and brain. It manifests itself as an imbalance when standing (static ataxia) or a disorder of motor coordination (dynamic ataxia).

Symptoms and course. Many parts of the nervous system are involved in movement. A person must feel his limbs, see them and surrounding objects, be in balance, all these sensations must be linked together - coordinated. With the disease, patients cannot stand with their eyes closed, cannot eat due to severe tremors in their hands, and often speak poorly - their speech is scanned (see Stuttering). Ataxia can manifest itself as a significant deterioration in handwriting, which is characteristic of brain damage due to rheumatism. They cannot perform precise movements: thread a needle with normal vision, take a match from a box.

Recognition. If ataxia is suspected, ask the patient to stand with arms extended forward and eyes closed, legs closed, then touch the tip of the nose with a finger or, lying on his back, touch the heel of the knee of the opposite leg. If a person cannot complete these tasks, then it is necessary to consult a doctor.

Treatment. Ataxia is always a symptom of a serious disease; treatment is only under the supervision of a doctor.

Atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels. Atherosclerosis is a disease of the whole body in which all vessels are affected; deposited in their walls fat-like substance cholesterol and they lose their elasticity. With a significant amount of deposited cholesterol (plaque), the lumen of the vessel decreases, which also impairs blood circulation. Vascular disease of the brain most often manifests itself in the second half of life, after 50 years.

Symptoms and course. There are three stages. The first stage of the disease is manifested by impaired memory, attention, headaches, and general weakness, but all these phenomena are temporary - they disappear after rest and a change of environment and do not affect professional qualities. In the second stage, the headaches are protracted, often accompanied by dizziness, weakness and irritability appear, memory suffers more and more, and the past is remembered with greater clarity, and recent events are forgotten. It becomes more difficult to carry out the duties usual at work; when reading, the patient does not catch the meaning, makes mistakes, often returns to what he has already read, tries to strain his will, and this makes his understanding of the text even worse. A good illustration of increasing forgetfulness is the search for glasses on your forehead. In the third stage, memory deteriorates even more; patients for a long time cannot remember the main dates of their life or history, and are completely unsuitable professionally. Manifestations of vascular sclerosis reach their peak in the form of strokes, heart attacks, and dementia.

Recognition. The first manifestations of the disease are headache, fatigue, memory disorders.

Treatment. When establishing a diagnosis, treatment should be comprehensive and preferably under the supervision of the same neurologist. It is necessary to maintain an active lifestyle: morning exercises, swimming pool and tennis all year round, skiing, hiking and cycling, be sure to walk for 35-40 minutes in the evening before bed. The diet should be low in carbohydrates and rich in animal proteins and vegetable fats(vegetable oil, boiled meat, game, ocean fish).

Preferred medications include prophylactic use of nicotinic acid, low-dose aspirin, lipostabil, and lipocerebrin. Physiotherapy treatments include electrosleep and carbon dioxide baths. All this is carried out under strict control and only as prescribed by a doctor.

Aphasia. Loss of speech abilities as a means of expressing thoughts. These disorders are different from lisp, stuttering, accent, etc.

Symptoms and course. There are two main disorders - sensory (impaired speech understanding) and motor (impaired oral speech, pronouncing words). With sensory aphasia, the patient does not understand words addressed to him, does not understand and does not comply with requests, simple instructions (open his eyes, raise his hand), or does the opposite. With motor aphasia, the patient understands everything, but cannot say anything, or he ends up with a “verbal hash.”

Recognition. Aphasic disorders occur when there is a violation cerebral circulation(stroke), tumors, abscesses, brain injuries (see). Only a doctor can make a diagnosis, but anyone can suspect a speech disorder by noticing unusual behavior or speech when communicating.

Treatment. In case of acute or slow, progressively increasing aphasic disorders during the day, the patient must be hospitalized without fail. The prognosis depends on the stage and nature of the disease.

Insomnia. A sleep disorder in which there is difficulty falling asleep, a short period of sleep itself, or the absence of a feeling of rest after it.

Symptoms and course. Very often, patients feel as if they are not sleeping at all. Most of them note that during the day they are constantly sleepy, but at night they cannot fall asleep, or, having dozed off, they immediately wake up, often seeing the same dreams.

Sleep disturbances are symptoms of many diseases. The human brain has a very ancient formation - the thalamus, this is a natural computer that collects all the information about the state of the body: blood sugar levels, the amount of salts, body temperature, the presence of inflammation in some place in the body, etc. Information about external conditions is also received there: temperature, wind, day or night. The thalamus ensures the interaction between the body and the environment; it contains sections that ensure the sequence of sleep and wakefulness.

Infectious diseases, prolonged pain (sore tooth, inflammation of the gallbladder, sinusitis, runny nose, sciatica), stressful situations in the family or at work - all these reasons can lead to sleep disturbances. Absence good sleep entails a further deterioration in well-being, a decrease in the body’s resistance, and hence the emergence of new diseases.

Insomnia is easily recognized by complaints of lack of sleep and the patient’s appearance: swelling under the eyes, red eyes, dry lips, lethargy, depression.

Treatment. To properly treat insomnia, it is necessary to accurately determine its cause. If it is caused by worries, which is most common, then talk to the patient, find out what is tormenting him, try to convince him that everything life situations can be resolved, if only there was health and patience, and that “the morning is wiser than the evening.” A warm bath with pine extract, a light massage of the neck and back, and combing the head with a soft massage brush are soothing. You can drink an infusion of mint or motherwort, phenozepam or tazepam. It is advisable to turn on a small lamp in the room (insomniacs cannot fall asleep in complete darkness!). Advice - read A.S. Pushkin intoning, 10-15 minutes. The words of his poems are familiar from childhood (when I slept so sweetly!), and the rhythm of the verse coincides with the natural rhythms of the heart and brain, which has a beneficial effect on an overexcited consciousness. Then, without turning off the light, offer to try to fall asleep. Bel and the patient falls asleep, then stick to this technique for 2-3 days, on the 4th day. exclude tablets from treatment. It is necessary to strictly observe the regime, do not allow the patient to sleep a lot (no more than 8 hours for adults and 10 children), and force him to walk for at least an hour before going to bed in the evening. Dinner should be light: exclude raw vegetables and fruits, black bread, because... they make your stomach rumble, which also makes it difficult to fall asleep. If insomnia appears after a high fever or serious illness, then these are signs of exhaustion of the nervous system - such a patient needs a diet rich in vitamins during the day, an afternoon nap (1-2 hours) is required, and at night - sedatives prescribed by a doctor.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). One of the most severe neurological diseases, it is a slowly progressive disease that inevitably leads to the death of the patient. Human movement is carried out by muscles controlled by the nervous system: an impulse is born in the motor cortex of the brain, along the spinal cord it reaches the motor cells of the spinal cord, which pick up this electrical baton and transmit it to the muscles. When ALS attacks spinal neurons, motor cells in the sides of the spinal cord die and can no longer transmit impulses from the brain neurons to the muscles. As a result, certain parts of the limbs remain motionless. The largest number of spinal motor cells are located in the cervical (control of the arms) and lumbar (control of the legs) thickenings. More often the disease affects the cervical level.

Symptoms and course. The disease develops slowly, gradually, manifested by weakness in the hands, which gradually spreads to all hands. Then atrophic disorders occur - the muscles lose weight, the hands take on the appearance of “clawed paws”. The legs are characterized by high tone: the leg muscles are very tense (even in sleep), which does not allow patients to walk. The process of degeneration (death) of nerve cells rises higher - to the brain and when the vital centers of breathing or heartbeat are damaged, patients die.

Recognition. In the initial stages it is very difficult - special EMG studies (electromyography) are required, but it is early diagnosis can effectively help the patient and prolong his working capacity and life. If you feel increasing weakness in your arms, rapid fatigue during work, or weakness in your legs after walking, you should consult a neurologist.

Complex treatment: antiviral drugs, products that improve microcirculation and the transmission of electrical signals from nerve to muscle, massage, physiotherapy.

The prognosis depends on the form of the disease and the stage at the start of treatment, but, in general, it is often unfavorable.

Bulbar and pseudobulbar palsies. These diseases are most often a consequence of vascular damage to the brain due to atherosclerosis. The brain is divided into three large parts: the cerebral hemispheres, the cerebellum, and the brainstem (the part of the brain that connects the brain and spinal cord). The brainstem consists of a collection of cells (nuclei), through which the cerebrum controls the muscles of the face and eyes, and receives information from receptors and sensory organs (hearing, taste, balance, vision). The part of the trunk that contains the nerves that control swallowing, the vocal cords, and the neck muscles that tilt the head back is called the bulbar. Control of the nuclei in each half of the brain stem is carried out from two hemispheres simultaneously, therefore, during a stroke in one of them, the patient’s swallowing and voice are not upset - the healthy hemisphere successfully replaces the functions of the patient. When cells in the brain stem are damaged, functions are disrupted, since the cells of the large brain have no one to transmit commands to. This type of paralysis is called bulbar. However, sometimes the disease affects both hemispheres of the cerebrum (two strokes, brain atrophy in old age, etc.), and then, while the motor cells in the brainstem are preserved, the patient develops disorders similar to bulbar palsy, or pseudobulbar palsy.

Symptoms and course. Patients with bulbar palsy have impaired swallowing, nasal speech, and hoarseness. Patients with pseudobulbar palsy have similar complaints, but they are always combined with disorders such as “violent” crying or laughter: the person cries very easily (laughs) and cannot stop. With pseudobulbar palsies, intellectual disorders are always pronounced.

Recognition. In case of acute swallowing disorders (swallowing disorders), voice changes, or nasal voice, it is necessary to urgently call an ambulance. If such disorders occur in older people and develop slowly, then this does not require emergency help; however, a brain tumor can also occur under the guise of a disease, so it would not hurt to show it to a neurologist.

Treatment is the same as for cerebral atherosclerosis or stroke (see).

The prognosis for pseudobulbar palsy is serious; for bulbar palsy, it depends on the severity and cause of the development of paralysis.

Autonomic-vascular dysfunction(VSD) - selective dysfunction of internal organs.

Symptoms and course. Autonomic-vascular disorders occur in different organs and systems. There are cardiovascular (palpitations, increased or decreased blood pressure, pallor, sweating), digestive (lack of appetite, belching air, difficulty swallowing, nausea, hiccups) or respiratory (shortness of breath, chest tightness). Any of the above disorders have a common basis: VSD is the lot of people with a weak, unbalanced nervous system. Any manifestation of VSD is a disruption of the interaction between the vascular and autonomic systems, where the structures responsible for the regulation of emotions play a huge role. The manifestations of VSD are very diverse; they can be similar to all diseases at once. The behavior of patients is often intrusive; the many absurd complaints they make can lead the doctor to bewilderment. Sometimes, when VSD is diagnosed, the actual disease remains unrecognized. Therefore, the diagnosis of VSD is a diagnosis of exclusion and is made only after an ECG, visual field examination, EEG, examinations by an ophthalmologist, endocrinologist, psychotherapist, and clinical urine and blood tests have been performed.

Treatment of VSD is complex and difficult. First of all, it is necessary to establish sleep and routine (see Insomnia). Hot foot baths in the evening, morning exercises (not to the point of fatigue!). Contrast shower every morning, swimming in the pool at least 2 times a week. Medications must be agreed upon with the attending physician; you can take wormwood and Chinese lemongrass paste in the morning and afternoon, and in the evening Raskin's mixture No. 1. All pastes, 2 teaspoons each. The prognosis is favorable, however, if VSD is not treated, the dysfunction can gradually transform into hypertension or hypotension, the treatment of which is more difficult. It should be borne in mind that sometimes the disease is accompanied by fainting and injuries are possible if a fall occurs.

Headache. A sign of many diseases. The human brain itself does not have pain receptors - natural devices that signal pain. During brain surgery, you can touch and even cut brain tissue without the person feeling any pain. What then hurts when you have a headache?

To answer this question, let us understand that between the brain and the bones of the skull there is the dura mater, which is very sensitive, as it is literally strewn with pain receptors.

In addition, the scalp covering the bones of the skull consists of muscles and tendons, which are also very richly endowed, that is, equipped with pain receptors.

Thus, the cause of headaches can be various processes affecting the dura mater, muscles and tendons of the scalp, and nervous stress. At the moment of some strong unpleasant or even pleasant experience, overstrain of the scalp muscles occurs, which remains for a long time and is often felt in the form of a helmet (cap) on the head. “Helmet” type pain also occurs during prolonged stress, more often in women (husband’s drunkenness, failures in the family or at work, etc.).

Pain caused by irritation of the dura mater can be caused by many diseases: brain tumor, meningitis, brain abscess, acute cerebrovascular accident, brain injury. In addition, pain is a symptom of intoxication, i.e. ingestion of poison (toxin) into the body or its production in the body by microbes: with influenza, pneumonia, abuse of alcoholic beverages and their substitutes, and other poisonings.

Headaches can be caused by painful process in the front part of the head, most often in the paranasal sinuses: sinusitis (inflammation of the sinuses of the upper jaw), frontal sinusitis (inflammation of the frontal sinuses), inflammation of the tonsils or tonsils, congestion with a runny nose.

Often pain is associated with pathology of the teeth or gums: a poorly installed filling, inflammation of the dental pulp, bedsores from a removable denture, stomatitis (ulcers on the oral mucosa), herpes rashes (“fever”).

A special place is occupied by headaches of a reflected nature, that is, when its cause lies outside the brain and face. These are headaches with cervical osteochondrosis. They are observed in 95% of urban residents after 40 years of age, regardless of gender and age. Patients complain of pain in the neck and (or) back of the head, which rises along the surface of the head upward and anteriorly, sometimes it is of a shooting nature, radiating to the arm and eye. Such pain most often predominates in one half of the head and intensifies when turning the head to the side. At the height of pain, dizziness, nausea, and even loss of consciousness are possible. These pains are caused by cervical osteochondrosis, i.e. structural changes in the intervertebral discs and the vertebrae themselves, which lead to irritation of the nerve roots emerging from the spinal cord and innervating the arms, neck, and scalp.

Headache in the form of attacks, more often in a certain half of the head, can be a manifestation of migraine (see).

At hypertension The headache is most often localized in the back of the head and is aching in nature. Headache can also occur with low blood pressure.

Recognition. If a headache occurs, you should:

1. Measure blood pressure (you can always do it in the treatment room of the clinic), temperature and, if available, consult a doctor to clarify the diagnosis.

2. If the temperature and pressure are normal, then you need to feel your head with your fingers, especially behind the ears, at the border of the head and neck, the area of ​​the nasolabial fold, eyebrows, as well as the shoulder girdle and collarbone. With a headache caused by osteochondrosis, soreness will be noted in these places.

Treatment. Considering the fact that the causes of headaches can be very diverse and, among other things, that it can be a manifestation of very dangerous disease, if a headache occurs for the first time or lasts more than 12 hours, urgent consultation with a doctor is necessary. If, along with a headache, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting appears, or fever increases, then you need to call an ambulance.

If the headache increases gradually and is accompanied by nasal congestion, sore throat and other signs of a cold, you can take aspirin (chew thoroughly and drink plenty of water); strong hot tea with raspberry jam and honey also helps.

If the headache occurs due to stress, take a painkiller, sleeping pill and sedative at the same time.

For headaches from cervical osteochondrosis, you need to apply mustard plaster to your neck and drink strong tea with milk and honey, take analgesics, sedatives, perform self-massage of the neck and head (see Osteochondrosis).

For headaches caused by pressure fluctuations, it is necessary to take antihypertensive (pressure-reducing drugs) if the pressure is high, and if the pressure is low, drink strong tea, coffee, eat a pickled cucumber or tomato, or a piece of black bread with salt. The prognosis depends on the nature of the headache.

Dizziness. A condition in which a person feels that the objects around him and/or own body move or rotate in a certain direction (systemic vertigo). But often a person cannot say exactly in which direction he and everything around him are moving (unsystematic dizziness). It happens that a person notices only his instability and the instability (staggering, trembling) of the space around him, a feeling of throwing back his head, moving his legs and torso in one direction (usually upwards), and his head in the other (usually downwards in a supine position), a feeling falling into the abyss. Dizziness occurs when there is inconsistency with the functioning of the organs of vision and the central nervous system, which is responsible for the sense of the body’s position in space (kinesthetic) and the sense of balance (vestibular).

Symptoms and course. There are many causes of dizziness. It can also occur in absolutely healthy people, for example, when looking down from a great height or when looking at clouds, if you stand near a high-rise building - then there is a feeling that it is not the clouds that are moving, but the building is tilting. Dizziness occurs if you spin around your axis for a long time and then stop.

Dizziness as a manifestation of the disease can be caused by a disease of the inner ear, when the vestibular (equilibrium) apparatus is affected by an inflammatory or tumor process. Such patients usually suffer from inflammation of the inner ear (otitis) for a long time; first, their hearing decreases, and then dizziness appears. With tumor damage, attacks occur against the background of hearing loss, ringing in the ear, and attacks of dizziness gradually become more frequent and intensify.

Dizziness is very common when sharply turning the head to the side, when getting out of bed in the morning, tilting the head back (while wallpapering, hanging laundry, removing a book from the top shelf), when tilting the head to the side or forward for a long time (weeding, car repairs, long sleep on a train or bus), sometimes when walking it “throws to the side.” Such dizziness is caused by spasm or compression of the vertebral artery, which supplies blood to the parts of the brain responsible for balance.

Dizziness can occur with high or low blood pressure, poisoning, loss of fluid (vomiting, diarrhea) or blood loss (bleeding). Accompanied by dizziness and anemia (lack of red blood cells in the blood) and high temperature.

Recognizing dizziness is not difficult, it is based on the patient’s complaints, characteristic symptoms (drunk gait, the patient’s attempts to grab surrounding objects, inability to stand or sit, frequent rhythmic twitching of the eyes (when looking to the side or up).

Treatment and first aid. If dizziness occurs, place the patient on his back so that his head, neck and shoulders lie on a pillow, because in this position, kinking of the vertebral arteries is eliminated. You should avoid turning your head to the side, you need to open the windows, ventilate the room, put a cold bandage on your forehead, you can slightly moisten it with vinegar. Having measured the pressure and temperature, take measures to normalize them; if the heart rate is more than 100 beats per minute or an irregular heartbeat appears, and if dizziness is accompanied by nausea and repeated (more than 3 times) vomiting, you must call an ambulance. The prognosis depends on the nature of the dizziness.

Cerebral palsy(cerebral palsy). A group of diseases, so named because, regardless of the cause of the disease, it is detected soon after birth and results in immobility (or paralysis) of some limbs and/or facial muscles. The cause of cerebral palsy can be: a) birth trauma during extraction of the fetus with obstetric forceps; b) blockage of a cerebral artery and developed ischemic stroke; i) subarachnoid hemorrhage (see Stroke). It may be a consequence of a severe infection with purulent brain damage. Thus, any brain damage that occurred in childhood and left behind paralysis can be considered cerebral palsy.

Recognition in the acute period is usually carried out by a doctor in maternity hospital or a children's hospital. Adults who have suffered from cerebral palsy usually walk in a peculiar way; such patients are often weak-minded.

Treatment. They conduct courses of resorption therapy (aimed at resolving adhesions in the brain), courses of vascular therapy to improve cerebral circulation, physical therapy and massage, acupuncture and physiotherapeutic treatment. The prognosis is usually unfavorable, but depends on the severity of paralysis and the timeliness and completeness of treatment.

Stuttering. Logoneurosis is a disease in which there are no painful changes in the articulatory (speech-producing) apparatus (larynx, vocal cords, lungs, lips, teeth, tongue), there is no damage to the part of the brain that controls the act of speech, however, the speech control system does not work in coordination with the articulatory system apparatus. A person cannot accurately follow the sequence of pronouncing certain sounds, tries to recover, stammers, begins to pronounce words and phrases again - this is how speech arises, which we know as the speech of a person who stutters.

Symptoms and course. Most often, stuttering occurs at a young age, when speech automatisms are not yet so refined. Stress reactions (fear, death of a loved one, beloved animal, divorce of parents, scandals in the family, etc.) contribute to the development of stuttering, so the causes of stuttering are always in childhood. A speech disorder such as scanned speech may be similar to stuttering, in which the patient speaks sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly, sometimes loudly, sometimes quietly - such pronunciation is characteristic of a disease of the cerebellum and is otherwise called speech ataxia. True stuttering increases with excitement, weakens in a calm environment, people who stutter sing well.

Treatment. Since the disease is mainly functional in nature, i.e. is not associated with a true lesion of the speech apparatus, then speech therapists and psychotherapists are involved in the treatment of stuttering. The prognosis is favorable.

Hiccups. Convulsive contractions of the muscles of the diaphragm - the muscle membrane separating the chest and abdominal cavities.

Symptoms and course. Most often, hiccups occur in response to some kind of irritation of the stomach, then a signal through the vagus nerve - the vagus - goes to the brain, and from it along the phrenic nerve - the phrenicus - goes to the diaphragm, causing its contraction - hiccups. Hiccups occur if a person has not eaten for a long time, following the so-called “sucking in the pit of the stomach,” or if he ate quickly and chewed food poorly, when drinking large amounts of liquid, especially cold water. Functional, or nervous, hiccups can be a consequence of nervous shock, especially in people with a weak nervous system, hot-tempered or touchy; such hiccups disappear after calming down. Long-term hiccups, accompanied by abdominal pain, nausea, and drooling, require additional examination (gastroscopy), as it may be a manifestation of a peptic ulcer or stomach tumor, or a disease of the liver, gallbladder, or pancreas.

Recognition. Hiccups are easily recognized, often accompanied by screaming or belching of air, which is swallowed during hiccups, and may result in vomiting, as overirritation of the gastric mucosa or its persistent spasm is possible.

First aid and treatment. Functional hiccups that occur as a result of an error in diet are eliminated using the “air retention” method; inhale deeply and hold the exhalation as long as possible, while the irritation of the nerve endings in the stomach weakens and intensifies in the lungs and bronchi, diverting attention. Gradually, the processes of inhibition in the brain begin to prevail over excitation and the hiccups disappear. A warm drink, a heating pad on the stomach for a short time or, conversely, cold helps. In case of a prolonged attack of hiccups, it is recommended to consult a doctor or call an ambulance if vomiting is added to the hiccups, especially with traces of blood in the vomit.

Stroke- see Acute cerebrovascular accident.

Coma. Translated from Greek - sleep, but a dream in which it is impossible to wake a person (consciousness is so deeply lost) and he does not react in any way to external stimuli (sounds, light, cold, heat, pain, etc.).

Symptoms and course. The development of a comatose state is always a dangerous sign, and if time is missed, changes in the patient’s body can become irreversible and lead to death. What diseases can lead to coma?

Apoalectic coma - as a consequence acute disorder cerebral circulation occurs most often. It develops quite quickly or lightning fast when a vessel ruptures and hemorrhages in the brain or meninges (hemorrhagic stroke). When a cerebral vessel is blocked, consciousness is lost more slowly unless the blockage occurs slowly, when it is blocked by a detached embolus (thromboembolism), which is the cause of stroke in heart disease ( atrial fibrillation, rheumatism, consciousness is lost quickly, but not for long.

Recognition. Simultaneously with the disturbance of consciousness, speech is impaired, movements in the limbs disappear, sensitivity is lost (patients do not feel pain in the immobilized limbs). Most often these are elderly people, usually with hypertension, heart and vascular diseases. Coma can occur after an epileptic seizure, the so-called. post-ictal sleep. Usually patients and their relatives are aware of the patient’s characteristics, but even if this condition is common for the patient, it is necessary to monitor his pulse, blood pressure, and temperature. If the patient does not wake up longer than usual, you need to try to wake him up, and if that fails, you need to call an ambulance, because During a seizure, a myocardial infarction or stroke could occur.

Hypoxic coma can develop as a result of cardiac or cardiogenic shock during myocardial infarction, when the heart pumps blood so poorly or does not pump it at all that the brain falls into a hypoxic state due to a lack of oxygen and nutrients. This condition occurs very quickly, since brain cells do not have a supply of oxygen and nutrients and their death, without oxygen, occurs within 5 minutes.

Recognition. In coma associated with myocardial infarction, it is often impossible to measure blood pressure and feel the pulse. A condition similar to a coma during myocardial infarction also occurs with pulmonary embolism. In this disease, a blood clot (thrombus), breaking off in the veins of the legs or in the right side of the heart, clogs the pulmonary artery, through which blood from the heart enters the lungs, and after this shock and cardiac arrest occurs. Patients in such a coma have a very characteristic appearance: their head, neck and arms become blue-black and death occurs within a few seconds, less often than minutes.

Any disease of internal organs can lead to coma in its final stage.

Renal coma occurs when long-term illness kidneys (nephrolithiasis, pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis), accompanied by chronic renal failure (CRF), when the brain is poisoned by protein breakdown products (urea, uric acid, etc.).

Recognition. Coma develops gradually, first appearing weakness, bleeding gums, noise in the head and ears, severe pallor (anemia). At some point in time, the patient begins to delirium, and then completely loses consciousness. The smell of urine or ammonia appears from the mouth, and the skin is covered with a white coating (salt crystals). Your hands may also smell like urine.

Hepatic coma. With long-term liver disease or poisoning with poisons toxic to the liver (dichlorophos, dichlorvos, alcohol), it may develop hepatic coma. The skin is most often yellowish, the yellowness of the whites of the eyes is especially noticeable. Mental changes appear - delirium, drowsiness during the day, insomnia at night, low temperature 37.2-37bC. Then consciousness is lost. The disease develops gradually. The smell from the mouth is liver, sweetish.

Diabetic coma. It can develop either from a lack of sugar in the blood (hypoglycemic coma) or from excess sugar in the blood (hyperglycemic coma).

With hypoglycemia, coma develops acutely, the patient feels chills, hunger, trembling in the body, loses consciousness, and occasionally there are brief convulsions. With loss of consciousness, profuse sweating is noted: the patient is wet, “at least squeeze it out,” cold sweat.

Hyperglycemic coma develops gradually, over the course of a day or more, is accompanied by dry mouth, the patient drinks a lot, if at this moment you take blood for a sugar test, the levels are increased (normally 3.3-5.5 mmol/liter) by 2- 3 times. Hyperglycemic coma usually develops in patients with diabetes mellitus. A distinctive feature of coma is that, in addition to complete loss of consciousness, the skin is dry, warm to the touch, and the breath smells of apples or acetone.

Hemorrhagic coma. Coma due to blood loss also develops gradually, while the patient, as a rule, has a very rapid pulse and extremely low blood pressure. If the blood loss is gradual (often with internal bleeding), then consciousness remains unchanged for a long time, but when blood loss becomes critical, consciousness is lost and this is very danger sign, since the consequences of a lack of oxygen in the brain and body tissues can become irreversible.

First aid. Since treatment of comatose states is possible only in a hospital, it is necessary to call an ambulance, and before it arrives you can try to help the patient. Give a cup of warm tea and add 3-4 teaspoons of sugar. If it is a hypoglycemic coma, then the patient will feel better, and if the coma is of any other nature, then sweet tea will not hurt. An important fact is that the patient may not die from the coma itself, but during the coma its complications may develop: vomiting and its inhalation (aspiration of vomit) into the bronchi and lungs. Therefore, during first aid, it is necessary to lay the patient on his side or turn his head to the side; if vomiting has already occurred, clear the oral cavity of vomit, and be sure to remove removable dentures. During convulsions, hold the patient, make sure that he does not fall and injure himself. It is very important that the patient’s head and body are examined and when calling a doctor, report the damage, then a special, rather than a linear, team will be sent to you. In order for the arriving doctor to quickly understand the nature of the coma, it is necessary to show him all available medical documents. The prognosis depends on the nature of the coma.

Meningitis. Inflammatory diseases meninges. There are several types of meningitis: viral, purulent, toxic. Viral damage to the meninges is possible with measles, influenza, mumps and other infectious diseases. viral diseases. Purulent meningitis can be primary, then the membranes are affected by a specific microbe - meningococcus, or secondary, then the infection enters the meninges from foci of infection in the body itself or due to a skull injury (see Brain abscess). Inflammation can also develop when the membranes are damaged by toxic substances (acetone, dichloroethane and others industrial poisons). The most common are mepingococcal and secondary purulent meningitis, with influenza meningitis in third place.

Symptoms and course. The leading symptom is headache, noted throughout the head. It intensifies along with an increase in temperature: the patient wants to sleep, but cannot, periodic headaches become unbearable until (especially in children) a “brain scream”, after which a permanent loss of consciousness may occur. Vomiting often develops, which brings relief in the first few minutes, and then repeats many times and does not bring relief. At this time, the patient's head cannot be brought forward so that the chin touches the chest. Often the head is thrown back, arms and legs are pulled up to the stomach (the pose of a running pointer dog). If a child is lifted into the air under his arms, his legs and arms will be pressed against his body. When trying to lift the leg upward, strong muscle resistance is felt, and the patient groans. The temperature is always elevated.

Treatment. If meningitis is suspected, the patient must be hospitalized. The department usually offers spinal tap for an accurate diagnosis. Relatives and the patient himself, if still conscious, sometimes refuse a lumbar puncture, which makes diagnosis and treatment very difficult. A lumbar puncture, in which the skin is punctured and entered into the peri-cerebral space, absolutely excludes damage to the spinal cord and it is not the spinal cord that is taken for examination, but the fluid that a person produces up to 3 liters per day. This puncture is called therapeutic and diagnostic: it allows you to accurately determine the nature of meningitis and after removing 5-6 milliliters of fluid, the patient feels improvement (decreased headaches and nausea, as intracranial pressure decreases). Depending on the nature of meningitis, complex treatment with the use of antibiotics, hormones and other agents. The prognosis is always serious.

Myasthenia. A disease of the nerves and muscles, characterized by muscle weakness. It develops when it is difficult to transmit the “movement” signal from nerves to muscles due to impaired acetylcholine metabolism.

Symptoms and course. IN human body, which is a complex electrochemical machine, movement is carried out with the help of muscles: striated muscles (skeletal muscles) work in the limbs, and smooth muscles work in the internal organs and blood vessels. The signal for the first is given through motor nerves, at the point of connection of the nerve to the muscle (end plate), an electrical impulse is transmitted using a chemical substance - acetylcholine, which passes from the nerve into the gap between the nerve and the muscle (synaptic gap), its appearance in the gap causes an electrical discharge and contraction (work) of the muscle. Next, acetylcholine is split into two parts by a special enzyme (cholinesterase), they are reabsorbed into the nerve, where they are combined and can be used again. For myasthenia gravis a complex system the synthesis, accumulation, release of acetylcholine, its destruction, new absorption is disrupted, and then the next impulse becomes more and more difficult to pass to the muscle, which means that each subsequent movement is difficult and, finally, stops completely. This condition is called pathological (that is, abnormal) muscle fatigue syndrome.

Symptoms and course. Most often, the disease begins with drooping eyelids and double vision in the evening, followed by a change in voice in the evening or after prolonged speech stress. Further, patients note that they feel good in the morning, but after getting up and doing the morning toilet, they were already tired as if they had worked excessively. In cold weather, health improves, in warm weather it worsens. After rest, strength is restored as quickly as it was lost. The disease can go unrecognized for years, but it progresses, and sooner or later it makes itself felt, but perhaps too late to do anything against it. The fact is that the respiratory muscles also work “on acetylcholine,” and such a formidable complication of myasthenia gravis is possible, such as a violation (cessation) of breathing, when the patient may die. Infantile myasthenia requires special attention. Parents should not neglect children's complaints, for example, that they cannot get on the bus or the fact that a child who walks normally cannot pedal a bicycle. Such children often become the subject of dissatisfaction and accusations of “laziness” from adults; they become withdrawn and stop complaining until movement disorders become obvious to everyone. And the most dangerous thing is that in children the generalization of the process - a sharp increase in respiratory failure, develops suddenly.

Recognizing myasthenia gravis at the onset of the disease is always very difficult, therefore, at the first suspicion of myasthenia, a consultation with a neurologist and hospitalization in a specialized clinic is necessary, in Moscow this is the myasthenic center of Professor Hecht. Forecast at timely diagnosis and proper treatment is favorable.

Migraine- translated from French means “pain in half of the head.” It is jokingly called the disease of great people. Many owners of great heads suffered from migraines: Julius Caesar, Calvin, Linnaeus, Pascal, Beethoven, Darwin, Marx, Nobel, Heine, Poe, Maupassant, Wagner, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Virginia Woolf, Nietzsche, Freud.

Previously, when the cause of headaches was not sufficiently studied, migraines were called all periodic headache attacks in one side of the head. The old name has been preserved, but today a large number of different types of migraines have been identified, each of which is treated differently. True migraine is an extremely complex disease in its course and development; it is in fact a rather rare disease, and only a low-qualified specialist can make such a diagnosis without a detailed study of the medical history, neurological status, vascular condition and intracranial pressure, as well as an electrophysiological study of the brain. Unfortunately, this sometimes happens in local clinics.

Symptoms and course. There are a number of signs of a true migraine. Headache attacks are always preceded by precursors: drowsiness, sudden fatigue and a desire to lie down, sometimes it seems unpleasant smell, fog appears in the eyes, orientation disorder, irritability. The warning signs are followed by a gradually increasing headache, often in one half of the head (then the whole head may be involved or the pain moves in the head). At the height of the headache, there is often nausea or even vomiting, which does not bring relief. The pain lasts for a certain time (a day or more), often ending in prolonged heavy sleep. Attacks vary in severity and frequency and occur at any age; women suffer 3-4 times more often.

Recognition. It is difficult to establish a diagnosis of migraine; the monotony of attacks, the presence of precursors, and heredity help (relatives on the mother’s side are often ill). The pain is periodic (the person is healthy between attacks), accompanied by various disorders sensitivity (vision, taste, sound, smell), numbness of the face, hands. There are always autonomic disorders: frequent urination, loose stool, nausea, vomiting.

Treatment. Derivatives of ergot plants (ergotamine, redergin, caffeamine, nicergoline) help well, as does sleep, if you manage to fall asleep at the beginning of an attack.

Analgin and other conventional painkillers do not relieve headaches or only slightly dull them. Mustard plaster on the neck, sleeping pills (30-50 drops of Valocardine), head massage and washing in very hot water in the shower improve well-being. In any case, in case of paroxysmal and severe headaches, the patient should be examined by a neurologist and fully examined, since a headache can be a manifestation of a serious illness (see Headache).

Myelitis. Inflammation of the spinal cord.

Symptoms and course. It is possible to develop an inflammatory reaction to an infection specific to the nervous system: influenza, syphilis, measles, rubella, rheumatism or tuberculosis. The infection can enter the spinal cord from a purulent lesion already present in the body (see Brain abscess). Characterized by fever, weakness, malaise, sweating, pain in the back and spine, more often in the legs, then weakness in the legs quickly develops up to complete absence movements, urinary disorders such as incontinence or acute urinary retention. It is impossible to recognize myelitis at home; for an accurate diagnosis it is necessary lumbar puncture V inpatient conditions(with myelitis, the protein and cellular content in the cerebrospinal fluid increases).

Treatment. If weakness develops in the arms and (or) legs after suffering or against the background of fever, the patient should be urgently admitted to the neurological department, where they will undergo comprehensive treatment: antibiotics, vitamin therapy, prevention of bedsores, restorative treatment - massage, physical therapy, physical therapy.

The prognosis depends on the pathogen and the degree of development of the disease, but even under favorable circumstances it is always serious.

Myopathy. The name of a group of diseases characterized by slowly progressive weight loss (muscle atrophy).

Symptoms and course. Muscle atrophy leads to a decrease in strength and range of motion, consequently, to paralysis and paresis. Various combinations atrophies of the muscles of the face, limbs, shoulder or pelvic girdles and eye muscles are named by different authors.

The main thing is that these diseases are hereditary, and therefore often occur in varying degrees of severity among members of the same family. Progresses slowly, so patients long time able to work.

Recognition. In advanced stages with pronounced atrophies, it is not difficult. In the initial stages, a comprehensive examination of the whole family, electrodiagnostics of nerves and muscles (electromyography) is necessary. The examination is outpatient.

There is no specific treatment: vitamin therapy, massage, exercise therapy (physical therapy), electrical stimulation and other physical therapy are performed.

The prognosis is usually favorable for life, but for work and recovery is questionable.

Neuralgia. A number of diseases characterized by the development of attacks of severe pain, which are accompanied by a pronounced emotional reaction, as well as a large number of vegetative manifestations (cold skin, sweating, marbling, etc.). Neuralgia is a big problem for a neurologist, as it is difficult to treat. Of the most common, we note neuralgia of the trigeminal, occipital, and intercostal nerves.

Trigeminal neuralgia is characterized by severe attacks of pain in the face. When the first branch is affected, there is pain in the forehead, nose, and eye. With neuralgia of the second pair - pain in the upper jaw, upper teeth, nostril. With neuralgia of the third pair - pain in lower jaw, lower teeth. Often there is a combination of pathology in 1-2 and even 3 branches at the same time. The pain during neuralgia is unbearable, often compared to an electric shock, patients scream during an attack, they involuntarily shed tears, mucus comes out of the nose, and saliva comes out of the mouth. The skin on the face becomes pale, then turns red.

Sometimes a person even loses consciousness from pain. An attack can be triggered by food, touching the skin, or speech.

Occipital neuralgia is characterized by pain in the back of the head. They are of a knocking, aching nature, gradually spreading anteriorly over the surface of the head, and radiating from the back of the head to the temple and eye.

The pain intensifies when turning the head, when palpating the neck, sneezing and coughing, and often causes nausea and vomiting.

Intercostal neuralgia is accompanied by pain along the intercostal space, usually one, but the 2nd and 3rd intercostal spaces may be affected. The pain is constant, aching character. They intensify with walking, breathing, turning the body, palpation of the ribs and intercostal spaces.

Recognition. It is based on an accurate collection of complaints, description of pain and examination, so only a doctor can accurately determine neuralgia.

Treatment. It depends on the nature of neuralgia, but the treatment complex always includes decongestant therapy (diuretics), nicotinic acid products, vitamins, physiotherapy, especially electrotherapy.

The prognosis for recovery is unfavorable.

Neuritis. An old name meaning inflammation of a nerve. However, the name neuropathy is now accepted, since most lesions peripheral nerves are non-inflammatory in nature. The most common neuropathy of the facial, radial nerve, and small tibial nerve.

Symptoms and course. Neuropathy of the facial nerve is 70% of vascular nature.

Occurs after hypothermia, the peak incidence occurs in September and March, i.e. when the winds start in the off-season, and people walk around without hats and scarves, in light jackets, returning from their dachas, sleeping in trains near open windows. The facial nerve leaves the cranial cavity in the area behind the ear; hypothermia leads to spasm of the vessels supplying the nerve. Poor nutrition leads to swelling and jamming of the nerve in the walls of the bone canal. Jamming further deteriorates the supply of the nerve - the circle closes. The patient, getting up in the morning, while trying to brush his teeth, suddenly notices that water is flowing out of the corner of his mouth, while eating breakfast, he is surprised that food constantly gets between the cheek and teeth, preventing him from chewing food, and behind the ear there is an aching, constant, mild pain. Approaching the mirror, he sees that his face is immobilized on one side, and his mouth is pulled to the opposite (healthy) side. The eye on the affected side does not close, the forehead does not wrinkle, and when teeth are bared, the corner of the mouth is motionless. Sensitivity on the face (when tingling with a needle) remains.

Treatment is carried out only in a hospital, where further examination is required, because a similar picture can be caused by inflammation of the inner ear, acoustic neuroma, multiple sclerosis, brain tumor, stroke in the brain stem, diabetes mellitus. The sooner the patient consults a doctor, the greater the chance of success. 3-4 days without treatment and the face will remain motionless forever. Apply dry heat, aspirin, nicotinic acid, chimes, hormones, adhesive traction, electrical stimulation, acupuncture. If neuropathy of the facial nerve is a manifestation of another disease, the cause is treated first, but at the same time all measures to restore the nerve are carried out so as not to waste time.

With radial nerve neuropathy, the patient notes that he cannot straighten his fingers and raise his hand upward, while clenching it well into a fist. He cannot fold his hands with his palms, clap, put his hand on the table, and cannot tap his fingers on it. Most often, such disorders occur after drinking alcohol the night before and having an uncomfortable night's sleep. For example, if the patient sleeps without a pillow, placing his arm under him, or the spouse sleeps on his shoulder at night. This is why this radial nerve palsy is called “garden bench palsy” or “honeymoon palsy.”

With neuropathy of the small tibial nerve, the patient develops a “drop foot” - such a patient cannot stand on his heels and cannot put on slippers on his own. When walking, he stumbles on level ground; his gait is also unusual: the person tries to lift or throw his leg forward and upward so that the foot does not cling to the floor. This disorder occurs after severe radiculitis, hypothermia of the legs, allergic reaction(bee sting), in case of poisoning with chemicals (alcohol, household insect control agents), atherosclerosis of the vessels of the lower extremities, diabetes mellitus, prolonged forced sitting, especially cross-legged. Treatment is the same as for facial and radial neuropathy. The prognosis for all neuropathies with treatment is favorable.

Neurorheumatism. Rheumatic lesion nervous system. Rheumatic disease, which most often occurs with damage to the joints and heart, can also affect the nervous system, both peripheral (nerves) and central (brain). When peripheral nerves are damaged, disorders characteristic of neuritis or neuropathy occur. If the brain is damaged, rheumatic meningitis or encephalitis may develop. The latter is the most common form of neurorheumatism, occurring mainly in children.

Symptoms and course. A child who has had a sore throat becomes lethargic, irritable, tearful, and quickly gets tired after 2-2.5 weeks. Schoolchildren's handwriting changes dramatically (it becomes angular, jumping, and unstable). Frequent blinking eye movements appear; all facial muscles are often involved in such blinking. Such manifestations are called minor chorea (chore dance). If minor chorea is suspected, the child should be carefully and comprehensively examined, especially for rheumatism.

Recognition. The diagnosis is clear in the presence of inflammatory signs of the heart and joints, characteristic hyperkinetic movements and rheumatic changes in the blood.

Treatment is only inpatient. Antibiotics, hormones, exercise therapy (physical therapy), and massage are used. The prognosis is better than with other forms of rheumatism. Observation by a rheumatologist and neurologist at the place of residence is necessary, and bicilinoprophylaxis is mandatory.

Neurosyphilis. Specific damage to the nervous system in syphilis. There are early (in the first 5 years after infection) and late (more than 5 years after infection).

Early neurosyphilis. Syphilitic meningitis (see Meningitis) is often accompanied by damage to the auditory nerve (deafness and dizziness), optic nerve (decreased vision) and oculomotor nerves (strabismus, double vision). Seizures may also occur with massive brain damage (myelitis and encephalitis), and paralysis and paresis are possible (decreased and absent strength and range of motion in the limbs).

Late neurosyphilis now practically does not occur. Tabes dorsalis, progressive paralysis or gumma cerebri develop. Tabes dorsalis is manifested by shooting pains in the chest, abdomen, limbs, which may resemble pain in acute abdomen, poisoning, volvulus, and so on. The gait is very characteristic, the patient spreads his legs wide and hits the ground with them, as he does not feel the support well ("stamping gait"). Patients cannot walk at all with their eyes closed or in the dark; having a stick in their hand greatly helps such patients. With progressive paralysis, the main manifestations are changes in the psyche; patients can speak nonsense and vulgarity in an uninviting environment, laugh loudly, gesticulate animatedly, attribute to themselves heroic merits and fantastic deeds, that they are three times Heroes Soviet Union, were on the moon and the like. Epileptiform seizures may occur periodically. Typically, such patients do not have a reaction (constriction) of the pupils to light.

Brain gumma is almost identical in its course to a brain tumor (see Brain tumor). All manifestations of neurosyphilis are characterized by changes in the blood (positive Wasserman test, etc.).

Treatment is in a psychiatric clinic or a skin and venereal disease clinic at the place of residence. The prognosis for early syphilis is favorable, for late syphilis it is favorable in terms of recovery, and in terms of mental health, the process is usually irreversible.

Fainting and fainting-like conditions. Loss of consciousness is called syncope and translated from Greek means “sudden fall,” since most often when a person loses consciousness, he falls.

Despite the variety of causes, the mechanism for the development of fainting is the same - this is a short-term stop of blood flow in the body and this creates a situation of starvation of the brain, which does not have enough oxygen, glucose, or both at the same time to supply the blood.

Symptoms and course. The most typical is simple fainting caused by stuffiness, stale, oxygen-poor air, and body compression in transport. It also happens with an annoying cough (pneumonia, bronchitis, whooping cough), when it is not possible to take a breath of life-giving air in time. An everyday case of fainting due to lack of glucose: a person, rushing to work, did not have breakfast, and there are production worries, worries, during which the brain intensively consumes glucose from the blood, and there is no reserve in the body.

No less common are the options for “turning off” consciousness when there is a sharp drop in cerebral blood flow, when the head is strongly turned or thrown back, thereby squeezing the vertebral arteries. Fainting can be caused by heart disease, heart rhythm disturbances (heart attack, paroxysmal tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, complete atrioventricular block). It is possible that the heart is functioning normally, but the vessels of the head are sclerotic and do not allow enough blood to pass through. normal operation brain There are syncope conditions associated with irritation of the vagus nerve (vagus), which innervates all organs of the abdominal and thoracic cavity. Such fainting usually occurs at night after urinating or defecating, often directly in the toilet. This happens because after urinating internal organs are displaced, an outflow of blood occurs in them and the vagus, overirritated by this, weakens the work of the heart - all this leads to a decrease in blood flow to the brain. The vagus is also irritated when consuming large amounts of food or liquid (overstretched stomach).

In the neck, where the carotid artery divides into the internal and external, there is a nerve formation called the carotid sinus. Fainting caused by carotid sinus hypersensitivity can occur from wearing a tight tie, a tight scarf, or even just a stiff collar. Emotionogenic fainting is also distinguished when severe pain, stress, and even when remembering a past fainting spell.

Recognition. Sometimes even a specialist can find it difficult to distinguish between fainting and a seizure. Unlike an epileptic seizure, fainting develops progressively: consciousness becomes clouded, a movement of a hot or cold wave appears from bottom to top, at this time the patient tries to grab onto surrounding objects and sit down. During an epileptic seizure, consciousness is lost immediately, the patient falls as if knocked down, then convulsions begin, there is often loss of urine, biting of the tongue, breathing is noisy, rapid, saliva foams and comes out of the mouth.

First aid. It is necessary to determine whether consciousness has been lost; for this, the patient needs to call out loudly, pat his cheeks, look at the wide or narrow pupils, whether they react to light. This information will also be necessary for a doctor at a clinic or ambulance. Simple fainting does not require treatment, but during it the patient may vomit, and if he falls, he may break his dentures. Fragments of dentures and food can get into the trachea, bronchi and then the person will die from suffocation. Therefore, it is necessary to turn him on his side, remove dentures from his mouth, remove vomit, and apply a cotton swab with a solution of ammonia to his nose.

If consciousness is not restored after 5-7 minutes, and especially if the patient hits his head, urgent hospitalization is necessary. When syncope occurs for the first time in life, an examination by a neurologist and electroencephalography (EEG) is required.

A brain tumor. Like tumors of any other organ, they can be local, i.e. grow from brain tissue, its membranes, vessels and nerves, but can also be metastatic, i.e. carried with the blood or lymph flow (see Brain abscess). The brain is located in a strong, inextensible and indestructible cranium. On the one hand, the skull is an impregnable fortress that protects the brain in every possible way, and on the other hand, it is a cramped cage in which even the brain is cramped: nerves, veins, arteries, meninges, the cerebellum and the brain itself hardly fit. Therefore, a tumor, even if it is benign, behaves like a malignant one in a confined space. As it grows, it grows or compresses or pushes apart the brain tissue (control centers or information conductors). In this regard, there is a loss of movement in certain parts of the body and sensitivity disorders in them.

Symptoms and course. The first and most common symptom tumor is a headache. It happens more often in the morning, because water accumulates in the brain tissue overnight: after all, the tumor grows faster than any other tissue and releases more waste products, and the veins affected by toxins are not able to cope with the blood flowing from the cranial cavity - blood stagnation begins and then swelling. During the day, when the body is in an upright position, the outflow from the cranial cavity improves, the headache goes away for a while, but in the morning everything happens again. After some time, the headache becomes constant, drowsiness and mental disorders appear, memory impairment, and orientation disorder: the patient does not know where he lives, what objects are called, and does not recognize loved ones. Further, paralysis and sensitivity disorders are added to these manifestations.

Recognition is difficult in the initial period of the disease, when the tumor is still small and precisely when neurosurgical care is most effective. Therefore, it is very important that such a simple technique as echoencephalography becomes widely available, with the help of which one can suspect, by finding a displacement of the midline structures, the presence of a brain tumor.

The final diagnosis is made by computed tomography or nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, which provide almost 100% accurate results.

Treatment is only surgical. The prognosis depends on the degree of malignancy of the tumor, its size, and location.

Osteochondrosis(a compound word consisting of two Latin roots: “osteo” - bone and “chondros” - cartilage). The process of degeneration, aging, degradation of cartilage tissue and its transformation into something like bone. In order to understand the problem of osteochondrosis, you need to imagine the structure of the spine: it consists of 35 vertebrae, which are placed one above the other in a column, forming spinal column. Between the vertebrae there are “spacers” - cartilaginous discs consisting of a rigid multi-layered ring and a liquid nucleus pulposus in the center. The disc acts as a shock absorber and lubricant during the movement of the vertebrae. The structure of the spine of all animals is almost the same, but only humans walk upright, and therefore the load on their vertebrae is unevenly distributed. Moreover, there are two of them: static (power without movement) and dynamic (load with movement). The lower back is the most susceptible to static loads, therefore the vertebrae are the most powerful there and they rest on a formation of 5 vertebrae fused into a single whole - the sacrum. The smallest and most mobile (maximum dynamic load) are the cervical vertebrae. A huge number of small and large muscles connect the vertebrae with each other, with the ribs and other parts of the body.

Symptoms and course. Changes characteristic of osteochondrosis can be found in any person over 20 years of age who does not take care of their health. By this age, changes occur in the spine of untrained people, which subsequently lead to the fact that the nucleus pulposus becomes denser, the fibrous ring becomes less strong, and the weight of the body, gradually compressing the disc, reduces the distance between the vertebrae. This creates completely unwanted contact between the disc and the nerve roots extending from the spinal cord. The disc itself is well innervated and changes in it also cause constant aching pain in one or another part of the spine. The most common manifestations of osteochondrosis are pain, then sensitivity disorders - numbness, crawling and muscle atrophy with pronounced weight loss of the limbs. There are three main localizations of pain: a) in the cervical region - cervical radiculitis; b) in the chest - chest; c) in the lumbosacral region - lumbosacral radiculitis.

The most common pain is lower back pain. There is lumbago, or lumbago; lumbodynia - long-term pain only in the lower back; lumbar ischialgia - pain in the lower back radiating to the leg. Rarely, ischalgia is pain in the leg, mainly during recovery. Pain in the thoracic and cervical regions is approximately also characterized: thoracalgia - in the chest, cervicalgia - in the neck, cervicobrachialgia - with radiation to the arm, etc. Pain occurs with sudden movement, heavy lifting, colds, sneezing, coughing, stress. The essence of the pain mechanism is as follows: injury to a nerve root or disc causes a reflex spasm of the muscles and arterioles around the damaged area, muscle tension reduces venous outflow, which leads to stagnation and swelling of the root, its nutrition deteriorates, it becomes thicker and becomes wedged in the narrow space of the intervertebral foramen, the pain becomes unbearable.

Professional sports leads to stretching of muscles and ligaments, building up muscle mass, which increases the load on the spine and “looses” its segments: vertebra-disc-vertebra. After a person quits sports, microtraumas of the spine begin to affect them and osteochondrosis develops, as a rule, faster and more severely than in people who have never played sports.

First aid for acute radiculitis. First of all, you need to lie on your back on a hard board (on the floor). Place your legs, bent at the knees and hip joints, on a raised platform (box, kitchen stool, etc.) so that your shins are parallel to this raised platform. By gradually changing the position (moving the stand closer or further), you achieve the least pain. At the same time, take a strong diuretic (furosemide - 2 tablets), any analgesic (it is better to inject the cocktail intramuscularly: baralgin - 5.0 ml, analgin - 4.0 ml, nicotinic acid - 4 ml), any drug that improves microcirculation (nicotinic acid, xanthinol nicotinate). You can put mustard plasters on the lower back, apply burning rubs (do not burn the skin!). For pain in the neck and chest, tightly tying a thick cloth around the affected area helps a lot. But the main thing that you should not do is to heat the sore spot with an iron or in a hot bath, since a temporary improvement will certainly be followed by a long-term deterioration. The deep heating of tissues achieved by such measures disrupts the activity of the veins, their tone decreases (therefore, the outflow is disrupted, but the blood flow increases), which generally leads to the most rapid swelling of the nerve root. Often, especially women over 40 years old, they are bothered by coldness of their hands, their numbness at night during the day (difficulty carrying bags). These are manifestations of cervical osteochondrosis: the nerves innervating the neck, shoulders and arms come from the same cervical segments, and when the roots suffer, numbness and pain occur in the neck and arms, and a crawling sensation. With such manifestations, nicotinic acid in large doses (up to 5 ml intravenously) in combination with massage and physiotherapy helps best. Osteochondrosis can also damage blood vessels, vertebral arteries, and the artery of Adamkiewicz, which supplies blood to the lower parts of the spinal cord (see Headache and Dizziness).

Treatment. When an attack occurs for the first time, you must immediately call your local doctor, or better yet, an ambulance, since radiculitis can also be hidden under the guise of radiculitis. renal colic and ectopic pregnancy and many other diseases that can be difficult for an experienced doctor to distinguish. Treatment of osteochondrosis should be comprehensive, including vitamin therapy, drugs that improve blood circulation, analgesics, drugs that reduce muscle tone, physiotherapy and exercise therapy (physical therapy). The main thing is to avoid exacerbations and engage in prevention, the best thing is swimming in the pool. Many years of research have proven that in fish and marine animals there are no changes in the spine similar to osteochondrosis.

The prognosis for recovery from osteochondrosis is questionable, but the manifestations of the disease can be nullified if you do morning exercises every day (hard work in the weightlifter’s belt), and avoid hypothermia of the lower back and neck, especially in the off-season, in the wind or draft.

Acute cerebrovascular accident(stroke, apoplexy).

An acute disease of the brain caused by blockage (ischemia) or rupture (bleeding - hemorrhage) of a vessel supplying part of the brain, or bleeding into the membranes of the brain. Thus, two types of stroke are distinguished: hemorrhagic type (vessel rupture and hemorrhage) and ischemic type (vessel blockage). Most often, stroke, both hemorrhagic and ischemic, develops against the background of hypertension, heart disease (atrial fibrillation, defects, paroxysmal tachycardia), heart failure, and cerebral atherosclerosis.

In ischemic stroke, the cause of blockage is most often: pieces coming off from atherosclerotic plaques in large vessels of the neck or thrombotic deposits on the heart valves; blood clots that form on large plaques in areas of vasoconstriction, vascular spasms for a long time.

In a hemorrhagic stroke, a vessel ruptures when there is high blood pressure, since the artery wall is unevenly thinned due to atherosclerosis.

High-pressure blood pushes brain tissue apart and fills the resulting cavity, causing a blood tumor or intracerebral hematoma. Or hemorrhage occurs when a saccular formation on the wall of a vessel ruptures, which is called an aneurysm; such hemorrhage most often occurs in the lining of the brain and is called subarachnoid (SAH). This type of hemorrhage most often occurs before age 40. Suddenly there is a feeling of a blow to the head (sometimes it is compared to a blow from a dagger to the head), severe headache (at the same time the person screams in pain and then loses consciousness), there may be convulsions, but consciousness is usually restored. The patient is drowsy, lethargic, groans in pain, holds his head with his hands, frequent vomiting and nausea. But, unlike hemorrhage with the formation of a cerebral hematoma, such a patient does not have paralysis. However, an ischemic stroke is more insidious than a hemorrhagic stroke; sometimes its signs are unclear, increase gradually or “flicker”.

With a hemorrhagic stroke in the cerebral hemisphere with the formation of an intracerebral hematoma, the manifestations are violent: against the background of a hypertensive crisis, a headache occurs or significantly intensifies, often in one half of the head, then the patient loses consciousness, the face becomes bluish or red, breathing is hoarse, and frequent vomiting occurs. . After some time, a convulsive attack may develop with a predominant spasm on one half of the body, the pupil on the side of the stroke dilates. If the patient regains consciousness, then his limbs are paralyzed; if on the right, then speech disturbances are noted (see aphasia); if on the left, then the patient has pronounced mental deviations (does not know how old he is, where he is, does not recognize his loved ones, considers himself completely healthy, etc.).

Rigidity of the muscles of the back of the head is always observed: it is impossible to bend the head forward so that the chin touches the chest (due to severe tension in the neck muscles) and rigidity of the leg muscles: it is impossible to lift a straight leg by the heel (also due to severe tension in the leg muscles) - signs of irritation with blood meninges, so-called meningeal syndrome. With a hemorrhagic stroke in the brain stem, patients do not live for more than 2 days and die without regaining consciousness. With subarachnoid hemorrhage from an aneurysm, the catastrophe most often occurs after physical activity: lifting weights, trying to break a stick over the knee, nervous stress, accompanied by a short-term rise in blood pressure.

Transient cerebrovascular accidents (TCI) are the most insidious. Depending on the side and location of the brain lesion, weakness occurs in the arm or arm and leg on one side, often accompanied by speech disorders - “porridge in the mouth” or “verbal hash” (see aphasia), sometimes blindness develops in half the visual field or complete. These phenomena disappear after a few minutes or less often hours, but during the day they can be repeated more than once. An emergency doctor who arrives to a call can see a “healthy person”, although 10-15 minutes ago the patient could not say a word or move his hand. At this time, the relatives calmed down and the doctor is not particularly worried, the patient remains at home, and in the morning wakes up with total aphasia and half paralyzed. The presence of PNMK is a 100% indication for emergency hospitalization, since a transient cerebrovascular accident is not a completed stroke, which will happen sooner or later, and it is necessary to use this signal to eliminate its causes.

Recognizing an acute cerebrovascular accident is not difficult when there are severe paralysis, disorders of consciousness and speech, it is more difficult with transient disorders, but there should be one tactic - hospitalization by ambulance, if the patient is not very old and not in a coma.

First aid. First of all, the patient must be placed comfortably on the bed, clothes that impede breathing must be unbuttoned, and a sufficient flow of fresh air must be provided. Remove dentures and vomit from the mouth.

The head and shoulders should lie on a pillow to prevent flexion of the neck and deterioration of blood flow through the vertebral arteries. When a brain catastrophe develops, the most expensive are the first minutes and hours of illness; it is at this time that medical care can be most effective.

The patient is always transportable lying down, only if it is not a stage 3 coma. Patients rarely die directly from a stroke; most often it is accompanied by pneumonia and bedsores, which requires constant care, turning from side to side, changing wet underwear, feeding, bowel cleansing, and vibration massage of the chest. Treatment includes a course of vascular therapy, the use of drugs that improve brain metabolism, oxygen therapy, restorative treatment or rehabilitation (physical therapy, physiotherapy, massage).

Parkinsonism (Parkinson's disease). Shaking palsy is a slowly progressive hereditary degenerative disease.

Symptoms and course. The disease is characterized by muscle rigidity (stiffness, stiffness), inactivity of the patient in general (a frozen sitting posture - “stone man”, a standing “petitioner” pose - arms bent at the elbows, a stooped back, a bowed head, legs slightly bent at the knees) and tremor , i.e. trembling of the arms, legs, head (swaying like “yes-yes” or “no-no”). Frequent - greasy skin, attacks of abdominal pain, drowsiness, fear, palpitations - autonomic disorders. The disease begins with trembling of the hands, it intensifies at rest and weakens when performing certain actions, but then it becomes constant and begins to interfere with the patient. He feels that when walking he cannot overtake the person in front of him, as pronounced stiffness appears when he wants to speed up his pace. The gait gradually becomes mincing and shuffling, and a “petitioner” pose develops. When sitting, nodding movements of the head appear and stiffness increases. Since most often the manifestations of the disease begin in old age, relatives (and the patient himself) try to free him from doing any work and give him the opportunity to lie down more. Old neurologists wrote that “bed is the enemy of Parkinson’s!” If a patient with parkinsonism becomes ill, then after 1-2 years he dies from pneumonia, infection and urinary tract or heart failure.

Treatment. There are many antiparkinsonian drugs (APDs), but almost all of them have many contraindications for various diseases, which are always abundant in old age. Therefore, PPP can only be used strictly under the supervision of a doctor and as prescribed. A patient constantly taking TPN should be examined by a neurologist at least once every 2 weeks. But the main means of combating parkinsonism is activity; the patient himself and his relatives must understand this.

You need to move as much as possible: be sure to assign him some simple tasks related to movement, make him do exercises in the morning and evening. When placed in a hospital - physical therapy, massage, electrical muscle stimulation. In addition to medications, the complex of therapeutic agents must include biological stimulants: Eleugerococcus, Chinese Schisandra.

The prognosis for treatment is favorable for life, but for recovery it is doubtful.

Polyneuritis(a complex word consisting of 2 Latin roots: poly - many, neuritis - inflammation of the nerve). Thus, polyneuritis is a group of diseases leading to the development of multiple inflammatory changes in the peripheral and cranial nerves. The name polyneuritis is not entirely correct, since often no inflammatory changes are found in the nerves, and now the term polyneuropathy is more accepted. The causes of polyneuropathy are different. This could be alcoholism, diabetes mellitus, liver disease, kidney disease, poisoning with mercury salts, lead, copper and other heavy metals, vapors of organic solvents, varnishes, etc. PSP can also develop in the case of cancer.

Symptoms and course. All polyneuritis, regardless of nature, is characterized by pain along the nerves, a crawling sensation in the hands and feet, and numbness in them. The hands and feet are damp to the touch and feel chilly. The above manifestations are accompanied by weakness in the arms and legs.

Treatment is specific, depends on the cause of the disease, and begins with the cessation of exposure to the harmful factor. But vitamin therapy, massage, therapeutic exercise and physiotherapy (restorative procedures) are always carried out, which constitute the so-called nonspecific treatment. The main thing is that polyneuropathies can recur with repeated contact with harmful substances, especially with alcohol and organic toxic substances. Relapses are more severe.

Polio. Acute viral inflammatory disease, at which in gray matter the spinal cord, the cell bodies that control movement die. The virus spreads through food, water, contact, and air.

Symptoms and course. The onset of the disease is similar to the flu, often accompanied by diarrhea. Within 2 weeks the disease subsides, leaving weakness, sweating, and fatigue. Later, paralysis and paresis occur in the limbs, often in the legs. Then the movements are somewhat restored, and the muscles partially atrophy. At the first suspicion of polio, the patient should be immediately taken to an infectious diseases hospital, as he poses a danger to others.

In addition, the phenomena of paralysis, more or less, always regress. In addition, pneumonia, urinary tract infection, etc. may occur, from which such patients often die.

Treatment. Since there is no specific treatment, prevention with a live vaccine is most important. Residual effects after polio are treated mainly in sanatorium-resort institutions (massage, exercise therapy, physiotherapy). The prognosis depends on the severity of the disease. Most often, the disease ends in disability.

Post-vaccination lesions of the nervous system. After humanity discovered vaccines and serums, millions of people who previously died from plague, smallpox, tularemia, rabies and other infectious diseases were saved. But it was unexpectedly discovered that in some people vaccinations cause diseases similar to meningitis and encephalitis in certain ratios: after the rabies vaccine 1:28,000 people, against smallpox 1:10,000,000. It turned out that these complications are not related to the vaccines themselves, but to their purification and the high sensitivity of certain people. With the introduction of fine chemical and biological technology, such complications have become even rarer. It was also noted that reactions to the administration of serums and vaccines are especially frequent in weakened and highly allergic children. It is not recommended for them to be vaccinated. But in no case should you avoid vaccinations without compelling medical contraindications.

Post-traumatic lesions of the nervous system can be divided into two large groups: lesions of the peripheral nervous system (nerves) and lesions of the brain and spinal cord.

In case of traumatic nerve damage (nerve break complete, partial, concussion, compression) nerve impulses cease to flow to the muscles, paralysis and paresis of the muscles innervated by this nerve occur. Impulses also stop flowing to the brain: sensitivity disorders appear in the area of ​​the nerve that was damaged. By comparing the healthy and diseased sides, you can accurately determine which nerve is damaged. When a nerve is completely damaged, anesthesia (insensitivity) occurs in the area of ​​its innervation. Since most nerves are mixed, that is, they carry motor, sensory, and autonomic fibers, in addition to disorders of sensitivity and movement, nutrition is also disrupted (the skin here is colder, paler, sometimes moist and spotted - “marbled”). After some time, the nerve functions are restored. If his break was partial or did not exist at all, i.e. If the nerve damage was caused by impaired blood circulation in it due to compression, then recovery can be complete.

When a nerve is interrupted, recovery occurs slowly, as it is associated with the germination of new nerve processes along the old dead nerve. With injury to nerves rich in autonomic fibers (trigeminal on the face, sublingual, median on the arm and sciatic on the leg), the development of neuralgia (see), causalgia and phantom pain is possible. For the development of causalgia (excruciating, burning pain that leads patients to suicide), two conditions are necessary: ​​the nerve break must be incomplete or the loss of a limb below the site of injury is required, and the injury must occur in stressful situation. In other words, if a limb is amputated in peacetime, for medical reasons, then causalgia will not develop, but if it is a traumatic amputation in battle, then causalgia is possible and frequent.

After suffering a concussion, cerebral contusion in patients with pathocharacterological personality traits or simply in people with a weak nervous system, or if after the injury or at the time of receiving it a person experiences nervous shock or a severe somatic illness, then cerebrovascular syndrome may develop . Patients complain of weakness, headache, dizziness, sweating, fatigue, bad memory, touchiness, tearfulness, irritability, incontinence, etc. Usually such patients are diagnosed with arachnoiditis at the clinic, a little later they are given disability and the patient is released with the knowledge that he is completely incurable. As a result, after 1-1.5 years, the consequence of prolonged visits to doctors is severe asthenic neurosis and disability due to a general disease. And this diagnosis can no longer be removed, since the patient himself no longer wants it. This is why it is so important to treat any acute brain injury to maintain ability to work (see Brain Injuries).

Treatment of post-traumatic lesions of the nervous system is always individual, must be comprehensive and must include psychotherapy and sanatorium treatment. The prognosis depends on the severity of the injury and the level of personality development at the time of the injury.

Multiple sclerosis(PC). With this illness in the head and spinal cord tissue similar to scars is formed - areas of sclerosis.

And since there are a large number of such areas, the disease is called multiple sclerosis. Multiple sclerosis affects a person at a prime age: 20-40 years. The disease is serious (currently incurable) and very insidious: it can arise gradually, for no apparent reason.

Having appeared once, sometimes it will subside for several years, only to then unfold in all its terrible power. It is believed that the cause of the onset of the disease is the parainfluenza virus.

But PC does not affect everyone who has had parainfluenza, but selectively, with a particularly tuned hereditary apparatus.

If you shade the countries on the globe where PC is most often found, then the Baltics, England, Belarus, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland, as well as our northwestern regions, will be densely shaded. Interestingly, in America these are certain zones. where descendants of immigrants from the Baltic and Scandinavian countries live. Apparently, even in ancient times, a gene pool was formed that was sensitive to the parainfluenza virus, and when it encountered this agent, the body produced substances that were aggressive to its own nervous system: they affect the conductors of motor neurons, cerebellar neurons, optic nerves, therefore paralysis, ataxia (see), visual impairments develop up to complete blindness. Often patients appear unexpectedly, and upon detailed questioning, after fever, steam room, severe physical work, a cold - there is a veil before the eyes or one eye, the tongue suddenly stops obeying or the limbs do not obey its will.

Then, within 1-2 days, all phenomena disappear, and often the person does not even remember this episode. After a few years, such phenomena may recur, but they never disappear completely. Unsteadiness appears when walking, scanned speech (see Stuttering).

Patients cannot care for themselves, and most often die from immobility, exhaustion and pneumonia.

Recognition is extremely difficult, especially in initial stage, but the most striking symptom of multiple sclerosis is its volatility. Over the course of 1-2 days, weakness in the arm may appear and disappear 2-3 times. Visual impairment noted in the morning disappears completely by evening. Helps in diagnosis in detail collected history diseases, examination by an ophthalmologist and neurologist.

Treatment. Courses of therapy 2 times a year, in spring and autumn. If weakness in the legs or arms increases over the course of several days, visual impairment occurs, etc., then this indicates a severe exacerbation, and this form of the disease requires the use of hormones. A patient with multiple sclerosis should be treated by one doctor, since only one doctor who constantly monitors the patient will be able to monitor the changes in this very multifaceted disease. Treatment is prescribed strictly individually. The prognosis is always unfavorable.

Syringomyelia. A severe congenital disease of the brain and spinal cord, caused by the formation of cavities in the spinal cord, often associated with the normally existing central canal.

Symptoms and course. The main manifestations of the disease are sensitivity disorders. Patients complain that they do not feel pain, cannot determine whether an object is hot or cold, so their hands are often burned; patients often damage them when cutting bread, sewing, etc. The disease progresses slowly and is worsened by colds, injuries, and heavy physical labor.

Recognition is difficult in the initial stage; with pronounced manifestations of the disease, a neurologist can easily diagnose uncharacteristic changes in sensitivity such as “half-jacket” or “jacket” (the patient does not feel injections on half the chest, back and arm).

Treatment. There is nothing specific, the patient needs observation by a neurologist, courses of vitamin therapy and physiotherapy 23 times a year. The prognosis for life is favorable, but for recovery it is doubtful.

Brain injuries. Mechanical damage to the brain resulting from a blow to the head or head.

Symptoms and course. Brain injuries include those in which consciousness is lost. Old authors wrote that concussion begins where consciousness ends. But a concussion is the mildest brain injury. A more severe injury is brain contusion. After losing consciousness (and it is sure to be lost, even if only for a few seconds), the patient comes to his senses and may not remember either the moment of the injury, or even what happened immediately before the blow. Usually, after a few minutes, patients complain of nausea, headache, and later vomiting occurs, which does not bring relief.

Recognition. If a patient lost consciousness after a head injury, had a headache, nausea, and even more so vomiting, then with a high degree of probability it can be considered that he suffered a concussion. However, behind the mask of a simple concussion, a more serious lesion may be hidden: a fracture of the base of the skull, a slowly growing hematoma (blood tumor).

Treatment. When a diagnosis of “concussion” is made, the patient must be hospitalized for examination and to rule out a more serious disease. With a mild concussion, it can be treated at home, with a moderate and severe concussion the patient must be on strict bed rest for at least 2-3 weeks and under the supervision of a doctor. It is necessary to treat even a mild concussion, since its consequences can be different (see Post-traumatic lesions of the nervous system).

Electrical injury- this is the effect on a person of electric current and voltage that exceeds the maximum parameters in value and duration. These include direct and alternating voltages of more than 36 volts and a current of more than 0.15 amperes. For example, the electrostatic charge accumulated by an artificial fur coat can reach 6000 Volts, but we will only shudder when we feel it, because the current value is very weak - thousandths of an ampere.

In addition to these parameters, the path of the current through the body is also taken into account: for example, if the current passed through both legs, a person may not even lose consciousness, but if through the left arm and right leg, then even with lower current values, death from cardiac arrest is possible. It is also dangerous for current to pass through the head and limbs when a bare wire falls from above (breakage of a contact or lighting network on the street). Alternating current has a greater destructive power for humans.

Symptoms and course. The main damaging effect of current is that it causes shock with loss of consciousness, cessation of breathing and cardiac activity. The second damaging effect is the heat generated when current passes through the body and causes burns and charring.

Recognition. If you suspect an electric shock, you must stop the impact in any way - turn off the voltage, throw away the exposed wire with a dry non-metallic object, or pull the patient away from the current-carrying object (by clothes!). If a person is lying on the ground, then you cannot approach him with wide steps (there may be a high step voltage between your legs), only shuffling and taking small steps.

If after an electric shock a person loses consciousness or his heart stops, resuscitation begins - artificial respiration, cardiac massage, they do everything to bring him to consciousness. The victim must be taken to the hospital by ambulance, since such patients may experience unexpected cardiac arrest even a day after the electrical injury. Electrical burns, as a rule, fester, so it is better to treat them in a purulent surgical department.

After regaining consciousness, the person affected by the current must be given an anesthetic, sedative or sleeping pill, have an ECG test, and check for other injuries, possibly received during an unconscious state.

Encephalitis. Inflammation of the brain can be primary or secondary. Encephalitis is of the same nature as meningitis (see), but is even more severe. They are most often caused by the penetration of a virus that is transmitted by a tick (taiga encephalitis) or a mosquito, which selectively infects human brain tissue. Secondary encephalitis, both diffuse and localized (see Brain abscess), most often occurs during purulent processes in the body.

Symptoms and course. Characterized by increasing headache, drowsiness, photophobia, convulsive seizures, paralysis and paresis of the limbs, delirium, agitation, nausea, vomiting, as a result of which coma develops and patients die.

Recognition and treatment - see Infectious diseases, Taiga encephalitis.

The consequences of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine often provoke the appearance of symptoms that are difficult to associate with it.

Long-term unsuccessful treatment is carried out for dizziness, groundless fears and anxieties, and their consequences - insomnia and depression.

Frequent futile appeals to neurologists, psychologists, and therapists.

Multiple examinations and tests. All this is the result of an underestimated complication of chronic disease of the vertebrae and intervertebral tissues.

The incidence of which is growing every year.

Causes of fears in cervical osteochondrosis

This is due to: sedentary work, low physical activity, high head position during sleep.

The main occupational hazard in most professions today is prolonged static head tilt.

An unhealthy diet, rich in fatty and spicy foods, takes its toll.

Alcohol and smoking abuse. Constant stress, accompanying life modern man.

The influence of spinal disease on the general condition of the body. Degenerative changes in the cervical vertebrae provoke a narrowing of the spinal canal.

As a result, compression occurs neurovascular bundle, consisting of the vertebral artery and the sympathetic nerve plexus.

Which leads to an “ischemic attack” of the brain. The consequences of vertebral dystrophy - osteophytes, with their sharp edges, cause a mechanical protective spasm of blood vessels and irritate Frank's sympathetic nerve.

With age-related atherosclerotic plaques on the inner wall of blood vessels, the influence of all external factors doubles in its negative impact.

Dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis

Dizziness is a manifestation of oxygen starvation and insufficient filling of the brain vessels with blood, impaired conduction of nerve fibers and reactive spasm of the vascular walls.

Dizziness often occurs in the morning, with a sharp tilt of the head forward or to the side.

Usually these movements are accompanied by a crunching sound in the neck. Accompanied by darkening and “floaters” in the eyes, increasing noise and pressure in the ears, spatial disorientation, reminiscent of a pre-fainting state.

This symptom complex may appear constantly or sporadically. Lasts moments or hours. Possibly aggravated condition – nausea and vomiting.

Often, uncontrollable and causeless hypertension, migraine pain, sweating and chills are observed. Often accompanies motion sickness syndrome.

Physiologically, dizziness accompanies various pathological syndromes:

• (cervical migraine, Barr-Lieu syndrome) – compression occurs at the level of C6-C2, where C is the designation cervical vertebra, from the Latin word cervicum. In addition to dizziness, a unilateral burning throbbing headache, from the back of the head to the eyebrow, is characteristic. Palpitations, pressure changes, visual and auditory interference, A separate feature is cervicobrachialgia (pain in the shoulder and arm).
• Vestibulo-stem syndrome - this syndrome is most often accompanied by nausea and vomiting when dizziness occurs. And also motion sickness in any type of transport.
• Cochlear-trunk syndrome is rare.
• Diencephalic syndrome is a special type of vegetative-vascular dystonia. When neck pain occurs, in addition to dizziness, mood swings, palpitations, chest tightness and essential hypertension are characteristic. Often such people experience cold wet hands and legs. This syndrome is accompanied by insomnia and depression.

Depression in cervical osteochondrosis

Depression is mental disorder, characterized by negative emotional parameters:

• indifference.
• pessimism.
• hypochondria.
• absent-mindedness.
• depression.
• low self-esteem.
• feelings of guilt and anxiety.
• decreased performance and concentration.
• emotional and motor retardation.

The course of the disease is relapsing. Accompanied by aching pain in the heart and stomach, dyspeptic symptoms, unstable appetite, and menstrual irregularities.

The lion's share of significance in the occurrence of depression in modern man lies in pathological changes in the spine.

Since, periodic chronic pain in the spine are a stress factor that accumulates fear and the negative expectation of this pain.

Social passivity and isolation due to poor health, inability to plan anything due to the spontaneous nature of the pain.

Constant debilitating tension from the feeling of one’s own ill health and lack of self-confidence.

In addition, all drugs for relieving pain attacks have side effects - high blood pressure, pain in the stomach and liver.

What does the body put into vicious circle. If therapy with steroid drugs and complex antihypertensive drugs is added, then drug-induced depression manifests itself.

Fatigue, insomnia, groundless anxiety and restlessness, pessimistic mood.

Severe dominant headaches in the back of the head, merging with pain in the neck.

In cases of advanced forms of cervical osteochondrosis, there is numbness in half of the neck, difficulty and a lump when swallowing.

Muscle weakness and paresthesia of the fingers on the affected side. The main and significant problem is insomnia, inability to fall asleep and frequent awakenings. Which in itself provokes a depressive state.

To confirm the diagnosis and determine the degree of narrowing of the spinal ring and the severity of the disorders, a comprehensive examination by key specialists is necessary: ​​a vertebroneurologist and a psychiatrist.

Special tests are carried out for emotional activity by a psychiatrist and the presence of pathological neurological reflexes.

Instrumental methods are:

• X-rays, computer or magnetic resonance imaging;
• Doppler of cerebral vessels.

Treatment of the disease

Treatment requires comprehensive treatment, despite the fact that the main cause of the pathological condition is spinal disease, it is important to eliminate the consequences.

Drug treatment must be carried out in courses and regularly:

1. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
2. Medicines to improve blood circulation in the brain.
3. Sedatives and antidepressants.
4. Analgesic antispasmodic drugs - trigan, spazgan, spasmalgon.
5. Antioxidants – ascorbic and nicotinic acid, retinol.
6. A course of general tonic and restorative drugs - intravenous drip.
7. Medicines that strengthen the vascular wall.
8. Current local impact ointments, gels, medicinal plasters.

Treatment of the cause of the disease:

1. Physiotherapeutic methods of treatment - UHF, laser, magnetic therapy.
2. Therapeutic massage of the collar area.
3. Physiotherapy.

Rehabilitation and prevention of complications

1. Diet – complete exclusion of strong tea and coffee, alcohol, fried and spicy foods. It is important to give preference to plant and dairy foods.
2. Strict prohibition of smoking and uncontrolled consumption of alcohol.
3. “Security mode” - it is advisable to avoid baths and saunas, long baths, stuffy rooms, sudden bends and turns of the head.
4. For a restful, sound sleep, it is necessary to exclude a high pillow - only an orthopedic mini-traverse. The room should always be ventilated and cool.
5. Visiting the pool - swimming is useful both for the rehabilitation of the spine and as a natural anti-stress factor.
6. Increased physical activity - various amateur sports: hiking, cycling and skiing, health paths, jogging.

Complications of the disease

If symptoms are ignored or treatment is not completed, over time, symptoms may increase and become more frequent, which often leads to severe irreversible complications:

• Ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes.
• Failure of the body's biorhythm provokes its accelerated aging.
• Long-term depression is accompanied by suicidal thoughts.
• Depression provokes an increase in the pain threshold and concentration on pain, even after its elimination, the “pain memory” haunts.
• The inability to stay in transport and among people, which leads to the development of various sociopathological conditions and phobias.