Vegetative-Vascular Dystonia (VVD) Treatment

Diagnosis of the disease

When diagnosing VVD complain of weakness, fatigue, irritability, disturbed normal sleep. Depending on the reaction of the cardiovascular system, there are 3 types of VVD: cardial, hypotonic, and hypertonic.

Cardiac type – complaints of frequent heartbeat, sometimes feeling of lack of air, may be marked changes in the heart rhythm (sinus tachycardia, severe respiratory arrhythmia).

Hypotonic type – fatigue, muscle weakness, headache (it is often provoked by hunger), chilliness of hands and feet, tendency to dizziness. The skin is usually pale, the hands are cold, palms are wet, there is a decrease in systolic blood pressure below 100 mm Hg.

Hypertension type – an increase in blood pressure, which in almost half of patients is not combined with a change in well-being; is characteristic and is first detected during a medical examination. On the fundus day, unlike hypertension, there are no changes. In some cases, complaints of headache, palpitation, general fatigue are possible. Tachycardia with slight physical activity, tendency to increase (hypertonic type) or decrease (hypotonic type) of arterial pressure, cold hands, feet. In addition, the “respiratory syndrome”, which is the feeling of shortness of breath, in the superficial breath. Hypertension type of vegetative-vascular dystonia is characterized by an increase in blood pressure to 140/90 – 170/95 mm Hg. and hypotonic type of vegetative-vascular dystonia – a decrease in blood pressure to 100/50 – 90/45 mm Hg. It is considered more correct examination of vegetative vascular dystonia not so much within the independent form of the disease, but as a syndrome. In such cases, the factors causing this disease must be disassembled in such a sequence: constitutional nature, endocrine changes in the body, primary damage to the visceral organs, primary diseases of the peripheral endocrine glands, allergy, organic brain damage, neurosis. The syndrome of vegetative vascular dystonia associated with constitutional nature at an early age is characterized by instability of vegetative parameters. Rapid changes in skin color, sweating, fluctuations in heart rate, blood pressure, gastrointestinal pain, nausea, unstable perception of physical and mental stress. Often, some of these disorders are diagnosed within one family.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of vegetative-vascular dystonia (VVD) is based on comprehensive evaluation of functional condition, autonomic nervous system regulation, and exclusion of other possible causes of symptoms.

During the consultation, the specialist evaluates:

• symptom characteristics
• frequency of symptoms
• response to physical load
• breathing mechanics
• condition of the cervical and thoracic spine
• muscle balance
• physical activity level
• psychoemotional stress

Additional diagnostic methods may include:

• consultations with related specialists
• blood pressure monitoring
• ECG
• MRI or other imaging studies
• neurological examination
• functional testing

At Spine Ambulatory physical therapy and massage centers, special attention is given to:

• mobility assessment
• breathing evaluation
• adaptation to physical load
• muscular tension
• functional condition of the cervical and thoracic spine

Timely diagnosis helps identify the causes of symptoms and develop an individualized physical therapy and rehabilitation program.