Spasm of blood vessels (angiospasm) is a pathological narrowing of the lumen of blood vessels (large and small), which causes a decrease in the blood supply of the corresponding organ (tissue). As a result, the nutrition of the body (tissues) with oxygen is disturbed and the carbon dioxide output.
Causes of vasospasms
The narrowing of the lumen of blood vessels occurs as a result of excessive intensive and prolonged contraction of muscles of the vascular wall (increase of tone). The mechanism of this phenomenon is associated with the disturbance of the function of membranes of smooth muscle cells of blood vessels, which consists in the violation of metabolic processes through the membranes of ions of potassium, calcium, and sodium. This leads to a disruption of the normal alternation of periods of muscle relaxation and contraction.
Vascular spasms are most often observed in diseases accompanied by a pathological change in blood vessels and their nervous system (vasculitis, atherosclerosis, aneurysms, etc.) or a violation of the neurohumoral regulation of the vascular tone (hypothalamic syndrome, hypertension, pathological menopause, neurosis, etc.). ).
The risk factors for such a violation are:
- smoking;
- alcohol abuse;
- intoxication with lead or carbon disulfide;
- frostbite and repeated hypothermia;
- constant stress;
- diabetes;
- hypertension.
Symptoms and types of vasospasm
Depending on the location, several types of spasm of the vessels with different manifestations are distinguished. Let's consider the main ones.
Spasm of peripheral vessels
Characterized by paroxysmal ischemia of the extremities. This concept combines the following pathologies:
- Reynaud's syndrome is a spasm of peripheral vessels, in which three phases are successively replaced: ischemia, cyanosis and hyperemia. In the first phase there is a spasm of small arterioles, a narrowing of the lumen of the capillaries. The second - the stagnation of blood in the venules, capillaries and arteriovenous anastomoses. The third phase is characterized by reactive expansion of the vessels. In this case, there is a violation of sensitivity.
- Livedo net - is observed with insignificant cooling and is characterized by the appearance of a net pattern on the skin of the legs, especially in the hip area (pale areas are surrounded by a cyanotic rim).
- Acrocyanosis - characterized by cyanosis of the skin of the extremities, especially the fingers and the back of the hands, associated with the effects of cold, and a feeling of numbness. In this case, there may be increased sweating.
- Festering - develops from the effects of cold and dampness and is characterized by the appearance of dense swelling of cyanotic red color, a sensation of itching and burning.
Spasm of the main vessels (spasm of the legs)
Characterized by blanching of the leg, then blue, and after the recession of the spasm - redness. There is fatigue of the legs, intermittent claudication due to pain, cold extremity.
Spasm of the vessels of the heart (spasm of the coronary vessels)
Characterized by symptoms such as pressing pains behind the breastbone, which occur more often at night or early in the morning, lying down. During an attack, the electrocardiogram shows characteristic deviations, while, as a rule, coronary arteries are not blocked and there are no signs of oxygen starvation of the myocardium.
Spasm of cerebral vessels (spasm of cerebral vessels)
Characterized by the appearance of severe headache and dizziness, nausea, noise in the ears , loss of memory, sometimes - loss of consciousness. Often, cerebral vasospasm is associated with compression of the neck vessels due to osteochondrosis, symptoms of which are burning pain in the neck, loss of sensitivity of the hands, fluctuations in the movements of the eyeballs.
How to relieve vasospasm?
Treatment of vasospasm should be prescribed by a doctor after a thorough diagnosis. However, at home, you can apply these methods:
- Wash with cold water.
- Take Corvalol (30 drops) or tincture of valerian (20 drops).
- Massage the whiskey and the back of the head.
- Hold your feet in cold water (about 3 minutes).
- Grind the extremities.