Asthenic weakness. Asthenia: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment in Adults

Asthenic syndrome, or asthenia (translated from Greek means "lack of strength", "powerlessness") is a symptom complex, indicating that the body's reserves are depleted, and it works with its last bit of strength. This is a very common pathology: according to different authors, the incidence rate of it ranges from 3 to 45% in the population. Why asthenia occurs, what are the symptoms, principles of diagnosis and treatment of this condition, and will be discussed in our article.

What is asthenia

Asthenia is a psychopathological disorder that develops against the background of diseases and conditions that in one way or another deplete the body. Some scientists believe that asthenic syndrome is a harbinger of other, very serious, diseases. nervous system and the mental sphere.

For some reason, many ordinary people think that asthenia and ordinary fatigue are one and the same condition, named differently. They are wrong. Natural fatigue is a physiological condition that develops as a result of exposure to the body of physical or mental overload, is short-term, completely disappears after a good rest. Asthenia is pathological fatigue. At the same time, the body does not experience any acute overloads, but it experiences chronic loads due to one pathology or another.

Asthenia does not develop overnight. This term applies to people who have symptoms of asthenic syndrome for a long time. Symptoms gradually increase, the patient's quality of life decreases significantly over time. Good rest alone is not enough to eliminate the symptoms of asthenia: complex treatment by a neuropathologist is necessary.

Causes of asthenia

Asthenia develops when, under the influence of a number of factors, the mechanisms of energy formation in the body are depleted. Overstrain, depletion of structures responsible for higher nervous activity, in combination with a deficiency of vitamins, trace elements and other important nutrients in food and disorders in the metabolic system form the basis of asthenic syndrome.

We list the diseases and conditions against which asthenia usually develops:

infectious diseases (influenza and other acute respiratory viral infections, tuberculosis, hepatitis, foodborne diseases, brucellosis);
diseases of the digestive tract (peptic ulcer, severe dyspepsia, acute and chronic gastritis, pancreatitis, enteritis, colitis and others);
diseases of the heart and blood vessels (essential hypertension, atherosclerosis, arrhythmias, coronary heart disease, in particular, myocardial infarction);
respiratory system diseases (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia, bronchial asthma);
kidney disease (chronic pyelo- and glomerulonephritis);
endocrine system diseases (diabetes mellitus, hypo- and hyperthyroidism);
blood diseases (especially anemia);
neoplastic processes (all kinds of tumors, especially malignant);
pathology of the nervous system (, and others);
mental illness (depression, schizophrenia);
postpartum period;
postoperative period;
pregnancy, especially multiple pregnancies;
lactation period;
psycho-emotional stress;
taking certain medications (mainly psychotropic), drugs;
in children - an unfavorable family environment, difficulties in communicating with peers, excessive exactingness of teachers and parents.

It is worth noting that prolonged monotonous work, especially with artificial lighting in a confined space (for example, submariners), frequent night shifts, work that requires processing a large amount of new information in a short time, can play a role in the development of asthenic syndrome. Sometimes it occurs even when a person moves to a new job.

The mechanism of development, or pathogenesis, asthenia

Asthenia is the reaction of the human body to conditions that threaten the depletion of its energy resources. In this disease, first of all, the activity of the reticular formation changes: the structure located in the region of the brain stem responsible for motivation, perception, the level of attention, providing sleep and wakefulness, autonomic regulation, muscle work and the activity of the body as a whole.

Changes are also taking place in the work of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system, which plays a leading role in the implementation of stress.

Numerous studies have shown that immunological mechanisms also play a role in the mechanism of development of asthenia: certain immunological disorders have been identified in persons suffering from this pathology. However, the viruses known to date do not have a direct role in the development of this syndrome.

Classification of asthenic syndrome

Depending on the cause of asthenia, the disease is divided into functional and organic. Both of these forms occur with approximately the same frequency - 55 and 45%, respectively.

Functional asthenia is a temporary, reversible condition. It is a consequence of psychoemotional or post-traumatic stress, acute infectious diseases or increased physical exertion. This is a peculiar reaction of the body to the above factors, therefore the second name for functional asthenia is reactive.

Organic asthenia is associated with certain chronic diseases that occur in a particular patient. Diseases that can result in asthenia are listed above in the "causes" section.

According to another classification, according to the etiological factor, asthenia is:

somatogenic;
post-infectious;
postpartum;
post-traumatic.

Depending on how long asthenic syndrome has existed, it is divided into acute and chronic. Acute asthenia occurs after a recent acute infectious disease or severe stress and, in fact, is functional. Chronic is based on some kind of chronic organic pathology and proceeds for a long time. Separately, neurasthenia is distinguished: asthenia arising from the depletion of structures responsible for higher nervous activity.

Depending on the clinical manifestations, 3 forms of asthenic syndrome are distinguished, which are also three successive stages:

hypersthenic (the initial stage of the disease; its symptoms are impatience, irritability, erratic emotionality, increased reaction to light, sound and tactile stimuli);
a form of irritability and weakness (there is increased excitability, however, the patient at the same time feels weak, exhausted; the person's mood changes sharply from good to bad and vice versa, physical activity also ranges from increased to complete reluctance to do anything);
hyposthenic (this is the last, most severe form of asthenia, characterized by reduced performance to a minimum, weakness, fatigue, constant sleepiness, complete unwillingness to do something and the absence of any emotions; there is also no interest in the environment).

Asthenia symptoms

Patients suffering from this pathology present a wide variety of complaints. First of all, they are worried about weakness, they constantly feel tired, there is no motivation for any activity, memory and intelligence are impaired. They cannot focus their attention on something specific, are absent-minded, are constantly distracted, cry. For a long time they cannot remember a familiar surname, a word, the desired date. They read mechanically, not understanding and not remembering the material read.

Also, patients are disturbed by symptoms from the autonomic system: increased sweating, hyperhidrosis of the palms (they are constantly wet and cool to the touch), a feeling of lack of air, shortness of breath, pulse lability, surges in blood pressure.

Some patients also note various pain disorders: pain in the heart, in the back, abdomen, muscles.

On the part of the emotional sphere, it is worth noting a feeling of anxiety, internal tension, frequent mood swings, fears.

Many patients are worried about decreased appetite up to its complete absence, weight loss, decreased sex drive, menstrual irregularities, severe symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, increased sensitivity to light, sound, touch.

Sleep disorders include heavy falling asleep, frequent awakenings at night, nightmares. After sleep, the patient does not feel rested, but, on the contrary, feels tired and weak again. As a result of this, a person's well-being worsens, which means that working capacity decreases.

A person becomes excitable, irritable, impatient, emotionally unstable (his mood deteriorates sharply at the slightest failure or in case of difficulty in performing any action), communication with people tires him, and the tasks seem impossible.

In many persons with asthenia, an increase in temperature to subfebrile values, sore throat, enlarged certain groups of peripheral lymph nodes, in particular, cervical, occipital, axillary, their pain on palpation, pain in muscles and joints are determined. That is, there is an infectious process and a lack of immune functions.

The patient's condition worsens significantly in the evening, which is manifested by an increase in the severity of all or some of the above symptoms.

In addition to all these symptoms related directly to asthenia, a person is worried about the clinical manifestations of the underlying disease, the one against which asthenic syndrome developed.

Depending on the cause of asthenia, its course has some peculiarities.

Asthenic syndrome accompanying neurosis is manifested by the tension of the striated muscles and an increase in muscle tone. Patients complain of constant fatigue: both during movement and at rest.
In case of chronic circulatory failure in the brain, the patient's motor activity, on the contrary, decreases. Muscle tone is reduced, the person is lethargic, does not feel the desire to move. The patient is experiencing the so-called "emotional incontinence" - seemingly crying for no reason. In addition, there is difficulty and slowing down of thinking.
With brain tumors and intoxication, the patient feels pronounced weakness, powerlessness, unwillingness to move and do any, even previously loved, things. Its muscle tone is reduced. A symptom complex similar to myasthenia gravis may develop. Mental weakness, irritability, hypochondriacal and anxious-fearful moods, as well as sleep disorders are typical. These violations are usually persistent.
Asthenia, which has arisen after injuries, can be both functional - traumatic cerebrosthenia, and be organic in nature - traumatic encephalopathy. Symptoms of encephalopathy, as a rule, are pronounced: the patient experiences constant weakness, notes impairment of memory; his circle of interests gradually decreases, lability of emotions takes place - a person can be irritable, "explode" over trifles, but suddenly becomes lethargic, indifferent to what is happening. New skills are hard to learn. The signs of dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system are determined. Cerebrosthenia symptoms are not so pronounced, but it can last for a long time, for months. If a person leads a correct, sparing, lifestyle, eats rationally, protects himself from stress, the symptoms of cerebrosthenia become almost invisible, however, against the background of physical or psycho-emotional overload, during ARVI or other acute diseases, cerebrosthenia is exacerbated.
Postinfluenza asthenia and asthenia after other acute respiratory viral infections are initially hypersthenic in nature. The patient is nervous, irritable, and experiences a constant feeling of internal discomfort. In the case of severe infections, a hyposthenic form of asthenia develops: the patient's activity is reduced, he always feels sleepy, irritated over trifles. Muscle strength, sex drive, and motivation decrease. These symptoms persist for more than 1 month and become less pronounced over time, and a decrease in working capacity, unwillingness to perform physical and mental work comes to the fore. Over time, the pathological process takes on a protracted course, in which symptoms of vestibular disorder, memory impairment, inability to concentrate and perceive new information appear.

Diagnostics of the asthenia

Often, patients believe that the symptoms they are experiencing are not scary, and everything will work out on its own, as soon as you get enough sleep. But after sleep, the symptoms do not go away, and over time they only get worse and can provoke the development of very serious neurological and psychiatric diseases. To prevent this from happening, do not underestimate asthenia, but if symptoms of this disease occur, you should consult a doctor who will make an accurate diagnosis and tell you what measures to take to eliminate it.

Diagnosis of asthenic syndrome is based mainly on complaints and data from the anamnesis of the disease and life. The doctor will ask you how long ago certain symptoms appeared; whether you are engaged in heavy physical or mental work, have you recently experienced overload associated with it; whether you associate the onset of symptoms with psycho-emotional stress; do not suffer from chronic diseases (which - see above, in the section "causes").

Then the doctor will conduct an objective examination of the patient to detect changes in the structure or function of his organs.

Based on the data obtained, in order to confirm or deny a particular disease, the doctor will prescribe a number of laboratory and instrumental studies to the patient:

general blood analysis;
general urine analysis;
biochemical blood test (glucose, cholesterol, electrolytes, kidney, liver function tests and other indicators required by the doctor);
a blood test for hormones;
PCR diagnostics;
coprogram;
ECG (electrocardiography);
Ultrasound of the heart (echocardiography);
Ultrasound of the abdominal organs, retroperitoneal space and small pelvis;
fibrogastroduodenoscopy (FGDS);
chest x-ray;
Ultrasound of the vessels of the brain;
computed or magnetic resonance imaging;
consultations of related specialists (gastroenterologist, cardiologist, pulmonologist, nephrologist, endocrinologist, neuropathologist, psychiatrist and others).

Asthenia treatment

The main direction of treatment is the therapy of the underlying disease, the one against which asthenic syndrome arose.

Lifestyle

Lifestyle modification is also important:

optimal mode of work and rest;
night sleep lasting 7-8 hours;
refusal from night shifts at work;
calm atmosphere at work and at home;
minimizing stress;
daily physical activity.

Often, the patient benefits from a change of scenery in the form of a tourist trip or rest in a sanatorium.

The diet of persons suffering from asthenia should be rich in protein (lean meat, legumes, eggs), B vitamins (eggs, green vegetables), C (sorrel, citrus fruits), tryptophan amino acid (coarse bread, bananas, hard cheese) and other nutrients. Alcohol should be excluded from the diet.

Pharmacotherapy

Medication for asthenia may include drugs of the following groups:

adaptogens (extract of Eleutherococcus, ginseng, lemongrass, Rhodiola rosea);
nootropics (aminalon, pantogam, gingko biloba, nootropil, cavinton);
sedatives (novo-passit, sedasen and others);
procholinergic drugs (enerion);
(azafen, imipramine, clomipramine, fluoxetine);
tranquilizers (phenibut, clonazepam, atarax and others);
(eglonil, teralen);
B vitamins (neurobion, milgamma, magne-B6);
complexes containing vitamins and microelements (multitabs, duovit, berokka).

As it became clear from the list above, there are a lot of drugs that can be used to treat asthenia. However, this does not mean that the entire list will be assigned to one patient. Treatment of asthenia is predominantly symptomatic, that is, the drugs prescribed depend on the predominance of certain symptoms in a particular patient. Therapy begins with the use of the lowest possible doses, which, with normal tolerance, can subsequently be increased.

Non-drug treatments

Along with pharmacotherapy, a person suffering from asthenia can receive the following types of treatment:

The use of infusions and decoctions of soothing herbs (valerian root, motherwort).
Psychotherapy. It can be carried out in three directions:
- impact on the general condition of the patient and on individual diagnosed neurotic syndromes (group or individual auto-training, self-hypnosis, suggestion, hypnosis); the techniques allow you to increase the motivation for recovery, reduce anxiety, and increase the emotional mood;
- therapy that affects the mechanisms of the pathogenesis of asthenia (conditioned reflex techniques, neuro-linguistic programming, cognitive-behavioral therapy);
- techniques affecting the causative factor: gestalt therapy, psychodynamic therapy, family psychotherapy; the purpose of using these methods is the patient's awareness of the connection between the onset of asthenia syndrome and any personality problems; during the sessions, children's conflicts or traits inherent in the personality in adulthood, contributing to the development of asthenic syndrome, are revealed.
Physiotherapy:
- Exercise therapy;
- massage;
- hydrotherapy (Charcot shower, contrast shower, swimming and others);
- acupuncture;
- phototherapy;
- stay in a special capsule under the influence of heat, light, aromatic and musical influences.

At the end of the article, I would like to repeat that asthenia cannot be ignored, one cannot rely on "it will pass by itself, just get enough sleep." This pathology can develop into other, much more serious neuropsychiatric diseases. With timely diagnosis, it is quite simple to deal with it in most cases. Self-medication is also unacceptable: illiterately prescribed drugs can not only not give the desired effect, but also harm the patient's health. Therefore, if you find yourself with symptoms similar to those described above, please seek help from a specialist, in this way you will significantly bring the day of your recovery closer.

The term asthenia in medicine is used to denote a complex of disorders manifested by increased fatigue, sleep disturbances, mood instability, indifference to food, and loss of interest in life.

Asthenic syndrome can occur after past illnesses or against their background, as a result of prolonged stress.

A thorough questioning of the patient helps to make the correct diagnosis; after a course of treatment, in most cases, asthenia disappears.

Causes of occurrence

Asthenia is a psychopathological condition, many doctors believe that asthenic disorders should be attributed to the initial stage of development of serious mental and neurological diseases.

Asthenia is necessary be able to separate from ordinary fatigue or weakness after illness.

The main distinguishing criterion is the fact that after illness and fatigue, the body gradually returns to normal on its own after a good rest, good nutrition and sleep. Asthenia, on the other hand, without complex therapy can last for months, and in severe cases, for years.

Common characteristic causes asthenia:

overstrain of higher nervous activity;
lack of intake of essential trace elements and nutrients;
pathological disorder of metabolic processes.

All these factors at different age periods in most cases arise in the life of every person, but they do not always lead to the development of asthenic disorders.

Provoke development asthenia can be somatic diseases, injuries and disturbances in the work of the nervous system. Moreover, the symptoms of asthenia can be observed both before the disease itself, and in the midst of the disease and during the recovery period.

An extremely rare mental disorder has many different facets and problems.

The most dangerous disease hepatic encephalopathy provokes a whole complex of problems in the body, which is not so easy to cope with. What to conquer disease?

Among the diseases leading to asthenia, there are several groups:

Infections - ARVI, food poisoning, tuberculosis, viral hepatitis.
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract - ulcers, gastritis, pancreatitis, enterocolitis, severe dyspeptic disorders.
Diseases of the cardiovascular system - heart attack, arrhythmias, hypertension.
Renal pathologies - glomerulonephritis, chronic pyelonephritis.
Diseases of the bronchopulmonary system - pneumonia, chronic bronchitis.
Trauma, postoperative period.
Neurological disorders.

Asthenic disorders often develop in people who do not think of their lives without work and therefore do not get enough sleep and deny themselves rest. Signs of asthenia also appear when you change your place of residence, work, after troubles or serious experiences.

Asthenia classification

It is customary in medical practice to classify asthenia according to many criteria, it is necessary for the choice of treatment tactics.

For reasons of origin, it is customary to subdivide asthenia on:

Organic developing after infectious and somatic diseases, after trauma, degenerative changes in the brain. Organic asthenia is determined in almost 45% of cases.
Functional Asthenia is a reversible condition that develops as a protective response to stress, depression, excessive mental and physical exertion.

According to the duration of the course of the disease, it is customary to subdivide asthenia on:

sharp;
chronic.

As a rule, acute asthenia is most often functional. The chronic course of the disease is due to organic disorders.

According to clinical signs, asthenia is subdivided on:

hypersthenic form characterized by increased irritability and excitability of a person;
hyposthenic form, manifested by a reduced response to any external stimuli.

For reasons of occurrence, asthenic syndrome is subdivided on:

post-infectious;
postpartum;
somatogenic;
post-traumatic.

The correct classification of the disease helps the doctor to correctly determine the tactics of treatment.

Clinical picture

Asthenia has characteristic symptoms, which are divided into three main groups:

The main signs of asthenia are accepted think:

Fatigue. With asthenia, fatigue does not go away even after a long rest, it does not allow a person to concentrate on work, leads to absent-mindedness and a complete lack of desire for any activity. Even one's own control and efforts do not help a person return to the desired mode of life.
Vegetative disorders. The development of asthenia almost always leads to surges in blood pressure, an increase in the pulse rate, interruptions in the work of the heart, to a decrease in appetite, headaches and dizziness, to a feeling of heat or, on the contrary, chills throughout the body. Disorder of sexual function is observed.
Sleep disturbance. With asthenia, a person cannot fall asleep for a long time, wakes up in the middle of the night or wakes up early. Restless sleep, does not bring the necessary rest.

A person experiencing the influence of asthenic disorders realizes that something is wrong with him all right and begins to react differently to his condition.

There are outbursts of rudeness, aggression, sudden mood swings are observed, and composure is often lost. A long course of asthenia leads to the development of depression and neurasthenia.

A characteristic sign of asthenia is the condition in which the patient Feels good in the morning, and after about lunch all the symptoms and signs of the disease begin to build up.

By the evening, asthenic disorder usually reaches its maximum. With asthenia, there is also an increased sensitivity to bright light sources, harsh sounds.

Asthenic disorders affect people of all ages, often signs of the disease are detected in children and adolescents. In modern boys and girls, asthenia is often associated with the intake of psychogenic and narcotic drugs.

Asthenia must be taken very seriously, it is not just a manifestation of ordinary fatigue, but a serious illness that can lead to serious consequences in the absence of therapy.

Diagnostic income

Asthenic disorders can be suspected in a patient by a doctor of any specialty.

To clarify the patient's diagnosis, it is necessary to inquire in detail about disturbing symptoms, learn about behavior, sleep quality, attitude to work and to the life around.

Assessment of the neurological and psychoemotional state performed by a neurologist.

In order to find out the underlying cause of the development of asthenia, it is necessary to determine the presence of pathological disorders in the body.

The patient needs consultations cardiologist, therapist, nephrologist, gastroenterologist, pulmonologist.

Appoint blood tests, according to the indications of ultrasound of internal organs, MRI of the brain, gastroscopy, radiography of the lungs.

It is only on the basis of all the data obtained during a comprehensive examination that a decision is made on the choice of a therapy regimen. Most often, functional asthenia with timely access to a medical facility is eliminated in a few weeks.

Syndrome treatment

Treatment of asthenia occurs depending on the predominant symptoms and on the identified provoking disease.

First you need to do therapy of identified disorders, in order to prevent their further negative impact on the psychoemotional sphere.

A certain scheme has been developed, which most doctors try to apply in practice in the treatment of asthenia. Stages of asthenic disorder treatment are considered:

A full course of treatment of the underlying disease and asthenic disorder leads to the normalization of the general well-being of a person.

It must be remembered that some people are prone to psychopathological disorders and therefore asthenia can become chronic for them.

Carrying out preventive treatment, avoiding the influence of stress and observing the daily regimen, it will be possible to minimize the risk of re-development of asthenia.

Forecast and consequences

Asthenia in the absence of treatment can lead to the development of neurasthenia, depression, hysteria.

Chronic asthenic disorders lead to impaired concentration, to absent-mindedness and therefore many people cannot work with complex equipment. In this case, the EEC commission establishes the degree of disability and recommends another job.

The success of the treatment of asthenia depends on the mood of the patient himself. The more optimistic the view of the possibility of recovery, the more real that asthenic disorders will pass completely.

Asthenia can occur in each of us, you should not be afraid of this. The main thing to remember is that a timely visit to the doctor will help you return to your usual life in the shortest possible time.

Asthenic syndrome can be confused with fatigue, which usually occurs with increased physical or mental stress. Even according to ICD 10, patients suffering from asthenic disorder are usually diagnosed under the code R53, which stands for malaise and fatigue.

The syndrome develops gradually and accompanies a person for many years of his life. It is possible to improve the well-being in asthenia only with the help of complex treatment, including a medication, a good addition - the use of traditional medicine. Asthenic syndrome is most susceptible to people aged 25 to 40 years.

Asthenia causes

Despite the fact that asthenia is a long-studied disease, the causes that provoke it are still not fully identified. Scientists have come to the conclusion that asthenic syndrome can appear in a person who has recently suffered:

Meningitis;
Encephalitis;
Brain trauma of varying severity;
Brucellosis;
Tuberculosis;
Pyelonephritis;
Atherosclerosis of the vessels;
Progressive heart failure;
Some blood diseases (anemia, coagulopathy, and others).

The development of the syndrome is also influenced by the emotional state of the patient. Prolonged depression, regular panic attacks, frequent quarrels, scandals and strenuous physical labor can lead not only to the onset of the disease, but also to its accelerated development.

The syndrome is characterized by a malfunction of the entire nervous system as a whole. Already the first symptoms of the disease warn the patient that any activity at the moment should be stopped.

Causes of functional asthenia

The form of the disease directly affects the possible cause of its occurrence:

Acute functional asthenia occurs due to the influence of various stress factors on a person.
Chronic - appears due to injuries, surgical interventions and all kinds of infections. Diseases of the liver, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, influenza and ARVI can serve as a kind of impetus.
Psychiatric functional asthenia develops as a result of excessive fatigue, anxiety, and prolonged depression.

This type of asthenia is considered a reversible disease.

Causes of organic asthenia

The syndrome is usually triggered by any disease that occurs in a chronic form, or somatogenic psychoses. To date, several causes of organic syndrome are known:

Intracranial damage;
Vascular disorders, hemorrhages, ischemia of various organs;
Neurodegenerative diseases: Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease.

The provocateurs of the disease include:

Regular lack of sleep;
Monotonous sedentary work;
Frequent conflict situations;
Long-term physical and mental stress.

Risk factors

All risk factors can be divided into several groups: external and internal factors, personality traits of a person.

External factors include: frequent stress, overwork, insufficient rest and poor living conditions. All this leads to the appearance of the syndrome even in completely healthy people. Psychologists believe that such a lifestyle can lead to disruption of the central nervous system, and, consequently, to a deterioration in health.
Internal factors most often include diseases of internal organs or various infections, especially when not a large number of time. In this case
the body cannot fully return to normal life, which leads to asthenic disorder. In addition to infections and somatic diseases, bad habits, for example, smoking and regular abuse of alcoholic beverages, can also lead to asthenia.
It has been proven that the development of asthenic disorder also occurs due to the personality traits of a person. For example, if a patient underestimates himself as a person, is prone to excessive dramatization, or suffers from increased impressionability, most likely, the appearance of asthenia cannot be avoided in the future.

Forms of asthenic disorder

The forms of the syndrome are based on the causes of its occurrence. These include:

Nervous-asthenic syndrome... Neurasthenia arises due to the fact that the patient's central nervous system, for some reason, is severely weakened and cannot cope with the load coming on it. At the same time, the person is depressed, irritable and aggressive. He doesn't understand where the excessive anger comes from. The patient's condition stabilizes on its own when the asthenia attack passes.
Severe asthenic syndrome... The syndrome progresses due to organic brain lesions. The patient regularly feels headache, experiences dizziness, memory impairment and distraction.
Asthenia after influenza / ARVI... Already from the name it becomes clear that this form occurs after a person has suffered a viral infection. This form of asthenia is characterized by increased irritability, nervousness, and the patient's working capacity is also reduced.
Cerebrastenic Syndrome... It is most often caused by TBI or a recent infection.
Vegetative syndrome... It mainly occurs after a severe infection. It is widespread not only among adults but also among children.
Moderate asthenia... Usually the syndrome appears due to the impossibility of realizing oneself as a person in society.
Cephalgic asthenia... One of the most common forms of asthenic disorder. Patients complain of regular headaches that do not depend on the person's mood or what is happening around.
Asthenic depression... Patients experience sudden mood swings, quickly forget new information, and cannot concentrate on any object for a long time.
Alcoholic asthenia... Accompanies alcohol addiction throughout its entire development.

Symptoms of asthenic syndrome

Usually, the symptoms of asthenia are invisible in the morning, it begins to increase in the evening and reaches its peak at night.

Symptoms of the syndrome include:

Fatigue. Almost all patients with asthenia complain of increased fatigue. The patient has no desire to do anything, he cannot concentrate, problems with long-term memory and attention arise. Patients also notice that it becomes more difficult for them to formulate their thoughts and make any decisions.
Emotional and psychological disorders. In patients, working capacity decreases, unreasonable irascibility and anxiety appear. Without the qualified help of a specialist, the patient may experience depression or neurasthenia.
Vegetative disorders. This type of violation includes: surges in blood pressure, bradycardia, loss of appetite, and this leads to unstable stools and discomfort in the intestines.
Acute reaction to environmental stimuli. Subtle light sounds too bright, and muffled sound sounds too loud.
Unreasonable phobias.
Excessive suspiciousness. Patients begin to notice the symptoms of many diseases in themselves, the existence of which cannot be confirmed.

Asthenic syndrome in children

If asthenia is inherited by a child, then already in infancy one can notice the first manifestations: the baby is often overexcited, but at the same time quickly gets tired, especially when they communicate with him or play with him.
Children with asthenia under the age of two years without a reason can start crying and screaming at any time. They are afraid of everything that surrounds them, they feel calmer alone.
At the age of one to 10 years, children experience apathy, irritability, head and eye pains, and muscle pain.
In adolescence, a child learns worse than his peers, it is difficult for him to remember and understand new information, he is absent-minded and inattentive.

Diagnostics

Usually, the diagnosis of asthenia does not cause any difficulties for specialists, since clinical picture is quite pronounced. Symptoms of the disease can be hidden only if the true cause of the syndrome has not been established. The doctor should pay attention to the patient's emotional state, find out the peculiarities of his sleep and attitude to everyday events. During the survey, special tests must be used. You also need to assess the person's response to various stimuli.

Treatment of asthenic syndrome

Therapy for asthenia must be comprehensive. This means that one drug effect on the body will not be enough. It is necessary to combine taking medications with traditional medicine and psycho-hygienic procedures.

Medication treatment

Treatment with medications involves taking such medicines, how:

Antiasthenic drugs. Usually, experts prescribe "Adamantylphenylamine" and "Enerion".
Antidepressants and procholinergic drugs: Novo-Passit, Doxepin.
Nootropic drugs: Nooclerin, Phenibut.
Some sedatives: Persen, Sedasen.
Adaptogens of plant origin: "Chinese magnolia vine".

Often, in parallel with the use of drugs, physiotherapy is also prescribed: various types of massage, electrosleep, aromatherapy, reflexology.

The main thing is to correctly establish the cause that led to the appearance of asthenia.

Treatment of asthenia with folk methods

Asthenic syndrome, as a diagnosis, has been known for a long time. That is why they learned to treat him not only with the help of medications, but also with folk remedies.

To get rid of the next attack of asthenia, you can use the dry rubbing technique. With a towel with a coarse nap or a mitten, you need to rub the body starting from the neck. Hands should be rubbed from the wrist to the shoulder, the body from top to bottom, and the legs from the feet to the groin area. Rubbing is finished when red spots appear on the body. The procedure usually takes less than 1 minute.
To prevent the occurrence of new attacks of asthenia, the patient should regularly take cold showers. For the first procedure, 20-30 seconds will be enough. After showering, you should put on warm socks and lie under the covers.
Grapefruit juice or carrot juice can help deal with frequent fatigue. You can even mix them: 2 small vegetables should be taken for 1 medium-sized grapefruit. The medicine should be taken 2 tablespoons every 3-4 hours.
To stimulate the nervous system, you can take Chinese magnolia vine daily. It has a beneficial effect on the entire body, charging it with energy and health, and the infusion also helps to cope with depression and enhances immunity. You can use it for hysterics, asthenic syndrome, frequent headaches and hypotension.
An infusion of St. John's wort, chamomile and hawthorn will also help in the fight against asthenia. You need to mix one spoonful of herbs and pour the mixture with a glass of hot water, leave to infuse for 30-40 minutes. The tincture should be drunk before bedtime.
To increase mental and physical performance, you should use an infusion of dried linden blossom and St. John's wort. You need to mix one tablespoon of herbs and leave for about 20-30 minutes. It is recommended to take a drink in the morning immediately after waking up and in the evening before bedtime, 50 milliliters. Alcohol tincture can be prepared from the same herbs, which should be taken 2-3 drops before meals.

Treatment of asthenic syndrome using psycho-hygienic procedures

It is necessary to expose the body to light cardio loads and exercise as often as possible;
Do not overexert yourself in the workplace and at home;
It is worth getting rid of all bad habits;
It is recommended to consume more meat, beans, soy and bananas;
Do not forget about vitamins, which are best obtained from fresh vegetables and fruits.

Positive emotions play a huge role in the fight against the syndrome. This means that an unplanned vacation and a sudden change of scenery will significantly increase the chances of a speedy recovery.

Treatment of the syndrome in children

To help a child cope with asthenia, you need to establish a kind of regimen. Parents should:

Exclude from the children's diet drinks that contain a large amount of caffeine in their composition, since they lead to a still weak nervous system in a state of excitement;
Provide correct, healthy nutrition for the baby;
Do not forget about the daily evening walks on the street. 1-2 hours will be enough;
Air the nursery about 4-5 times a day;
Reduce the time for watching cartoons and films, as well as playing games on the computer;
It is imperative to provide young children with a good daytime sleep.

Prevention of asthenic syndrome

For the prevention of asthenia, the same methods and means are suitable that were used to treat it. Doctors recommend planning your day carefully and always alternating between work and rest. Proper healthy nutrition will not harm either, as it will help the body to replenish the reserves of missing vitamins and minerals. To avoid attacks of asthenic syndrome, you should regularly exercise, walk in the evenings before going to bed and be constantly charged with positive emotions.

You should not neglect going to the doctor, since most often asthenia appears due to some kind of chronic disease, which only a specialist can identify.

Forecast

Despite the fact that asthenia is one of the types of nervous disorders, it is still not worth treating it superficially. If you start treatment in the early stages of asthenic syndrome, the prognosis will be extremely favorable. But if you do not take the first vivid symptoms of the disease seriously, then very soon the person will be depressed and squeezed. He will develop neurasthenia or depression.

People who suffer from asthenic lesions should be constantly registered with a neurologist and take appropriate medications. Usually asthenia is manifested by a decrease in concentration and a deterioration in long-term memory.

Asthenic syndrome is not a sentence. The main thing to remember is that everything depends on the inner mood of the person. A positive mood, an active and healthy lifestyle - all this will certainly help to defeat an unpleasant ailment and return a person to a normal life.

Video: about asthenia and nervous exhaustion

Asthenia is a psychopathological disorder, the characteristic symptoms of which are fatigue, weakness, sleep disturbances, and hypersthesia. The danger of this pathology is that it is the initial stage in the development of mental disorders and more complex psychopathological processes. It is also important that asthenia is considered a very common pathology that occurs in diseases in psychiatric, neurological and general somatic practice.

Asthenia usually accompanies many infectious diseases (flu, ARVI, tuberculosis, viral hepatitis), somatic pathologies (peptic ulcer, acute and chronic gastritis, pneumonia, hypertonic disease, arrhythmia), post-traumatic, postpartum and postoperative periods. Therefore, it is found in the practice of various specialists: neurologists, gastroenterologists, cardiologists, surgeons, traumatologists, psychiatrists. It is usually one of the early symptoms of a major disease that begins to develop in the body.

Asthenia should be distinguished from a feeling of fatigue caused by a change in time zones, non-observance of work and rest, mental stress. Asthenia differs from fatigue caused by these reasons in that it does not manifest itself after the patient has rested.

The reasons for the development of asthenia

As a result of research, it was found that asthenia can be caused by many social factors. Namely, these factors include various life difficulties and circumstances, frequent stress, chronic diseases. All these problems affect not only the psychological health of a person, but sooner or later lead to asthenia.

It is worth noting that asthenia, on the one hand, is a trigger for the development of many diseases, and on the other, it can be one of their manifestations. In particular, the symptoms of asthenia are observed in traumatic brain injuries, degenerative and infectious processes in the brain, circulatory disorders in the brain.

Asthenia is based on nervous exhaustion, which can appear due to prolonged illness, strong feelings, depression. The trigger for the onset of the development of pathology is a deficiency of nutrients, metabolic disorders, and excessive energy consumption.

Asthenia classification

According to the International Classification of Diseases, asthenia syndrome belongs to the class of neurotic diseases. In clinical practice, it is customary to distinguish the following variants of the disease:

asthenia, which is considered a symptom of endocrine, somatic, mental, infectious and other diseases;
asthenia caused by mental and physical overload, which is considered a secondary pathology, since you can get rid of it after eliminating its cause;
chronic fatigue syndrome, which is accompanied by weakness and frequent fatigue.

In the classification of asthenia, the following clinical forms are also distinguished: somatogenic (organic, secondary or symptomatic) and psychogenic (primary, functional or nuclear). Also, reactive and chronic forms of the disease are distinguished.

In most cases, the organic form of the disease is diagnosed after the transferred somatic and infectious diseases, degenerative changes in the brain, as well as injuries. This type of disease develops in more than 45% of all cases.

Functional asthenia is a reversible condition that occurs as a defensive reaction to depression, stress, excessive physical or mental stress. The psychiatric form of functional asthenia appears as a result of insomnia, anxiety or depression. The acute form is considered to be the result of stress and overwork at work. The chronic form of asthenia occurs due to a sharp decrease in weight, in the postpartum period, after suffering an infectious disease.

Clinical manifestations of asthenia

The clinical picture of asthenia is very diverse, due to several factors. Symptoms of asthenia depend on which disorder is easily underlying. Asthenia with hypersthenia is considered the mildest form of pathology, which is manifested by impatience, hot temper, and a feeling of internal tension.

Asthenia with irritability syndrome is characterized by two main symptoms - fatigue and irritation. The most severe form of asthenia is considered to be hyposthenic, which is characterized by a feeling of powerlessness and severe fatigue. In patients, an increase in the depth of asthenic disorders is often observed, which ultimately leads to a change in the mild form of the disease to a more severe one.

In most cases, the symptoms of pathology are completely absent or very mild in the morning. However, in the second half of the day, and even more so towards the evening, they gradually increase and intensify. It is considered one of the most characteristic features pathology is a normal state of health in the morning and its deterioration in the late afternoon.

Doctors also pay attention to the fact that the symptomatology of the disease depends not only on the depth of the accompanying disorders, but also on the etiological factor and constitutional characteristics of the patient. Sometimes the opposite effect is observed, when the gradual development of asthenia leads to an increase in the patient's characteristic traits. To a greater extent, this is characteristic of patients prone to asthenic response.

Increased fatigue

One of the most characteristic symptoms Asthenia is increased fatigue, which is always accompanied by a decrease in productivity (especially with excessive intellectual exertion). At the same time, patients complain of forgetfulness, poor intelligence, weakening of concentration, and therefore it becomes quite difficult for them to concentrate on something. At such moments, patients try to force themselves to think about one thing, but completely different thoughts appear in their head completely involuntarily.

During episodes of asthenia, it becomes difficult for patients to formulate their thoughts, they cannot choose the right words for this, they complain of inadequacy. Unfortunately, in such situations, a short rest can improve the general condition for a short time. Some, instead of resting, try to force themselves to do the work with the help of willpower. Moreover, the work begins to seem incredibly difficult and even overwhelming. As a result, a feeling of tension and lack of confidence in one's own intellectual abilities inevitably arises.

Mental imbalance

Patients with asthenia often lose their composure, which is accompanied by irascibility, irritability, grumpiness, absurdity and picky. At the same time, the mood of patients very often changes. For the patient to feel depressed and anxious, a completely insignificant reason is enough. Sensitivity increases, both joyful and sad events in the patient cause tears. This condition is almost always accompanied by sensitivity to sounds and bright light.

Vegetative disorders

Asthenia is almost always accompanied by severe vegetative disorders. Most often, patients are diagnosed with violations of the cardiovascular system: tachycardia, pressure fluctuations, pulse lability, painful or unpleasant sensations in the heart, a feeling of heat when the temperature rises, sweating, chilliness. In some cases, asthenia is accompanied by a decrease in appetite, spastic constipation and pain in the intestines. Many patients also complain of headaches and heaviness in the head.

Sleep disorder

Early signs of asthenia include difficulty falling asleep, waking up in the middle of the night, anxious dreams, early awakening, and difficulty falling asleep again. Usually, sufferers do not feel rested after waking up. If asthenia worsens over time, patients after mental or physical exertion feel severe drowsiness during the day.

Diagnostics of the asthenia

Diagnosis of asthenia often does not cause any difficulties for the doctor, since it is accompanied by severe symptoms. The easiest way is to identify asthenia caused by an illness, injury or stress. However, if asthenia appears against the background of another disease, in this case its main symptoms usually fade into the background and it becomes more difficult to diagnose it.

When interviewing a patient, the doctor collects in detail information about his health, sleep state, episodes of fatigue and irritability, attitude to work. However, it is worth remembering that sometimes patients can exaggerate the intensity of the symptoms of the disease. In such cases, a neurologist must, in addition to a neurological examination, assess the patient's emotional state and conduct a study of his mnestic sphere.

In most cases, asthenia occurs due to the development of the patient's underlying disease. It is extremely important to determine what kind of disease was the trigger for the development of asthenia. For this, a neurologist can prescribe consultations of a cardiologist, gatroenterologist, gynecologist, nephrologist, pulmonologist, infectious disease specialist, oncologist, traumatologist, endocrinologist.

Diagnosis of asthenia also involves laboratory tests:

analysis of urine and blood;
determination of blood sugar levels;
coprogram;
blood chemistry.

PCR diagnostics and bacteriological examination are also carried out. According to the indications, the neurologist can also prescribe instrumental studies:

gastroscopy;
Ultrasound of the abdominal organs;
duodenal intubation;
Ultrasound of the heart;
X-ray or fluorography of the lungs;
MRI of the brain;
Ultrasound of the kidneys;
Ultrasound of the pelvic organs.

Asthenia treatment

The main goals of therapy for asthenia will be to improve the patient's quality of life, increase the level of his activity and productivity, reduce the manifestation of asthenia and its accompanying symptoms. Therapy depends on the clinical manifestations and the etiology of the disease. If asthenia is secondary, the underlying disease must be treated initially. In the case of a reactive nature of asthenia, medical tactics should be aimed at correcting the factors that led to the breakdown.

If the causes of asthenia are stress, physical or psycho-emotional fatigue, the doctor may advise you to normalize the modes of sleep and wakefulness, work and rest. Therapy for primary asthenia involves an integrated approach: psychotherapeutic techniques, physical training, drug therapy.

Non-drug therapy

Exercise is one of the most important methods of treating asthenia. It has been proven that the therapy with dosed physical training in combination with educational programs helps to improve the patient's well-being. Hydrotherapy has also proven its effectiveness: Charcot's shower, swimming, contrast shower. According to the testimony of a doctor, massage, gymnastics, physiotherapy, acupuncture can also be prescribed.

Psychotherapeutic approaches are actively used in the treatment of asthenia. For example, symptomatic psychotherapy is aimed at improving the general health of the patient, eliminating the feeling of fatigue and anxiety. This approach includes hypnosis, self-hypnosis, auto-training, suggestion. Personality-oriented psychotherapy is also considered to be an effective method of treating asthenia.

Drug therapy

The use of medicines for the treatment of asthenia is still controversial. Studies have shown that at the moment, doctors are actively using about 40 different means to eliminate a pathological condition. The list includes drugs from a wide variety of drug groups:

psychostimulants;
psychotropic (mainly antidepressants);
anti-infective;
immunostimulating;
fortifying;
nutritional supplements;
vitamin preparations.

The key drugs for the treatment of asthenia are antidepressants, whose mechanism of action is aimed at increasing the metabolism of monoamines in the brain. For the treatment of asthenia, it is customary to use the following antidepressants: herbal derivatives, reversible MAO inhibitors, four cyclic and atypical blood pressure, tricyclic blood pressure.

If asthenia is accompanied by panic disorders, sleep disturbances, anxiety, tension, the patient may be prescribed tranquilizers or mild sedatives of herbal origin. The combination of asthenia with phobic, hysterical, hypochondriacal manifestations requires the appointment of antidepressants with antipsychotics.

Many patients have a very poor tolerance for medications that affect the central nervous system. That is why doctors recommend starting treatment with low doses. Also shown is non-specific drug therapy, which includes drugs that have an anti-stress effect, have antioxidant properties, and improve energy processes. The appointment of vitamin complexes (especially B vitamins, vitamin C), macro- and microminerals (magnesium and calcium) is also considered justified.

Asthenic syndrome belongs to the group of psychopathological disorders and is characterized by gradual development. Mental illness develops against the background of many chronic diseases. Asthenic disorder is characterized by frequent headaches and dizziness, decreased performance, increased irritability, and drowsiness.

What is asthenic syndrome?

Asthenic condition is a psychopathological disorder in which the patient complains of fatigue, weakness, irritability and other disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system. This condition is considered one of the most common, as it develops against the background of many pathologies of internal organs and systems, develops in both adults and.

Symptoms caused by asthenic syndrome are permanent. Fatigue, which is the main symptom of this psychopathological disorder, does not disappear after long rest and therefore requires therapeutic intervention.

This syndrome differs from ordinary fatigue, which is of a short-term nature and arises against the background of physical and mental overload, malnutrition and other reasons.

Asthenia is diagnosed when its symptoms bother the patient for months or years.

The reasons for the development of asthenia

In about 45% of patients with asthenia, the causes of its development are due to organic damage to internal organs and systems. The risk group includes people with diseases of the cardiovascular system:

hypertension of various etiologies;
ischemic heart disease;
myocardial infarction;
carditis;
arrhythmia.

Asthenic disorder can also be provoked: a deficiency of nutrients supplied to the organs of the central nervous system, excessive energy consumption, metabolic disorders.

Asthenic manifestations are diagnosed against the background of pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract:

dyspeptic disorders;
pancreatuodenitis;
peptic ulcer;
gastroenterocolitis.

The appearance of asthenia is promoted by diseases of the genitourinary system: cystitis, chronic kidney disease, glomerulonephritis, pyelonephritis.

Possible reasons for the development of asthenia include disturbances in the work of the endocrine system caused by hypo- and hyperthyroidism, diabetes mellitus, diseases of the adrenal glands.

Asthenic depression often develops after childbirth or due to hormonal changes in the body.

Organic reasons also include:

systemic pathologies;
an allergic reaction;
oncological diseases;
congenital diseases of the kidneys, heart, lungs;
hepatitis of various types;
tuberculosis;
meningitis;
encephalitis;
ARVI;
autoimmune diseases.

In addition, vegetative-vascular asthenia arising against the background of VSD is distinguished.

In addition to organic reasons, asthenization is caused by the cessation of taking a number of medications (withdrawal syndrome), refusal from alcohol or cigarettes, severe stress, prolonged and excessive physical exertion.

Asthenic disorder affects people with low intelligence, living in distant settlements or with dementia. In this case, the cause of the psychopathological state lies in irreversible changes affecting the brain. Such violations lead and vascular diseases(atherosclerosis).

Classification of asthenic syndrome

Depending on the causes of occurrence, functional and somatogenic (somatic) asthenia are distinguished. Both forms of disorder occur with approximately the same frequency.

Functional asthenia is temporary and reversible. This form of disorder develops due to psychoemotional or physical overload, stress, acute infectious diseases.

Somatogenic asthenia occurs as a result of a prolonged course of chronic diseases.

Depending on the characteristics of asthenic syndrome, its course is subdivided into:

Sharp. In fact, this is another name for functional asthenia. It develops under the influence of severe stress or an infectious disease.
Chronic. This type of disease is characterized by a prolonged course.

Asthenic disorder is also divided into two types, taking into account both causal factors and features of the clinical picture:

Senile. This type of disorder is mainly diagnosed in the elderly. Senile asthenia usually develops as a result of vascular pathologies that cause brain damage and provoke dementia.
Neurocirculatory. The cause of asthenia is vegetative-vascular dystonia.

In addition to these types of classifications, asthenia is divided into 2 forms, depending on the characteristics of clinical manifestations:

Hypersthenic. It is characterized by increased irritability. Patients with this form of impairment do not tolerate pungent odors, strong sounds, and bright light.
Hyposthenic. The development of this form of asthenic syndrome is accompanied by a decrease in the body's response to external stimuli. As a result, patients experience drowsiness, lethargy, and a state of apathy.

Severe brain pathologies caused by infection or other reasons often cause the development of organic emotionally labile asthenic disorder. This form of the disorder is characterized by mood swings and emotional incontinence.

Organic brain damage provokes the development of such a form of disorder as encephaloasthenic syndrome. This type of disorder is characterized by the following symptoms:

inability to remember information;
decreased ability to work;
weakening of the will;
decreased intelligence;
inability to adapt.

With encephaloasthenic syndrome, total dementia is often diagnosed.

To determine how to treat asthenia, it is necessary to establish the cause of its occurrence and it is often possible to identify it by the peculiarities of the clinical picture.

Asthenia symptoms

The symptoms of asthenia are varied. The first signs of asthenia appear during the day. Moreover, symptoms that develop in the late afternoon are more pronounced.

The main symptom of functional asthenia is severe fatigue. Patients quickly get tired when doing any business, and their previous performance is not restored even after a long rest. People with asthenic disorder report:

To solve problems, patients have to constantly take short breaks. As a result, against the background of such disorders, asthenic depression develops, which is characterized by the following symptoms:

decreased self-esteem;
constant worry;
anxiety.

As asthenic syndrome develops, the symptoms are complemented by signs of psychoemotional disorders. Their appearance is explained by problems that arise due to a decrease in performance. This leads to the fact that patients become irritable and stressed. Psycho-emotional disorders are characterized by a sharp change in mood, the predominance of optimistic or pessimistic views. The progression of asthenia causes depressive neurosis.

Associated symptoms

The development of a psychopathological disorder in most patients is accompanied by dysfunction of the autonomic system, which manifests itself in the form of the following symptoms:

Asthenia is often accompanied by:

prolonged headaches;
decreased libido in men;
sleep disturbance.

Patients with asthenic syndrome are worried about bad dreams... Patients often wake up during the night. After waking up, patients show weakness, which increases in the evening.

With asthenia, it is possible to increase body temperature up to 38 degrees and an increase in peripheral (cervical, axillary and other) lymph nodes.

Neurocirculatory disorder

A neurocirculatory disorder that occurs against the background of dysfunction of the autonomic system is characterized by multiple symptoms. Each sign of a pathological disorder is combined into several syndromes:

Cardiac. It is diagnosed in an average of 90% of patients with this disease. The development of cardiac syndrome is accompanied by painful sensations that are localized in the chest. In this case, the appearance of a symptom is not associated with dysfunction of the heart muscle.
Sympathicotonic. This syndrome is characterized by the presence of tachycardia, surges in blood pressure, blanching of the skin, and motor excitement.
Vagotonic. It has a weak heartbeat. With vagotonic syndrome, low blood pressure is observed, which provokes headaches, dizziness, hyperhidrosis, and intestinal upset.
Mental. The syndrome manifests itself in the form of unreasonable attacks of fear and mood swings.
Asthenic. Patients with this syndrome react sharply to changing weather conditions and quickly get tired.
Respiratory. Patients have difficulty breathing (feeling short of breath).

Neurocircular asthenia is characterized by the appearance of several syndromes at the same time.

Symptoms depending on the causative factor

Neurotic disorders that cause asthenic syndrome are manifested in the form of increased muscle tone, due to which patients complain of constant weakness.

With vascular pathologies, the brain has an acute need for nutrients. Such violations provoke a decrease in muscle tone and slowed down thinking.

Oncological diseases of the brain and organic damage to its tissues cause:

With organic lesions of the brain, the symptoms are persistent and long-lasting.

Similar clinical phenomena occur after trauma to the central nervous system. In this case, it is possible to join the clinical manifestations of autonomic disorders. Moreover, the symptoms of VSD become more pronounced during the course of respiratory and other diseases.

Asthenic syndrome, which occurs against the background of ARVI, manifests itself as a hypersthenic disorder, in which there is increased irritability and nervousness. If the respiratory illness becomes severe, the disorder takes on a hyposthenic form. With this development, there is a gradual decline in cognitive functions and performance.

Diagnosis of asthenic manifestations

Due to the fact that with asthenic syndrome there are multiple symptoms characteristic of various mental disorders, this nervous pathology is difficult to diagnose.

To accurately determine the disease, the patient is tested, during which it is necessary to answer more than 10 questions. The results of the survey show the presence or absence of symptoms characteristic of asthenia.

The psychopathological disorder must be differentiated from other similar disorders:

hypochondriacal neurosis;
hypersomnia;
depressive neurosis.

In this case, additional research helps to identify the cause. Asthenic syndrome is diagnosed by performing a number of laboratory tests:

If there is a suspicion of damage to the central nervous system or VSD, an MRI of the brain is prescribed. Additional examinations are also carried out to identify violations in the work of other organs.

How is asthenia treated?

Treatment of asthenia is carried out provided that other forms of disorders characterized by similar clinical manifestations are excluded. The therapy regimen is selected taking into account the disease that caused the asthenic disorder.

To cure asthenia, the patient must make significant lifestyle adjustments. It is important to avoid stressful situations until full recovery. For this, patients are often prescribed treatment in a sanatorium.

Help get rid of asthenia medications, the action of which is aimed at eliminating the disease that caused the disorder. Treatment with medicines, depending on the nature of the pathology, is carried out under the supervision of a physician, and it is mandatory if therapy for asthenia with VSD is prescribed.

Medicines are prescribed as prescribed by a specialist and for treatment at home.

Drug therapy

Drugs are selected taking into account the cause and the nature of the symptoms of the disease. At the initial stage of treatment, drugs are used in a minimum dosage.

Functional asthenia is treated with nootropics:

Nootropics are used for severe cognitive impairment. It is recommended to supplement these drugs with adaptogens, which include extracts:

ginseng;
rhodiola rosea;
lemongrass;
eleutherococcus.

A good result is demonstrated by antiasthenic drugs with a sedative effect: "Novo-Passit", "Sedasen".

Asthenic depression, depending on the complexity, is treated with antidepressants or tranquilizers. The first group of drugs includes:

From tranquilizers for asthenia used "Phenibut", "Atarax", "Clonazepam". Antidepressants and tranquilizers are allowed to be used only after consulting a doctor.

For organic asthenic disorder and other forms of psychopathological condition, neuroleptics (Teralen, Eglonil) and B vitamins are also prescribed.

Regardless of the form of asthenia, symptoms and treatment, a set of measures must be applied for the successful recovery of the patient. The pills do not help unless the patient makes lifestyle adjustments.

Psychotherapeutic treatment

Asthenic disorders are successfully treated through psychotherapeutic therapy. In this case, various techniques are used:

Influencing the general condition of the patient and eliminating individual manifestations of anxiety-asthenic syndrome. To achieve the desired result, the methods of self-hypnosis, hypnosis, auto-training and others are used. Such treatment of asthenic syndrome in adults reduces anxiety and improves the patient's condition.
Methods affecting the mechanisms of development of the disorder. Asthenic syndrome is treated with cognitive-behavioral therapy, neuro-linguistic programming.

If necessary, psychotherapeutic techniques are used, through which the factor of the appearance of the disorder is eliminated. This approach allows you to identify the relationship between certain events (for example, conflicts within the family) and the development of asthenia.

Non-drug treatments

For asthenia, treatment should be comprehensive. Already at the initial stage, patients need:

get rid of bad habits;
normalize rest and work regimes;
avoid conflict situations;
exercise daily.

By observing the above rules, you can get rid of a disorder such as asthenic depression.

In addition to the named methods of treatment, physiotherapeutic measures are used:

Charcot's shower;
phototherapy;
acupuncture;
massage and others.

Non-drug treatments are unable to fully combat organic asthenic disorder. However, this approach helps to reduce the intensity of symptoms characteristic of this type of psychopathological disorder.

Prevention of asthenic phenomena

Understanding the characteristics of asthenia, what kind of disease it is, helps to independently choose measures to prevent this mental disorder. To avoid its development, it is necessary to treat any diseases in a timely manner.

Asthenic conditions often occur against the background of physical and mental fatigue, therefore, in order to prevent it, it is recommended to fully rest and sleep at least 7-8 hours a day. If necessary, you can take drugs that strengthen the immune system and tone the nervous system.

Asthenic reactions respond well to treatment with timely access to a doctor for help. Long-term development of asthenic syndrome gives complications in the form of neuroses, schizophrenia and chronic depression.