home Adviсe Heightened sensitivity to sounds in autism. Causes, neuroscience. Is loud noise intolerance a disease? What and how to treat it? Increased auditory sensitivity

Heightened sensitivity to sounds in autism. Causes, neuroscience. Is loud noise intolerance a disease? What and how to treat it? Increased auditory sensitivity

A person is constantly surrounded by a whole stream of sounds of varying intensity. Some of them are clearly distinguishable, others are in the nature of background noise. Sounds can evoke an emotional response. Harsh and unpleasant have a negative connotation. But for people with hyperacusis, even ordinary sounds of low or minimal intensity bring bad sensations.

Hyperacusia is often not an independent disease, but a symptom that accompanies other neurological diseases. This is the perception of sounds that causes pain even from weak signals perceived as intense. The condition is painful for the patient, leads to neuroticism and the inability to live normally and perform normal work.

Development of pathology

Hypersensitivity to sounds is divided into three separate types of disease: recruitment, phonophobia and hyperacusis. The development of recruitment is associated with a decrease in the number of sensitive cells in the inner ear. As a result, a small change in the strength of the stimulus leads to an excessively strong reaction of the hearing aid.

The involvement of the limbic system automatically excites the autonomic nervous system, causing the release of adrenaline and the corresponding reactions of the body. Hypersensitivity to sounds in this form is called phonophobia. Hyperacusis usually depends on the central mechanisms of sound processing, with simultaneous pathology of hearing, sometimes combined with recruitment.

Causes of hyperacusis

The development of pathology is associated with discoordination of the processes of excitation and inhibition in the auditory pathways. The limbic system plays a role in this. An increase in noise is observed with strong emotions: stressful situations, experiences, but the impulse from the ear has the same strength. This leads to increased anxiety and stimulates the limbic and sympathetic systems.

Heightened sound sensitivity can develop at any age. She happens:

partial: certain sounds are not transferred;
complete: all loud sounds cause pain and anxiety.

The causes of hyperacusis are varied:

Infectious diseases of the brain: encephalitis.
Head injury.
Neurological diseases: neuroses, panic attacks.
Vascular pathologies: .
Paresis of the stapedius muscle.
Meniere's disease.
Tumors of the brain.

Each of these conditions is accompanied by signs of the underlying disease. There are several degrees of discomfort:

There are sensations of tingling and popping in the ears, pressure when exposed to low-frequency noise.
Additionally, low and high frequencies of noise cause concern, there is a sensation of tickling, speech intelligibility decreases by 10–30%.
There is pain in the ears, patients ask others to talk more quietly, speech intelligibility is reduced by 40-80%.
The patient does not tolerate noise and soft sounds, accompanied by vegetative and emotional disorders. Speech is 100% unintelligible.

Manifestations of the disease

Symptoms of hyperacusis may vary in intensity at different stages of the disease. Often it is a temporary phenomenon, sometimes it appears from the sounds of a certain tone. Hypersensitivity can be unilateral or bilateral. Perhaps its combination with hearing loss.

Additional symptoms appear over time: headache, dizziness, nausea, sleep disturbances. Such people sleep very sensitively and can wake up at the slightest sound. They are disturbed by the ticking of the clock, the buzzing of insects, the sniffling in another person's dream. Attempts to use earplugs do not lead to the desired result.

Psychological tension, nervousness and irritability are growing. An increase in emotional experiences further exacerbates the symptoms of the disease. In parallel, there are symptoms of the underlying disease. Infectious brain processes are accompanied by intoxication, loss of appetite, weakness, and fever. With meningitis, a characteristic rash appears on the skin, confusion is possible.

Manifestations are determined by the severity of the damage. With a mild form, this is dizziness, headache, nausea. With severe concussions, vomiting, loss of consciousness, amnesia occur. Additional symptoms in a brain tumor depend on the localization of the process. It can be motor, speech disorders, visual impairment, epileptic seizures.

Therapeutic measures for hyperacusis

Treatment of hyperacusis begins after the identification of the underlying disease. The main focus is getting rid of the cause of the disease. Directly for hyperacusis, local effects are used. Cotton balls moistened with oil are inserted into the ear canal. Assign a course of vitamins A, E, C, group B, vascular drugs Vinpocetine, Cavinton, Piracetam, Eufillin.

With increased neuroticism, sedatives are used. They start with a light sedation with an extract of valerian, motherwort, peony tincture, preparations of St. John's wort Neuroplant and Deprim. A more pronounced sedative effect is exerted by:

bromine preparations (Adonis Bromine, Bromocamphor);
nootropic Phenibut;
tranquilizers: Elenium, Valium, Phenazepam.

Treatment of a brain infection involves the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, detoxification.

Brain tumors are removed surgically, supplementing the treatment with chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The result of the cure and the prognosis are determined by the stage of detection of the tumor and the localization of the mass formation.

Treatment for traumatic brain injury depends on the severity of the injury. Vessel-supporting agents, diuretics, nootropics are prescribed.

Meniere's disease in combination with hyperacusis is treated with vasodilators with atropine and scopolamine in the composition, diuretics, antipsychotics.

A good effect on the manifestation of hyperacusis has a physiotherapeutic effect on the outer and middle ear with fluctuating currents. They relieve swelling, improve tissue repair and reorganization of inflammation. Patients tolerate such treatment well, long and intensive procedures eliminate the manifestation of the disease. For its implementation, the device "Sluh-OTO-1" is used. The positive electrode is placed in the ear canal, and the negative electrode is placed in the mouth from the affected ear. The course of treatment is up to 10 days for 20 minutes daily.

Did you know that when it develops, the patient complains of a hearing disorder on the right side.

Read what they are prescribed for, contraindications, side effects.

Find out how it manifests itself. Complications of the disease.

Conclusion

Therapy for hyperacusis is long-term. Inflammatory, infectious diseases with early treatment have a good prognosis for a cure and a decrease in pathological symptoms. Meniere's disease, the effects of a severe stroke or injury are not completely cured. Manifestations of hypersensitivity to sounds will constantly accompany the patient, but their reduction is possible during the course of treatment. Hyperacusia on the background of neurosis stops under the influence of sedatives.

In the behavior of each of us there is some kind of quirk that we think is peculiar only to us. And we think wrong. Because, according to science, each of our petty whims, habits, or “pet peeves” can be found with a strictly scientific explanation.

1. Fear of urinating in front of other people

You went to relieve a small need in an empty toilet (for example, in a restaurant), and you are already halfway to blissful relief, when suddenly a shuffle is heard behind your back. And… everything. The process has stalled. You can no longer squeeze a drop out of yourself. Someone was attached to a nearby urinal. You know - he hears that your jet suddenly dried up and from this the panic only grows. And soon a line will form behind you. And they are all perplexed that it is you there, in complete silence ...

If you have experienced something like this, know that you are not alone. This condition is called paruresis or, more simply, fear of urinating in public. Paruretic people cannot relieve themselves in the presence of other people, even imaginary ones. This problem is more common in men, but it also happens to women from time to time. Scientists claim that seven percent of people at one time or another in their lives experienced a similar condition.

In the most serious cases, paruresis sufferers are able to go to the toilet only in their own home, when they are sure that no one is around and, in the near future, is not expected. It gets to the point that some sufferers have to insert a catheter. Paruresis becomes especially problematic when it is necessary to pass doping control, so in the UK such a disorder is considered a good reason for exemption from urine tests. And in America, paruresis is a good reason to refuse to serve on a jury.

2. Nail biting

Onychophagia is one of the most common mental disorders, which is expressed in obsessive nail biting. This scourge affects about 45 percent of people aged 10 to 18 years (most of them are women). Among those suffering from onychophagia, there are also celebrities - Britney Spears, Jacqueline Kennedy, Eva Mendes ...

This condition also has mild and severe forms. In serious cases, the cuticles, and sometimes the teeth, can be irreparably damaged. In addition, we must not forget about the microbes that such a person constantly launches into his body.

Worse still, this seemingly innocent habit can affect performance, self-esteem, and social interaction. That is to destroy life.

3. Violent emotional expression

Imagine: the boss scolds you for some serious mistake, and you feel that for another second you will burst out laughing, and you can’t help yourself. Trying to pull yourself together - you understand what it threatens you with, but no matter how you restrain yourself, the guilty look is gradually replaced by a stupid smile, then a stifled laugh, and soon a real, open, loud, hysterical cackle escapes from you.

If you have ever experienced anything like this, then it is quite possible that you are suffering from a syndrome called “violent emotional expression”, also known as “pseudobulbar affect”.

A person in this state responds to a stressful situation with a completely opposite reaction than that which would be logical to expect. For example, get depressed from good news or start giggling in the most inappropriate place for this.

In addition, if a person takes pleasure in laughing at someone's bad luck or mistakes, then this can also be a mental deviation, which is called "catagelasticism." In the medical literature, it is described as "a mental disorder in which a person takes pleasure in ridiculing others." That is, in fact, it is a medical term for complete scoundrels.

4. Inability to recognize and express your emotional state

How often have you heard from a girl that her lover is not sincere enough with her? "He never shares his experiences with me." “He’s kind of eternally distant…” “He doesn’t care at all what’s going on in my soul!” And so on.

Believe it or not, two out of three of these complaints can be explained by a medical phenomenon called "alexithymia." This term refers to the inability of a person to recognize and put into words their own emotional state. All of us have alexithymia to one degree or another. However, in the most severe cases, this condition can seriously poison life. According to scientists, alexithymia prevents about 8-10 percent of all people from living, and there are more men among them than women.

In addition to problems with girlfriends, such men have an underdeveloped imagination. Those suffering from alexithymia even have logical and realistic dreams: how they go shopping, for example, or have scrambled eggs for breakfast.

5. Intolerance to certain sounds

Almost every one of us cannot bear any sound: foam plastic on glass, chalk on a board, the creak of a swing, champing ... Whether this is normal or not depends on what kind of sounds they are and how much they interfere with your life.

A mental disorder called misophonia is a condition where ordinary, unremarkable sounds cause irritation. For example, the sounds that other people make when they eat, breathe, cough, or do other completely familiar and not noisy things.

In addition, most people are only annoyed by repeated noises, and a misophonia sufferer can be pissed off by a single sound that is unpleasant for him. Cases have been recorded when such people, in a fit of irritation, pounded dishes and literally pierced the wall with their fists (we are talking about drywall, of course), when someone nearby accidentally slurped.

The situation is exacerbated if the hateful sound comes from a person with whom the sufferer of misophonia is emotionally connected - from a family member or close friend.

Of course, such people have many problems in communicating with others. They find it difficult to form romantic relationships as they can't stand it when someone near them eats. Many of them eat only in solitude behind closed doors.

6. Oppositional defiance disorder

In a large team there will always be a shot that takes hostility everything that comes "from above". He considers it his main goal to undermine the authority of his superiors in the most noisy and unpleasant way for the latter. He bickers and argues over every trivial matter.

Do not rush to draw conclusions - it is possible that the person is not to blame for behaving this way. His stubbornness may be due to a mental disorder called "oppositional defiance disorder." In the medical literature, this condition is described as "a long-term disorder characterized by defiance, hostility and negativism towards superiors."

Although this disorder is quite common in adults, children are, of course, most susceptible to it - about 20 percent. And this is not just bad behavior from time to time, but a permanent state for at least six months. If nothing is done about it, then with a probability of more than 50 percent, the situation will only get worse.

In contact with

Neurasthenia is a form of mental disorder belonging to the group of neuroses. Symptoms of neurasthenia are manifested in the form of increased irritability, fatigue, inability to prolonged mental or physical stress.

The main causes of neurasthenia lie, as a rule, in getting psychological trauma against the background of mental and physical overload, as well as other factors that weaken the body, for example, such as: infections, intoxication, thyroid problems, poor nutrition, lack of sleep, alcohol consumption , smoking and others. Thus, a balanced regime of work and rest, a healthy lifestyle, and the exclusion of stress and physical overload can serve as a prevention of neurasthenia.

The signs of neurasthenia are diverse, but among them the following most common ones can be distinguished:

It is customary to distinguish three stages in the course of this disease.

1. Hypersthenic stage

This is the initial stage of the course of the disease. Symptoms of neurasthenia at this stage are expressed in increased mental excitability and a pronounced nervous reaction. Anything can cause irritation: from simple noise to crowds of people. Very quickly, patients get out of a state of nervous and mental balance, shout at others, lose self-control. At this stage, the person experiences problems with concentration, they are unable to concentrate on anything, they are distracted and complain of poor memory. Headaches, a feeling of heaviness in the head, pressure in the temples are also frequent.

2. Irritable weakness

Any, even the most insignificant reason, can provoke violent reactions of irritation that do not last long. Increased excitability can also find its expression in tearfulness, fussiness and impatience. Distinctive symptoms of neurasthenia of this period of the course of the disease are intolerance to pungent odors, loud sounds and bright lights. Depression, gloominess, lethargy and indifference also appear, headaches intensify.

3. Hyposthenic stage

The main symptoms of this period are lethargy, drowsiness, apathy, depression, inability to take any active actions, a complete lock on one's own feelings and experiences.

How to cure neurasthenia?

There are several approaches to this:

medical approach - more aimed at eliminating the consequences of the disease through the use of appropriate medications that facilitate the course of the disease and eliminate symptoms;
psychoanalysis, on the other hand, is called upon to reveal what served as the impetus for the emergence and development of the disease.

The combination of both methods of treatment brings the maximum benefit, on the one hand, medical, which can alleviate the suffering of the patient at a particular moment, and on the other hand, psychoanalysis, which will help to get to the bottom of the problem, understanding which it will be possible to prevent the subsequent appearance of the disease.

It is necessary to treat this disease and this must be done by an appropriate specialist psychotherapist, in order to avoid the spillover of this disease into more complex diseases or the acquisition of a chronic disease. The consequences of neurasthenia torment, as a rule, people who have not undergone proper treatment. For example, an irritant reaction to loud noises or strong odors may persist. Depending on the characteristics of a particular person (for example, people prone to narcissism or depression), the disease can be difficult to treat and the likelihood of it becoming chronic is very high, even with timely treatment.

Children with autism have ear muscles that are more sensitive to sounds than other children. This is the conclusion reached by researchers from the Department of Neurology at the University of Pittsburgh. ( Lukose, R., Brown, K., Barber, C. M. & Kulesza, R. J. Quantification of the stapedial reflex reveals delayed responses in autism. Autism Res. 6, 344–53 (2013)). Some andresearchers claim that measuring a measure of middle ear muscle sensitivity to sounds can serve as a simple clinical biomarker for autism, while other scientists fundamentally object.

There are two muscles in the middle ear (the stirrup muscle - m. Stapedius and the muscle of the drum string - m. Tensor tympany) their function is to reflex contraction in response to a loud sound in order to reduce the amplitude of the tympanic membrane and reduce the force of the sound impact on the receptors of the cochlea during inner ear. For the most part, the stapedius muscle is involved in this reflex, so the reflex bears its name.

So-called stapedial reflexcaused by the contraction of the stapedius gracilis muscle inside the middle ear in response to a loud sound. Contraction of the muscle pulls the stapedius bone away from the inner ear, which reduces its amplitude of vibration in response to sound and protects the inner ear from strong vibration. The study found that in children with autism, the stapedial reflex is a fraction of a second slower and can be elicited by a sound a few decibels quieter than other children in the control group.

Doctors routinely examine the stapedial reflex in infants, but usually determine only the fact of its presence or absence. The scientists believe that an accurate measurement of timekeeping and loudness sensitivity could be a biomarker that would indicate autism years before the behavioral disorder becomes apparent. (It is perhaps difficult to refrain from objecting to such a provocative conclusion that the discovery of hypersensitivity to loud sounds in early childhood leads to a diagnosis of autism. The next step may be to push for treatment well in advance of the classic symptoms, which is unacceptable. Note. trans.)

"We hope that this test could be screening for young children, even newborns," says the head of the research team. Randy Kulesza assistant professor of anatomy at Erie Medical College of Pennsylvania. Several groups have found other physiological differences in children with autism, such as tachycardia (rapid heart rate) and slow pupillary response to light.

These tests are the most suitable because of their availability. They are not expensive, they do not take much time to perform, and they can be performed directly in the doctor's office. While the detection of most biomarkers in autism requires complex and expensive technologies, such as brain imaging.

Some scientists, however, are skeptical about such screening. They argue that the study is based on a small group of children and adolescents with autism who also have difficulty hearing or paying attention. For example, G. Ramsay, head of the Verbal Communication Laboratory at the Autism Center in Atlanta, says: “The idea that we could subject such a test (to detect autism)babies is a ridiculous assumption."

The stapedial reflex is carried out throughbrain stem- the nerve tract that connects the brain with the rest of the body. In 1996, scientists in New York studied the post-mortem material of the brain tissue of a young woman who suffered from autism during her lifetime. They found an almost complete absence of nerve cells intop olive, which, as you know, acts as a relay node for audio information along the auditory sensitivity tract.Rodier, P. M., Ingram, J. L., Tisdale, B., Nelson, S. & Romano, J. Embryological origin for autism: developmental anomalies of the cranial nerve motor nuclei. J. Comp. Neurol. 370, 247–61 (1996).

"This article led me to hypothesize that perhaps these sound sensitivity pathways are damaged in the brain in autism," says R. Kulesza.

A few years ago, R.Kulesza began to study brain stem tissue samples obtained under the "Material Basis of Autism" program from the brain repository of people who had autism during their lifetime.(According to the existing program "Autism Tissue Program", any patients suffering from autism and related diseases, by registering, can become posthumous donors of their brain. Their brains will be used by scientists for scientific purposes and the search for the material basis of their disease. Note. trans.)As in earlier studies, Kulesza found significantly significantdecrease in the number of neurons in the nuclei of the upper olivecompared to the control group.Kulesza, R. J., Lukose, R. & Stevens, L. V. Malformation of the human superior olive in autistic spectrum disorders. Brain Res.1367, 360–71 (2011) .

Brain slice Auditory cortex - auditory cortex Brainstem - brain stem Superior olivary nucleus - nuclei of the upper olive Cochlea - cochlea

Normally, this structure(top olive kernels)consists of approximately 15,000 nerve cells. However, in autism, we found only about 5000 (!) neurons, and sometimes even less,” says R. Kulesza.

The neurons of the superior olive are also responsible for the stapedial reflex. In the latest study, Kulesza reviewed 15 years of medical records at a nearby clinic for children with autism, (Barber National Institute in Erie, Pennsylvania), who had been given the test. According to the records, 54 children with autism were found, and the test was also conducted among 29 children with typical development. The test itself does not take much time and is absolutely painless. The child puts on headphones, which simultaneously give a loud signal and record changes in pressure in the ear.

The study found that a sound of 88 to 91 dB - about the size of a passing motorcycle - elicited a reflex response (protective stapedial muscle tension with increased pressure and resistance to excessive sound vibrations) in a control group of normal children. However, in children with autism, the reflex was already recorded at a less loud sound - 83-90 dB, which approximately corresponds to the volume of a hair dryer or blender.

The remaining groups used other tests to assess the sensitivity and sound processing of the brain in autism. For example, in 2000, researchers used electroencephalography (EEG), a non-invasive technique for recording electromagnetic waves generated by the brain from the surface of the scalp.

The so-called "sound evoked potentials" were measured - a special response of brain cells caused by a sound tone delivered to the ear or a simple click. Some children with autism, as well as healthy members of their families, have been shown to have an atypical slowdown in the EEG response.Maziade, M. et al. Prolongation of brainstem auditory-evoked responses in autistic probands and their unaffected relatives. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry 57, 1077–83 (2000).

(In connection with this fact, the statement that hearing sensitivity always suffers in autism may sound provocative and be disputed by some. Painful sensitivity to sounds is not autism. It would probably be more correct to say that against the background of a low threshold of sound sensitivity, increase the risk of autism and related conditions.Awareness of this fact already, apparently, will be the first step towards reducing risks.The identified signs are not yet a diagnosis, but rather part of a set of properties of the nervous system, the tip of the iceberg that scientists have found in the morphology of the brain (low number of neurons in the upper nuclei of the olive) and its functions (delayed response to a sound signal).Formal attention to certain aspects of morphology and function is likely to lead researchers away from the roots and nature of precisely mental disorders that are in the clinical picture of autism and similar conditions. This is probably why Kulesza's conclusions look provocative in the scientific community. Note. per.).

Finding reliable brain biomarkers could be of great help in early identification of children with autism, the researchers insist. Most children are not diagnosed until 3 or 4 years of age, while studies show that the sooner treatment is started, the better. "The stapedial reflex can be examined even on the day of the child's birth", says R. Kulesza.

It is interesting to know whether the researchers doubt that the diagnosis of these children was not established for the simple reason that at that time they did not have the disease itself? Some parents of children with autism, with whom they had to communicate, insist that until a certain age their children did not show any signs of the disease. The behavior of children could have its own characteristics, not entirely realized by the parents, but quite within the corridor of the norm. Despite the fact that some mothers noted, for their part, experienced severe stress in those years and were distinguished by excessive anxiety and a loud voice. Note. per.

The facts discovered by the study are accompanied by numerous explanations to avoid misinterpretation. Scientists did not accurately calculate sensitivity numbers, so it is not completely clear with what certainty it is possible to predict whether a child will have autism.(only based on the stapedial reflex). They also did not look at reflex outcomes in children with other disorders.

This new study is one of many that address sensory issues often found in individuals with autism. Some children with this condition are hypersensitive to any noise, while others, for example, have trouble distinguishing sounds accurately.

If this is confirmed by other studies, then the definitionstapedial reflexmay give scientists clues about the pathways that process auditory sensitivity, says T. Roberts, one of the directors of radiological research at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "Perhaps most impressive is the idea that hearing impairments are a critical foundation in the development of autism," says Roberts. A team of scientists under his leadership, usingmagnetoencephalography, found a delay in the late stages of sound processing already in the subnetworks of the cerebral cortex.

Magnetoencephalography (MEG), a rarely used study, only about 100 devices in the world, cortical activity. Normal speech rate 250 ms per syllable. The child's brain is able to localize and differentiate sounds, and subsequently highlight the meaning of the phrase. An adult is already actively following the interlocutor's thought, recognizing subtext, however, even a slight delay in sound processing can impede verbal communication. T.Roberts revealed in 2010, delay from 10 to 50 ms in children with autism, which can be a significant barrier to communication.

Other experts point out that the subnetworks of the cerebral cortex in which higher sound processing occurs are more significant for the development of autism than the primary sound processing centers at the level of the brainstem.(olive kernels) . Studies conducted a decade ago found no significant problems with sound or visual sensitivity in individuals with autism. At least two of them are known ( 1. Gravel, J. S., Dunn, M., Lee, W. W. & Ellis, M. A. Peripheral audition of children on the autistic spectrum. Ear Hear. 27, 299–312 (2006). 2. Tharpe, A. M. et al. Audience characteristics of children with autism. Ear Hear. 27, 430–41 (2006). ) did not find differences in the stapedial reflex in children with autism and children in the control group. “Most likely, this is not just a mechanism as such of a violation of the physiology of hearing in autism,” says T. Ramsay, “it is a way by which the mechanism of actively obtaining information from the outside world is carried out.”

Neurasthenia (asthenic neurosis) is a common mental disorder from the group of neuroses. It manifests itself in increased fatigue, irritability, inability to prolonged stress (physical or mental).

Asthenic neurosis is most often found in young men, but it also occurs in women. It develops with prolonged physical or emotional overstrain, prolonged conflicts or frequent stressful situations, personal tragedies.

Causes

The main cause of neurasthenia is the exhaustion of the nervous system due to overwork of any kind. Most often, it occurs when mental trauma is combined with hard work and deprivation.
Modern people are constantly in suspense, waiting for something, doing boring work of the same type that requires responsibility and attention.
Factors contributing to asthenic neurosis:

Symptoms

Symptoms of asthenic neurosis are diverse.

Physiological manifestations of neurasthenia:

diffuse headache, aggravated in the evening, a feeling of squeezing ("neurasthenic helmet");
dizziness without sensation of rotation;
palpitations, tingling, or tightness around the heart;
rapidly occurring redness or pallor;
rapid pulse;
high blood pressure;
poor appetite;
pressure in the epigastric region;
heartburn and belching;
bloating;
constipation or causeless diarrhea;
frequent urge to urinate, aggravated by excitement.

Neurological and psychological symptoms of neurasthenia:

Decrease in working capacity - a neurasthenic quickly develops a feeling of weakness, fatigue, concentration of attention decreases, labor productivity decreases.
Irritability - the patient is quick-tempered, starts up with a half turn. Everything annoys him.
Fatigue - a neurasthenic wakes up tired in the morning.
Impatience - a person becomes unrestrained, loses all ability to wait.
Weakness - it seems to the patient that every movement requires exorbitant efforts.
Fog in the head - a person perceives everything that happens through some kind of veil. The head is filled with cotton, and the ability to think is sharply reduced.
The inability to concentrate - everything distracts a person, he "jumps" from one thing to another.
The appearance of anxiety and fears - there are doubts, phobias and anxiety for any reason.
Hypersensitivity - any light seems too bright, and sounds are uncomfortably loud. People become sentimental: anything can cause tears.
Sleep disturbance - neurasthenics fall asleep for a long time and with difficulty. Sleep - superficial, accompanied by disturbing dreams. Upon awakening, a person feels completely overwhelmed.
Reduced sexual desire - men often suffer from premature ejaculation, impotence may develop. Women have anorgasmia.
Low self-esteem - such a person considers himself a loser and a weak personality.
Hypochondriacal syndrome - a neurasthenic is suspicious, constantly finds all possible diseases in himself. He consults doctors all the time.
Psychosomatic disorders and exacerbation of chronic diseases - a feeling of pain in the spine, tightness in the chest, heaviness in the heart. The manifestations of allergies, psoriasis, tremors, herpes, pain in the eyes and joints may increase, vision deteriorates, the condition of hair, nails and teeth worsens.

Forms of neurasthenia in adults

Forms of asthenic neurosis manifest themselves as phases of the course of the disease.

hypersthenic phase. It is manifested by severe irritability and high mental excitability. Working capacity is reduced due to the primary weakness of active attention. A variety of sleep disorders are always expressed. There is a shingles headache, poor memory, general weakness, discomfort in the body.
Irritable weakness - the second phase. It is characterized by a combination of high irritability and excitability with rapid exhaustion and fatigue. Outbursts of excitation pass quickly, but occur frequently. Characterized by painful intolerance to bright light, noise, loud sounds, pungent odors. The person is unable to control their emotions. He complains of absent-mindedness and poor memorization. The mood background is unstable, with a pronounced tendency to depression. Sleep disturbance. Decrease or lack of appetite, exacerbation of physiological symptoms, disorders of sexual function.
hyposthenic phase. Exhaustion and weakness predominate. The main symptoms are apathy, lethargy, depression, increased drowsiness. Constant feeling of extreme fatigue. The background of the mood is reduced, anxious, with a significant weakening of interests, the patient is characterized by emotional lability and tearfulness. Frequent hypochondriacal complaints, fixation on their painful sensations.

Features of neurasthenia in children

Neurasthenia in children is usually diagnosed in primary school and adolescence, although it also occurs in preschoolers. According to the Ministry of Health, 15 to 25% of schoolchildren suffer from neurasthenia.

The main difference between childhood neurasthenia is that it is usually accompanied by motor disinhibition.

Children's neurasthenia occurs due to adverse social or psychological conditions, most often the wrong pedagogical approach is to blame. If the disease develops due to the general physical weakness of the body, "pseudo-neurasthenia" or false neurasthenia is diagnosed.

Causes of asthenic neurosis in children:

acute and chronic psychological trauma;
weakening by somatic diseases;
wrong attitude of parents and teachers;
separation from loved ones, divorce of parents;
accentuation of character in adolescents;
relocation, placement in a new situation, transfer to another school;
increased anxiety;
hereditary burden.

Neurasthenia in children is of two types:

Asthenic form (weak type of nervous system) - the child is weakened, shy, whiny. More common in preschoolers.
Hypersthenic form (unbalanced type of nervous system) - the child is very noisy, restless, quick-tempered. It is more common in younger students and teenagers.

Diagnostics

The diagnosis can be easily established by a neurologist and is based on the patient's complaints and clinical examination.

During clinical examination and diagnosis, it is necessary to exclude:

the presence of chronic infections, intoxications, somatic diseases;
organic brain damage (tumors, neuroinfections, inflammatory diseases).

The causes of asthenic neurosis often require the attention of a psychotherapist. With neurasthenia, immunity drops, vision deteriorates, chronic diseases become aggravated. However, if the cause of the disease is removed, the body gradually recovers. Therefore, only a competent psychotherapist or psychosomatologist can effectively cure the cause and consequences of this disease.

Treatment

To cure asthenic neurosis, you need to find out and neutralize its cause.

Treatment of neurasthenia of the initial stage:

streamlining the daily routine;
elimination of the cause of emotional overstrain;
general strengthening of the body;
being outdoors;
autogenic training.

In severe neurosis, it is indicated:

hospital treatment;
the use of tranquilizers and antidepressants;
for cardiovascular disorders - bromine preparations;
psychotherapy.

Folk remedies for neurasthenia:

Treatment with plant juices - beet juice with honey.
Treatment with decoctions, tinctures and infusions: from oregano, blackberry, sage, thyme, ginseng root, St. John's wort, viburnum, hawthorn.
Teas and medicinal drinks from valerian, chamomile, sweet clover, lemon balm, linden and strawberries, motherwort.
Therapeutic baths - coniferous, with calamus, with bran.
Pranayama is a cleansing breath from yoga.

Forecast

The prognosis of neurasthenia is favorable. With proper treatment and elimination of the original cause, asthenic neurosis passes without a trace in most cases.

In the video, a psychotherapist talks about how to get rid of neurasthenia without medication: