Sleep disturbance, for whatever reason, becomes the No. 1 problem in a person’s life, and what doctor to consult for insomnia is not everyone’s knowledge. Here is a list of medics who help cope with the pathology – a therapist and a neurologist, a cardiologist and somnologist , psychologist and psychiatrist. First, you should contact your local doctor, he will prescribe therapy or give direction to another specialist.
Loss of sleep: factors, risks, symptoms
Insomnia itself is a symptom, but sometimes associated with symptoms such as:
- difficulty falling asleep;
- waking at night or very early;
- fatigue, drowsiness in the afternoon;
- irritability, depression, anxiety;
- violation of concentration and coordination;
- headache, social difficulties.
People who are prone to insomnia, travel a lot, work in shifts, are in old age.
Attention! The susceptible category includes stimulant users, students, pregnant women, women in the period menopause, people with mental disorders.
Unfortunately, not everyone timely contacts a specialist. As a result, mild insomnia is transformed into chronic.
The duration of the disorder is classified:
Transient insomnia – the symptoms last up to a week.
- Short-term – 1-3 weeks.
- Chronic – more than 3 weeks.
Causes of transient and short-term disturbance, when sleep is not, are:
- biorhythm violation;
- excess noise and light stimuli;
- uncomfortable room temperature;
- stressful events;
- acute illness, hospitalization, surgery;
- abolition of alcohol, drugs, psychostimulants or sedatives.
As well as fever, shortness of breath, nasal congestion, cough, diarrhea.
Chronic insomnia is the result:
- Mental illness – anxiety, stress, emotional stress, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder.
- Physical illness – chronic, fatigue syndrome, stagnant heart failure angina pectoris, gastroesophageal reflux disease, COPD, Parkinson Alzheimer’s stroke brain tumors.
- Preparations:
- corticosteroids and statins;
- alpha and beta blockers;
- selective inhibitors;
- angiotezina receptor blockers;
- glucosamine and chondroitin.
Independent somatic or mental disorders:
- idiopathic insomnia from childhood;
- central sleep apnea, as a result of brain damage, heart failure, hypoxia;
- restless legs syndrome ;
- violations circadian rhythm.
Realizing that sleep is disturbed, contact the therapist. In case of primary insomnia, a person looks exhausted, with sunken eyes, but clinical studies will not reveal changes beyond the normal range.
Diagnosis and treatment: who and how will return sleep
For diagnosis, the doctor will study the history of the disease. The patient will undergo a medical examination, check the condition of the cardiac system and lungs. Differential assessment will take into account the psychiatric, alcoholic and drug factors.
The doctor will study the sleep model patient, time and quality of sleep, daily the symptoms and the duration of the condition. As well as the frequency of episodes of insomnia, association with employment, the possible impact of drugs, the presence of stressful situations. Then put a preliminary diagnosis.
Therapist will not issue sleeping pills – non-pharmacological treatment will be used as initial therapy. The patient is assigned to follow the rules:
- stick to a regular schedule;
- do exercises;
- eliminate all stimulants;
- apply relaxing treatments.
It is recommended to keep a sleep diary for two weeks, to record the time associated with sleep there – when the patient lies down, how much he sleeps, when he wakes up and gets up.
Attention! In case of primary insomnia, reflexology gives a good result, the course is performed by the attending physiotherapist. Sometimes prescribed light sedatives or herbs.
When diagnostic criteria include complaints about poor quality of sleep for a month – they turn to a local doctor, the doctor will assess the deterioration of social and professional life, respiratory distress, sleep rhythm, the use of drugs, drugs and chronic diseases. Decides which doctor should be consulted for chronic insomnia, is also a therapist.
If the pathology of the heart is suspected, the patient should go to cardiologist, go through the detailed ECG, get a referral for ultrasound, then treatment of the identified disease.
Neurologist determines disorders in the nervous system – central and peripheral. May prescribe drugs for the correction of nervous activity, give direction to massage, electric.
A person with a high level of anxiety may be referred to a psychologist. This specialist will apply treatment with the help of the rules that help break the vicious circle. trouble sleeping, you will need:
only go to bed when there is drowsiness;
- use bed only for sleep;
- exclude on the bed reading, watching TV.
Psychologist uses hypnosis, breathing exercises, meditative techniques.
Sometimes, insomnia can only cope psychiatrist. Drug therapy is connected if there is no progress from non-pharmacological methods.
Complex treatment has Somnologist , this doctor treats insomnia. Somnology A new specialization, doctoras- somnologists are not part of the staff of free clinics, you need to register for an appointment at a private hospital.
What the doctor prescribes for insomnia
Modern medicine has a wide arsenal of drugs, the use of which is necessary to improve the quality and duration of sleep.
Important! Pick up the medicine can only specialist after reading the history of the disease.
Taking into account all indications, contraindications, available comorbidities, medication is administered in an individual dosage.
There are such groups of drugs to combat insomnia:
Barbiturates – Means with a lot of contraindications, but effectively fighting sleep disorders. Their purpose is justified if more benign drugs do not solve the problem with sleep.
Benzodiazepines – effective, but have a characteristic side effect – cause drowsiness, incoordination, lethargy. Because of this, drugs are not suitable for everyone and are strictly prohibited to people who drive vehicles.
Z drugs are prescription drugs that get rid of insomnia with a minimal amount of side effects.
In addition to these groups of drugs, you can also use herbal-based sedatives and antihistamines.
OTC remedies for insomnia
Faced with a problem with sleep, almost everyone initially tries to solve the problem on their own, using traditional medicine, herbal medicine and non-prescription drugs.
What to drink for insomnia? Over-the-counter chemist’s:
plant-based (comprised of natural components and found to be the most safe);
synthetic (effectively fighting the problem and correcting the mental state);
combined composition.
Contraindications to the use of insomnia
Most drugs have contraindications that must be reviewed before initiating therapy.
Contraindications and features of the use of drugs:
- barbiturates when used for treating insomnia in the elderly patients may have the opposite effect – increase the excitability of the nervous system;
- benzodiazepines contraindicated for people who at the time of therapy can not give up driving;
- barbiturates are addictive, often after the abolition of drugs, the patient alone can not establish sleep;
- barbiturates are forbidden to people with pathologies of the respiratory system.
Most consider herbal tinctures to be soft and not contraindicated, but this statement is wrong. Do not forget that this form of release involves the use of alcohol as the basis of the drug, so the means are prohibited to use:
- pregnant and lactating;
- children;
- at hypotension;
- with pathologies of the liver, cardiovascular system;
- not compatible with the medications that are strictly forbidden to use alcohol.
If the patient gives preference to herbal preparations, then it is better to pay attention to their types in tablet form or to independently prepare products without the use of alcohol (based on water).