Porphyria: which people cannot tolerate sunlight

Causes

1. The main cause of neurasthenia is 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.
2. Modern people are constantly in tension, waiting for something, doing boring, same-type work that requires responsibility and attention.
3. Factors contributing to asthenic neurosis:

• somatic diseases;
• endocrine disorders;
• chronic lack of sleep;
• malnutrition and lack of vitamins;
• irregular working hours;
• frequent conflicts in the environment;
• infections and intoxications;
• bad habits;
• increased anxiety;
• heredity

Causes of photophobia

Photophobia can be congenital

. Thus, albinos are people who lack the hormone melanin, which is responsible for pigmentation of the skin, hair and eyes. – are characterized by increased sensitivity to light.

Acquired

(that is, sudden onset, development) photophobia can be a sign of various diseases.

First of all, photophobia can be observed in case of eye diseases

, such as:

• conjunctivitis (inflammation of the conjunctiva);
• keratitis (inflammation of the cornea);
• inflammation of the iris (iritis, iridocyclitis);
• glaucoma (with a sharp increase in eye pressure);
• eye injuries (including foreign objects entering the cornea, burns, light burns - the result of exposure to too bright light, etc.).

Photophobia is also possible as a result of:

• long periods of work at the computer;
• long exposure to a dry atmosphere (for example, with an air conditioner running);
• work associated with increased eye strain (in poor lighting, when it is necessary to peer into small details, etc.).

Another group of causes of photophobia is associated with disorders of the nervous system.

. Photophobia can be a symptom of diseases such as:

• migraine;
• meningitis;
• encephalitis;
• stroke;
• tension headache and some others.

If photophobia is of neurological origin, it is usually accompanied by headache, nausea and even vomiting may occur. In the case of infectious diseases (meningitis, encephalitis), photophobia usually manifests itself against the background of an increase in temperature.

Symptoms

The symptoms of asthenic neurosis are varied.

Physiological manifestations of neurasthenia:

• diffuse headache, worsening in the evening, a feeling of squeezing (“neurasthenic helmet”);
• dizziness without spinning sensation;
• palpitations, tingling or tightness in the heart area;
• rapid 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, increasing with anxiety.

Neurological and psychological symptoms of neurasthenia:

• Decreased performance - a neurasthenic person quickly develops a feeling of weakness, fatigue, concentration decreases, and labor productivity drops.
• Irritability - the patient is quick-tempered, starts up at half a turn. Everything annoys him.
• Fatigue - a neurasthenic person wakes up tired in the morning.
• Impatience - a person becomes unrestrained, loses all ability to wait.
• Weakness - the patient feels that every movement requires exorbitant effort.
• Fog in the head - a person perceives everything that happens through some kind of veil. The head is filled with cotton wool, and the ability to think is sharply reduced.
• Inability to concentrate - a person is distracted by everything, he “jumps” from one thing to another.
• The appearance of anxiety and fears - doubts, phobias and anxiety arise for any reason.
• Increased sensitivity - any light seems too bright, and sounds are unpleasantly loud. People become sentimental: anything can cause tears.
• Sleep disturbance - neurasthenics take a long time and have difficulty falling asleep. Sleep is superficial, accompanied by disturbing dreams. When waking up, a person feels completely overwhelmed.
• Decreased sexual desire - men often suffer from premature ejaculation, and impotence may develop. In women - anorgasmia.
• Low self-esteem - such a person considers himself a loser and a weak person.
• Hypochondriacal syndrome - a neurasthenic person is suspicious, constantly finding all possible diseases. He consults with 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. Manifestations of allergies, psoriasis, tremors, herpes, pain in the eyes and joints may intensify, vision may deteriorate, and the condition of hair, nails and teeth may worsen.

Forms of neurasthenia in adults

Forms of asthenic neurosis appear as phases of the disease.

1. Hypersthenic phase. Manifests itself as severe irritability and high mental excitability. Performance is reduced due to primary weakness of active attention. Various sleep disturbances are always expressed. There is a girdling headache, poor memory, general weakness, and unpleasant sensations in the body.
2. Irritable weakness is the second phase. It is characterized by a combination of high irritability and excitability with rapid exhaustion and fatigue. Outbursts of excitement pass quickly, but occur frequently. Characterized by painful intolerance to bright light, noise, loud sounds, and strong odors. A person is unable to control his emotions. He complains of absent-mindedness and poor memory. The mood background is unstable, with a pronounced tendency towards depression. Sleep disturbance. Decreased or lack of appetite, exacerbation of physiological symptoms, sexual dysfunction.
3. Hyposthenic phase. Exhaustion and weakness predominate. The main symptoms are apathy, lethargy, depression, increased drowsiness. Constant feeling of extreme fatigue. The background mood is reduced, anxious, with a significant weakening of interests, the patient is characterized by emotional lability and tearfulness. Hypochondriacal complaints and fixation on one's painful sensations are frequent.

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, neurasthenia affects 15 to 25% of schoolchildren.

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

Childhood neurasthenia occurs as a result of unfavorable social or psychological conditions, most often the fault of an incorrect pedagogical approach. If the disease develops as a result of general physical weakness of the body, “pseudoneurasthenia” or false neurasthenia is diagnosed.

Causes of asthenic neurosis in children:

• acute and chronic psychological trauma;
• weakness due to somatic diseases;
• incorrect attitude of parents and teachers;
• separation from loved ones, divorce of parents;
• character accentuations in adolescents;
• moving, being placed in a new situation, transferring to another school;
• increased anxiety;
• hereditary burden.

There are two types of neurasthenia in children:

1. Asthenic form (weak type of nervous system) - the child is weakened, fearful, and tearful. More common in preschoolers.
2. Hypersthenic form (an unbalanced type of nervous system) - the child is very noisy, restless, and quick-tempered. It occurs more often in younger schoolchildren and teenagers.

Diagnostics

The diagnosis can be easily established by a neurologist; it 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 decreases, vision deteriorates, and chronic diseases worsen. 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.

Artificial light makes us fat and threatens insomnia

Photo: GLOBAL LOOK PRESS

We wake up in the morning - it’s still dark. Turn on the light. At work (at school, at college, in a store), we have electric light, and also the computer screen is on for most of the day. We come home and flip the switch again - it’s already dark. TV - evening spotlight. Until they are sent to Morpheus, the eyes look at the world under the light of a lamp, floor lamp or night light. All day under different artificial lighting! And so on until spring. And this will not only enrich Mosenergo, but will also affect our body. Scientists say that different types of lighting can even cause diseases including diabetes and depression.

A scientific report from the European Commission found that lights turned on in the middle of the night can cause mood swings, insomnia and heart disease.

But it is important to understand that different lamps mean different reactions of the body. For example, experiments carried out on hamsters showed that the bluish light of a night light is depressing. And red light in the bedroom promotes good sleep. This is what the scientists decided.

All these findings do not mean that any electric light is harmful to us. It is important to turn it on according to the situation, change the lighting at different moments. Scientists have explained why.

“The problem is that electricity came into our lives relatively recently,” explains Professor Richard Stevens, an epidemiologist at the University of Connecticut Health Center and an expert on the effects of light on our health. “We’ve been living for a long time, but we’ve only been living with electric light for about 100 years. So for the body, the appearance of light after sunset is an unnatural phenomenon, and it confuses our internal mechanisms, the daily biological clock. It’s not without reason that we want to sleep when it’s dark and wake up when it’s light outside. A number of hormones are involved in the alarm clock, regulating such important processes as fat metabolism, blood sugar levels and blood pressure. So any phenomenon that “knocks down” the body threatens with consequences.

Among the consequences scientists say are diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems and depression.

Scientists are still trying to figure out why any disruption of natural light promises illness, and there are many theories. For example, the fact that at night, in the dark, the hormone melatonin is released in our body. It reaches its highest level at 2 am, but the light burning at night interferes with the release of this very melatonin. Light at the wrong time also stimulates stress hormones, which leads to serious consequences.

Artificial lighting makes us fat

Our circadian body clock controls the hormones ghrelin, insulin and serotonin, which are responsible for appetite, fat storage and mood. This is why any disruptions in lighting and the production of these hormones affect weight. Computer screen causes insomnia

Evening light, especially from computer screens and tablets, suppresses melatonin secretion and makes it difficult to fall asleep. A 2011 study found that using a computer five hours before bed confuses the body and disrupts the circadian rhythm due to the light from the screen. After all, “blue screens” act like an alarm clock on us, waking us up and preventing us from falling asleep.

Blue light - no peace

Blue light has high energy and has a photodamaging effect on eye tissue. Its sources are fluorescent lamps, xenon lamps and computer screens. Television screens are also called “blue” for a reason, but they are still not as harmful as computer screens. In addition, this light appears white to our eyes. It reduces melatonin levels, prevents us from falling asleep and wakes up our body at any time of the day, as if saying: “It’s time to wake up, it’s already morning!” Energy-saving lamps

They provide the same light as fluorescent lamps, which means they also contain plenty of harmful blue light.

“In the evenings, it’s still better to turn on regular incandescent lamps at home, rather than energy-saving ones,” says Dr. Stevens. “Society is trying to abandon conventional light bulbs in favor of energy-saving ones, because they are more economical, but they are still more harmful to our health.

Least dangerous in red light

The dim red light of lamps is very suitable for the bedroom - less irritating, less disruptive to the biological clock. So, if you need to turn on the light for a while at night, a dim red night light will do.

Scientists, of course, scared us, but still we shouldn’t immediately buy candles and live among candelabras without turning on the harmful artificial sun. If we use light correctly, it can “work” for us. In the morning, to wake up, we turn on bright daylight or an energy-saving lamp. In the evening before going to bed or at night, light a dim red night light.

USEFUL ADVICE: Should you brush your teeth under the moon?

“Try to wash your face and brush your teeth at least 30 minutes before bed,” advises Russell Foster, professor of neurology at Oxford University. “After all, there is always very bright lighting in the bathroom, which will not let you fall asleep quickly.”

Professor Foster is confident that during daylight hours it is imperative to go outside for some time in natural light, especially in winter, especially in the mornings. You can, for example, have breakfast by the window, and then go out for a five-minute walk in the afternoon.

Treatment

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

Treatment of early stage neurasthenia:

• streamlining the daily routine;
• eliminating the cause of emotional stress;
• general strengthening of the body;
• staying in the fresh air;
• autogenic training.

In severe neurosis it is indicated:

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

Folk remedies for neurasthenia:

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