"Insufficient blood supply to the brain" is not a serious disease, but it can lead to serious consequences!

In daily life, we often hear people say that they have the problem of "insufficient blood supply to the brain". However, this is not an independent disease, but a symptom. Although it may not cause serious health problems immediately, it may cause a series of serious consequences if timely measures are not taken.

Cerebral ischemia refers to insufficient blood supply to specific areas of the brain, leading to brain dysfunction. Although it is not an independent disease, its symptoms are very common, especially among the elderly. According to statistics, 70% of the elderly over 60 years old have varying degrees of cerebral ischemia; and among the elderly over 80 years old, this proportion is as high as 80%. However, young people cannot rule out the possibility of suffering from cerebral ischemia.

Common causes of insufficient blood flow to the brain

1. Atherosclerosis: This is a chronic inflammatory process that causes the walls of blood vessels to thicken and harden, forming plaques. These plaques can block blood vessels, preventing blood from flowing smoothly. Over time, this blockage can lead to insufficient blood supply to the brain.

2. Coronary heart disease: Coronary heart disease is caused by insufficient blood supply to the myocardium due to coronary atherosclerosis. When the blood supply vessels to the heart become narrow or blocked, symptoms of the heart itself and symptoms outside the heart will appear. Diseases of the heart itself can manifest as angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, and sudden cardiac death. Symptoms outside the heart are mainly because the heart's pumping function is affected, resulting in blood being unable to be pumped smoothly to the whole body, including the brain, which in turn manifests as symptoms of insufficient blood supply to the brain, such as dizziness, general fatigue, and drowsiness.

3. Hypertension: When blood pressure is high, blood vessels need to fight greater pressure to pump blood. If blood pressure continues to rise, blood vessels may gradually become hard and narrow, thereby reducing blood supply to the brain.

4. Cervical spondylosis: Cervical spondylosis, especially vertebral artery type cervical spondylosis, may compress the vertebral artery, which is one of the important blood vessels supplying the brain. Compression may prevent blood from flowing smoothly to the brain, resulting in insufficient blood supply to the brain.

5. Vasospasm: Vasospasm may be caused by the sudden contraction of blood vessels due to various reasons. This makes the caliber of the blood vessels smaller and the blood flow is obstructed. If the spasm persists or occurs frequently, it may lead to insufficient blood supply to the brain.

6. Hypoxia: When there is insufficient oxygen in the blood, the brain's function will be affected. This may be due to altitude sickness, lung disease or heart disease.

7. Increased blood viscosity: If there is insufficient water in the blood or insufficient exercise, the blood may become viscous. Viscous blood has poor fluidity and is prone to blood clots, thus affecting the blood supply to the brain.

Consequences of insufficient blood supply to the brain

1. Dizziness and headache: Insufficient blood supply to the brain may cause brain hypoxia, stimulate cerebral vasoconstriction, and thus cause headaches, dizziness and other discomfort symptoms. Patients may feel heavy and stuffy in the head, or have persistent dizziness, especially when the head turns or changes position, the dizziness symptoms may worsen.

2. General fatigue: This is because insufficient blood supply to the brain will affect the brain's control over the body, including control of muscles and nerves. Since nutrients cannot be delivered to the brain in time, the mental state declines, the whole person looks lack of energy, the body easily feels tired, and may even appear pale.

3. Lethargy: When the brain is not supplied with enough blood, the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the brain will be affected, resulting in decreased brain function and, in turn, lethargy. This is more common in the elderly with insufficient blood supply to the brain, because the elasticity of the blood vessels of the elderly is reduced and the blood viscosity is higher, which makes it easier to cause a relatively insufficient blood supply to the brain.

5. Emotional and cognitive problems: Insufficient blood supply to the brain may affect the brain's emotional and cognitive functions. Patients may experience emotional problems such as mood swings, anxiety, depression, etc., and cognitive abilities may also be affected, such as memory loss and lack of concentration.

How should patients with cerebral ischemia prevent?

1. Eat a reasonable diet, pay attention to adjusting your diet, maintain a low-salt, low-fat, low-sugar diet, eat more vegetables, fruits and whole grains, consume protein in moderation, and avoid consuming too much high-fat, high-sugar and high-salt food.

2. Do moderate aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, jogging, swimming, etc., to promote blood circulation and cardiovascular health. At the same time, maintain a healthy weight and avoid excessive obesity.

3. Quitting smoking and limiting alcohol consumption are also important measures to prevent cerebral ischemia.

4. Maintain mental health and avoid psychological problems such as excessive tension, anxiety and depression. Maintaining mental health helps prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
In short, patients with insufficient blood supply to the brain should take comprehensive measures from multiple aspects to prevent the aggravation and recurrence of the disease. If new symptoms appear, such as sudden slurred speech, blurred vision, diplopia, numbness and weakness of one side or one limb, it is likely that a sudden cerebral hemorrhage or cerebral infarction has occurred, and medical attention should be sought immediately. Time is the brain, and blood supply is the brain. Ensure blood supply to the brain and enjoy a healthy life.

Author of this article: Tian Wenjuan, Wen'an County Hospital, Langfang City