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Blackening in front of the eyes - causes and therapy
contents
- Why does everything blacken before our eyes??
- First aid with black eyes
- Causes of black become before the eyes
- Is black-eye viewing dangerous??
- diagnosis
- Treatment for blackness in front of the eyes
- Naturopathy
- Prevention of blackening in front of the eyes
Why does everything blacken before our eyes??
We lie in bed or on the sofa and want to get up quickly - but then it happens: The legs are shaky, we feel dizzy and black in front of our eyes. Many people have experienced a situation like this before, when they suddenly get up from their rest or suddenly move after standing for a long time. Because here the circulation is properly demanded, because he has to work partly against gravity, to pump the blood, for example, from the feet and legs, up.
Sometimes when getting up quickly, a circulatory weakness occurs. The blood sinks in the legs, we feel dizzy and black in front of our eyes. (Image: Halfpoint / fotolia.com) In some cases, however, the cycle fails to adjust quickly enough to the change and balance it out. Instead, the rapid change in body position leads to a sudden fall in blood pressure, which is referred to medically as "orthostatic dysregulation" or "orthostatic syndrome". The blood literally "sags" in the legs and can not be pumped up by the low blood pressure.
As a result, the brain is temporarily no longer adequately supplied with blood and oxygen, and the eyes are poorly supplied with blood. The retina, which normally absorbs the light stimuli and transmits them via the optic nerve to the brain, is limited in its ability to function due to the lack of supply. The visual cells are "switched off", which is expressed in the fact that we suddenly black out in front of our eyes.
Other typical symptoms of orthostatic dysregulation include dizziness, palpitations, generalized weakness, facial blanching, headache, and nausea. The sudden drop in blood pressure can lead to unconsciousness.
First aid with black eyes
Most people intuitively feel right when they go black before sitting down or lying down and putting their feet up. Because of this, the blood drowning in the legs can disperse again and gets back into the circulation.
By laying down and raising the legs, the "collapsed" blood can flow back to the heart. (Image: Clemens Schüßler / fotolia.com) If the sudden drop in blood pressure leads to unconsciousness, the right first aid measures are particularly important and can be life-saving in an emergency. Therefore, it is crucial to react immediately and not to lose any time.
| If you find a motionless person, proceed as follows: 1. Talk to the person and gently shake the shoulder. 2. If there is no reaction, there is an unconsciousness - call in this case (if possible) other helpers. 3. Control breathing by gently holding the subject's head back, lifting the chin and opening the mouth. At the same time, observe whether the ribcage and abdomen rise and fall. 4. If breathing is normal, gently turn the victim on the back and keep your legs up. This should bring it back to consciousness after a short moment. 5. If this is not the case, the patient should be placed in a stable lateral position to prevent blood or vomit from entering the respiratory tract and blocking the tongue's airway. Because a swallowed tongue can be life-threatening. 6. Alert the ambulance at the number 112 and check the breathing of the unconscious again and again. If neither breathing nor pulse is detectable, you must begin resuscitation immediately. |
Causes of black become before the eyes
If it comes to getting up quickly to blood pressure fluctuations and black in front of the eyes, this can have different causes. Older people are particularly affected as the ability to regulate blood pressure when changing to the upright position (orthostatic reaction) decreases with age. Age-related diseases such as diabetes or Parkinson's disease increase the risk additionally.
Often the disorder of blood pressure regulation occurs in people who have a low blood pressure from the outset. These are mostly teenagers or young, very slim persons (especially women) and pregnant women.
Likewise, the complaints may be due to an existing illness. Hyperthyroidism, varicose veins, hypofunction of the adrenal cortex, cardiovascular diseases (e.g., heart failure, aortic stenosis, pericarditis) and infectious diseases may be considered.
Often a generally low blood pressure will be the reason for the black in front of the eyes. In men, there is arterial hypotension if the upper limit is permanently below 110 mmHg. (Image: photowahn / fotolia.com) In many cases, the use of certain medications is responsible for the circulatory insufficiency when getting up. These include, among others, blood pressure medicines such as ACE inhibitors, AT II antagonists, diuretics and beta blockers, Parkinson's medicines, cytostatics and psychotropic drugs with effect on depressive illnesses (tricyclic antidepressants, abbreviated to TCA).
Other possible causes of orthostatic dysregulation include prolonged bed-rest, alcohol and drug use, and persistent lack of movement and fluid. Similarly, after a long sunbath or smoking a cigarette after prolonged abstinence it can happen that when you get up, it suddenly turns black in front of your eyes.
Is black-eye viewing dangerous??
There is no danger in most cases due to the short-term visual disturbance. As a rule, the blood pressure normalizes quickly by itself by the heart rate is significantly increased. The blood pressure rises, the blood from the leg veins gets back into the circulation and the brain is sufficiently supplied again. The complaints disappear and, apart from a somewhat "dull" feeling, black-and-white vision usually leaves no traces.
But beware Especially the elderly and pregnant women are particularly often affected by orthostatic dysregulation. A fall, e.g. after getting up, can have bad consequences here in an emergency.
However, the basic requirement is always that no serious illness is responsible for the black in front of the eyes. In order to be able to exclude this, it is important to have the symptoms cleared up in case of frequent occurrence. The same should be done immediately if a transient unconsciousness has occurred for the first time.
A sudden fall in blood pressure when standing up can lead to falls and therefore become dangerous for the elderly. (Image: Christian Delbert / fotolia.com) diagnosis
Often the doctor receives an indication by the description of the symptoms, if an orthostatic dysregulation is responsible for the blackening in front of the eyes. For verification, the so-called Schellong test can be performed. For this, the patient lies down on a couch for five to ten minutes, with pulse and blood pressure being measured at regular intervals. After that, the patient stands up abruptly and stops for another five to ten minutes. It also measures multiple heart rate and blood pressure.
If there has already been a short loss of consciousness, the "tilt table examination" serves as a clarification. Here, the person concerned is strapped to a tilting table in order to be protected in the event of a fainting from falling. At the beginning of the examination, the blood pressure and the electrical activity of the heart are first measured for a few minutes by means of an electrocardiogram (EKG) ECG.
Subsequently, the patient is placed in an upright position at an angle of about 60 to 70 ° for about 30 minutes to simulate getting up from lying down. Blood pressure and ECG will continue to be monitored closely, if unconscious, the examination will be stopped immediately. The same applies if the blood pressure drops too low or if the heartbeat becomes too slow.
Treatment for blackness in front of the eyes
If you get black every now and then when you get up or after standing for a long time, this does not necessarily indicate a disease. Nevertheless, a doctor should always be consulted in case of persistent, severe, frequently recurring as well as suddenly occurring symptoms. This checks whether there may be an underlying disease such as diabetes or hypothyroidism. If this is the case, the focus is on the treatment of the disease.
Since low blood pressure levels can also be caused by drugs such as beta-blockers, diuretics or psychotropic drugs, patients who regularly take medications should talk with their doctor about a possible change or discontinuation.
If the onset of blackness in front of the eyes is associated with a generally low blood pressure with no apparent cause (primary hypotension), medications are usually not required and will rarely be prescribed because of the potential side effects. Instead, self-help is in the foreground. These include wearing compression stockings, a diet rich in minerals and vitamins as well as regular exercise. In many cases, blood pressure fluctuations and circulatory problems can be alleviated with natural remedies and procedures.
Compression stockings support blood flow back to the heart. (Image: klick61 / fotolia.com) Naturopathy
If an underlying disease can be ruled out, naturopathy offers various options for regulating blood pressure, thereby naturally correcting circulatory problems and visual disturbances. In homeopathy, low blood pressure is treated with, for example, Veratrum Album, Kalium Carbonicum and Carbo vegetabilis. With fluctuating values, Lachesis and Ammi visnaga are used.
Various medicinal plants have a stimulating effect on the circulation and are therefore suitable for hypotension. These include, for example, rosemary, which is often used in the context of aromatherapy as well as bath or shower additive. Hawthorn is recommended when it comes to blood circulation problems and problems with blood pressure in old age.
The traditional water treatments according to Sebastian Kneipp have proven themselves many times over, as they stimulate the cardiovascular system and ensure better blood circulation. Well suited for Kneipp cures in your own bathroom are, for example, an arm cast following the morning showers, shower showers or whole washes.
Prevention of blackening in front of the eyes
If you quickly black out in front of the eyes, you should get used to, generally not abrupt, but slowly get up. This is especially true after sleeping and prolonged sitting. It is advisable not to jump up immediately after waking up, but to stay for a few minutes, in which you stretch extensively, stretch and stretch to get the circulation going. Many sufferers with a tendency to orthostatic hypotension, it helps to sleep with an upper body.
After a long bath, it is important to get out of the tub very slowly, because the blood is even faster in the vessels that are set high by the heat. If you do not want to do without a full bath, you should make sure that the water is not too hot. In many cases it is helpful to wear compression stockings, as these support blood flow to the heart.
Often the blackening occurs in front of the eyes, when not enough was drunk. Accordingly, care should be taken at all times to ensure adequate hydration. If an underlying disease could be medically excluded, it is advisable to use regular circulation to support the circulation. For example, swimming and running are particularly suitable. Alternating showers and other hydrotherapy procedures also boost circulation. (Nr)
Specialist supervision: Barbara Schindewolf-Lensch (doctor)