What is “White Knight Syndrome”: its five main signs

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Many people, approaching the doctor's office, notice a sharp increase in blood pressure, despite the fact that they felt great at home. Such oddities are not uncommon, the problem has long been known, it is usually called the fear of the white coat. This is a consequence of a personal reaction to the environment and situation during the appearance of negative emotions. Signs of this syndrome can even appear at work during a conversation with the boss.

White coat syndrome is familiar to many people.

Causes of white coat syndrome

White coat syndrome is called hypertension. It is expressed by sudden surges in pressure at the time of a doctor’s visit. Many people suffer from a fear of the white coat, but not everyone feels this is a problem. The paradox of white coat syndrome, during which blood pressure increases, most often occurs at a meeting with a doctor, when he examines a person and prescribes treatment for him. This manifestation is associated with a reaction to a stressful situation. Nervousness occurs in highly impressionable and emotional people. Their psyche is disturbed. When a person sees a doctor, he begins to get nervous and worry about his well-being.

Some doctors refer to white coat syndrome as a type of adaptation or relative reaction. A person remembers his first visits to clinics, when there was nervous excitement, his legs and arms were trembling. On the next visit, the body produces reactions similar to the memories. There are two types of white coat syndrome:

1. Neurosis that occurs only in a doctor's office is called isolated arterial hypertension.
2. The disease causes a lot of emotions due to anxiety.

The position of white coat syndrome is not the norm. The likelihood of heart disease occurring with the syndrome is very small, but its occurrence must be monitored closely. Even if white coat syndrome occurs rarely, it still has negative consequences.

Symptoms

Like any other disease, white coat syndrome has its symptoms. The symptomatic picture will allow you to determine whether it is simple anxiety or a problem that requires treatment. Let's move on to the symptoms:

• increased blood pressure when measured in hospital;
• Blood pressure normalizes after the end of the doctor’s appointment;
• disjointed speech, panic attacks;
• increased pulse and difficulty breathing when visiting a doctor; trembling in the arms and legs is also possible.

Possible consequences of the disease

When pressure begins to increase, it can be episodic in nature, and does not harm a person’s health. Blood tests of patients who suffer from white coat hypertension have determined a strong increase in cholesterol and sugar. Such symptoms occur when a person has diabetes. If the symptoms of a sudden and sharp increase in blood pressure are not treated, they will develop into pathology and can lead to consequences:

• left ventricle enlargement;
• the appearance of kidney diseases;
• stroke due to stress;
• When measuring pressure, the readings are high:
• during pregnancy, this phenomenon has a bad effect on the unborn child;
• for older people, the disease can become a serious threat to life;
• People who do not lead a healthy lifestyle are often susceptible to mental disorders and can develop severe hypertension.

White coat hypertension may lead to serious heart disease

Adele syndrome

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Adele syndrome, or love madness, is a passionate, unrequited love feeling.

The syndrome got its name thanks to Adele Hugo, the daughter of the famous French writer Victor Hugo.

Adele was a very beautiful and gifted girl, but her mental health was greatly affected by the death of her older sister. Later, the girl met the English officer Albert and fell madly in love with him. But she fell in unrequited love: Albert did not reciprocate the girl’s feelings.

She pursued Albert, lied to everyone first about her engagement, and then about marrying him. She upset the officer's engagement to another girl and spread rumors that she had given birth to a stillborn child from him. The story has a sad ending: Adele spent the rest of her life in a psychiatric hospital.

Despite the fact that all this seems incredible and greatly exaggerated, many girls and boys suffer from a similar syndrome.

It is hardly possible to identify specific methods that will help fight such a harmful feeling that sucks a person in like a black hole. You just should always remember that “There is no such thing as unhappy love...”, and find the strength and pride in yourself to abandon the person who doesn’t need you.

Necessary examinations for illness

To determine the fear of a white coat when measuring blood pressure, you must undergo a medical examination, take special tests and undergo an instrumental examination:

• donate blood for cholesterol and lipid profile;
• check blood for sugar;
• do an ultrasound of the kidneys and heart;
• ECG;
• duplex of vessels.

It is necessary to undergo examination by a cardiologist. If such a disease manifests itself at a young age, then the likelihood of hypertension will be very high.

An examination by a cardiologist will help make the correct diagnosis.

Diagnostics

In order to begin to treat a phobia, it is necessary to correctly diagnose the disease. If attacks of arterial hypertension are very rare and appear only after stressful situations, then there is no need for their treatment. In order to record the exact number of pressure surges and their frequency, a person is recommended to measure blood pressure daily, in the morning and in the evening, and record the results in a special journal, which should be taken with you to subsequent visits to the doctor.

To detect the risk of cardiovascular diseases, it is important to determine whether there are disturbances in the functioning of target organs (these are the organs that suffer most from pressure changes: kidneys, heart, brain, eyes) and identify the diseases accompanying them. To do this, you should undergo diagnostics, including the following tests and examinations:

• lipid profile;
• blood sugar test;
• analysis for the level of uric acid in the blood;
• clinical laboratory tests;
• electrocardiography (ECG);
• echocardiography;
• Ultrasound of the kidneys;
• Ultrasound duplex scanning of the carotid arteries.

How to get rid of the disease

If you get sick, you need to undergo 24-hour blood pressure monitoring to see the number of pressure drops. Throughout the day, the device automatically records pressure in normal conditions. The possibility of hypertension increases if a person is subject to frequent conflicts and mental stress. Also, bad habits and sedentary work can affect the development of the disease.

How to get rid of white coat syndrome? To do this, you can seek help from a psychologist. If a person is too emotional, he needs to contact a psychologist who will prescribe a course of training on stress resistance. The use of sedative tablets and antidepressants will also help in the fight against the syndrome.

If the disease is aggressive, it is treated with individual medications. Treatment must be supervised by doctors.

How to treat white coat syndrome with medications:

1. Sedatives.
2. Psychotropic pills.
3. Antihypertensive medications.
4. Antidepressants.
5. Diuretics may be used.

To get rid of high blood pressure, serious drug treatment can be used. Medicines must be taken constantly, they are prescribed for each patient, and it is possible that you will have to fight the disease all your life.

The importance of antihypertensive drugs is to keep blood pressure normal for a long time. To make a person feel better, many advise using complex therapy along with folk remedies.

How dangerous is the condition and how is it diagnosed?

White coat hypertension in a single manifestation is not dangerous to human health. If a patient is forced to visit a doctor frequently, pressure surges affect health.

It has been proven that a patient with fear of white coat syndrome exhibits the following symptoms:

1. The level of bad cholesterol increases;
2. Blood sugar levels fluctuate periodically, the patient is prone to diabetes;
3. With age, the syndrome develops into permanent hypertension.

In addition to the development of the listed symptoms, white coat hypertension is dangerous because the doctor may make an incorrect diagnosis during the examination. And incorrect therapy will strike the kidneys, gastrointestinal tract and liver. Patients at risk are recommended to undergo additional examinations.

Regular blood pressure measurements will help you notice the syndrome. It is necessary to measure your blood pressure before visiting a specialist and after returning home. If during control measurements the indicators are normal, but when visiting a doctor they increase, then you should inform a specialist about this.

If a patient is suspected of having fear of the white coat syndrome, it is necessary to undergo additional examinations:

• General urine analysis;
• Blood for sugar and cholesterol;
• Ultrasound examination of the kidneys and heart;
• Get examined by a cardiologist and psychologist.

Only based on the results of all examinations will the doctor be able to make an accurate diagnosis and offer treatment options. In some cases, it is not possible to alleviate the condition using simple methods; the help of a psychotherapist will be required.

No specialist can answer how to get rid of white coat syndrome when measuring blood pressure 100%. It is difficult to fight any psychopathology and it will take a lot of time and effort to alleviate the condition.

In some cases, the appearance of a symptom is associated with changes in the body. Often the fear of doctors manifests itself in women during pregnancy, when the body suffers hormonal imbalances. Pregnant women experience double fear, for themselves and for their child. The syndrome disappears after childbirth and restoration of hormonal levels. Pregnant women do not need to see a psychologist. It is enough to warn the doctor about the appearance of the syndrome.

Complex therapy is effective in combating symptoms. Concomitant diseases are treated with medication, and in parallel the patient receives help from a psychologist.

Forewarned is forearmed. This saying works in the prevention of fear of the white coat syndrome. Knowing about the possible development of the syndrome, you can prevent its harmful consequences for the body.

As preventive measures, you must adhere to the following rules:

1. Completely give up bad habits. Addiction to alcohol, smoking and drugs primarily affects the nervous and cardiovascular systems.
2. Follow a daily routine. An adult's sleep should not last less than eight hours. If the patient suffers from insomnia, then a mild herbal sleeping pill is prescribed.
3. The body needs cardio exercise. Take walks in the fresh air every day, go swimming, and go to the gym. Cardio exercises help cope with the emotional state during stress.
4. Balanced and healthy diet. Most of the diet should consist of fresh vegetables and fruits. The diet is designed so that the body receives enough vitamins and minerals. Fatty and sweet foods are excluded.
5. Limit your work on the computer and spend less time playing computer games.

We looked at what it is

• What is arterial hypertension and how to treat it
• How to use mustard plasters for high blood pressure
• Reasons for the effectiveness of leeches for arterial hypertension
• Various exercises as a way to lower blood pressure

Well, I don’t know, but for me most drugs are complete garbage, a waste of money. If only you knew how many things I’ve already tried... Only NORMIO helped normally (by the way, you can get it almost free through a special program). I took it for 4 weeks, and after the first week of taking it I felt better. 4 months have passed since then, my blood pressure is normal, I don’t even remember about hypertension! Sometimes I drink the product again for 2-3 days, just for prevention. I actually found out about him by accident, from this article..

Preventive actions

Often people can change their rhythm of life and nutrition. These factors affect blood pressure, so pressure readings can often change. Currently, a blood pressure of 140/90 mm Hg is considered normal. Art., if the numbers are much higher, then a doctor’s consultation is necessary. Hypertension can develop in the presence of the following factors:

• overweight;
• increased cholesterol;
• elderly age;
• wrong lifestyle;
• diabetes.

An increase in pressure indicates the possibility of hypertension and requires treatment.

If blood pressure increases only under stress and fear, it still needs to be adjusted.

Doctors may also recommend treating such a deviation with hypnosis. To get rid of the disease, you need to start leading a healthy lifestyle:

• quit smoking;
• drinking alcohol;
• Healthy food;
• prevent the appearance of extra pounds;
• move often, do exercises;
• learn to control your emotions and try not to strain your nervous system;
• follow the recommendations of doctors.

Such methods will not allow the disease to develop.

Healthy eating has a beneficial effect on blood pressure

Notepad, software, android?

Many people prefer to record their to-do lists on paper - notepads, diaries, and others. It must be said that this is not just a habit; information written down by hand is more clearly deposited in the mind. But if you are annoyed by the abundance of papers, choose any electronic equivalent for yourself. Don't want to be tied to your desktop? Use a laptop, tablet, netbook - whatever! Just don’t justify yourself by sitting in front of the monitor for several hours without any results and never forcing yourself to get down to business. All excuses like “I don’t like working with this application” relate to procrastination, low motivation and things that are not interesting to you.

Remind people about yourself and ask them to do the same

Blockages at work are not a rare phenomenon, and they are often formed not because of your tendency to procrastinate, but because of the forgetfulness of others. “Sorry, please, I was completely tired and forgot” - this phrase can often be heard. Remind people about yourself, if we are talking about important matters, unobtrusively, without straining people, but this can be done once a day. For these purposes, it is quite possible to use Skype or e-mail. Ask those around you to do the same - you, too, can “get wrapped up and forget.”

One thing per unit of time

The term “multitasking” is relatively new, but more than relevant. Gone are the days of the “pre-computer” era, when a person, armed with a pen and a calculator (at best), came to the workplace and calmly worked on his tasks one by one. Now, meetings, calls, negotiations, and emails are practically the background to performing basic tasks, which are more than enough. How can you stay sane in such an environment and still manage to fulfill your obligations? Avoid multitasking! You will not get any good results by doing several things at the same time. Determine for yourself a period of time (an hour, two, as needed) during which you will complete one task, but completely and efficiently. Don't leave everything started and unfinished. During the working day, there must be several tasks that you have completed efficiently and completely at 100%.

And don't panic (remember the White Rabbit)! Panic conversations about a thousand things that you are not able to complete also fall under the category of procrastination and, by the way, take up a lot of time.