Medulla Oblongata Syndrome

Medulla oblongata syndrome (or brain stem syndrome) is a disorder of the regulation of breathing and cardiac activity, accompanied by a clinical picture that mimics complications of infectious diseases, primarily pneumonia. This syndrome is often confused with other acute or chronic processes in the body and complications of diseases. Experts do not always detect errors, which in some cases has fatal consequences for the patient.

Nuclei oblongata syndrome often appears suddenly. Among the patients, middle-aged people predominate; cases are more common when the patient consults a specialist in the middle of the working day when feeling unwell, for example after physical activity. Most have a history of cough, runny nose, low-grade fever and muscle weakness. During the acute stage of the disease, the body temperature rises or it is initially within the normal range, both for the individual patient and for the age norm; if the temperature remains within normal limits, and the patient feels a deterioration in the condition, then a more thorough diagnosis is necessary. First of all, breathing changes, the frequency and depth of inspiration increases, then shortness of breath begins, loss of consciousness occurs, convulsions and cardiac arrest occur - hypoxic coma. If the patient is already receiving treatment and is well examined, then outpatient observation can help, but without drug treatment the attack will continue after several hours, clinical symptoms gradually worsen, and there may be obvious pathology of other organs, temperature rise, blood pressure and pulse decrease, and swelling may appear. Based on this, there must be medical control and timely treatment, otherwise the process will continue to progress and even lead to death. In mild forms, such a diagnosis is not difficult to make, and it can still be carried out on an inpatient basis. Initially, breathing problems appear. The patient begins to constantly inhale pain, complains of the presence of foreign particles in the throat, there may be a feeling of anxiety and lack of air when inhaling, hiccups and involuntary urination also appear. The respiratory rate is significantly higher, the patient speaks intermittently and quietly. Further, the condition worsens and a hypoxemic coma appears, which ends in death if proper treatment is not started on time and hospitalization is required.