What is dysautonomia?
Dysautonomia is an umbrella term for health conditions related to the autonomic nervous system. The term "autonomic" means ”self-governing,” which means it controls things you don't have to think about. This covers a wide range of bodily functions, such as breathing, digestion, heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, sweating, and much more. Some of the most common forms include POTS, orthostatic hypotension, vasovagal syncope and autonomic dysreflexia.
Symptoms
While every form of dysautonomia is different, in this list we will include some of the most common symptoms:
Feeling dizzy or fainting: Feeling dizzy or fainting is a common symptom of many forms of dysautonomia. Dizziness can often be caused when the autonomic nervous system does not regulate blood pressure effectively.
Abnormally fast or slow heart rate: Another common symptom of dysautonomia, especially POTS, is an abnormal change in heart rate when transitioning from laying down to standing up.
Anxiety: People with autonomic autonomic dysfunction can be very sensitive to norepinephrine, which plays an important role in the body’s “fight-or-flight” response. In addition, the parasympathetic nervous system, which calms us, may not counteract rushes of hormones such as adrenaline.
Fatigue: Feeling fatigued is a common feature of many chronic illnesses. Fatigue isn't just feeling tired; it's persistent and doesn’t go away with bed rest. This can be caused by the extra strain on the body, due to a dysregulated nervous system.
Excessive sweating or not being able to sweat: Another symptom of dysautonomia is difficulty regulating your body's internal temperature, as well as heat intolerance.
Breathlessness: Shortness of breath, or dyspnea, is a commonly reported symptom in dysautonomia patients. One study indicates that at least half of dysautonomia patients experience shortness of breath.
Feeling thirsty: Studies have also shown that some individuals with autonomic dysfunction can have a reduction in the amount of fluid volume in the body, called hypovolemia.
Having trouble swallowing: Difficulty swallowing, also known as dysphagia, occurs in some people with many different autonomic nervous system disorders. Common causes of dysautonomic dysphagia include a stroke, head injury, or dementia.
Headaches: Frequent and long-lasting headaches are a common symptom of autonomic disorders as well as long COVID.
Insomnia: Sleep disorders can be common in individuals with autonomic dysfunction. These can be caused by symptoms such as breathlessness and adrenaline surges; which can often be triggered by lying at certain angles. Also, sleep-promoting neurons found in the central autonomic network, which control sleep cycles, can be dysregulated.
Nausea and diarrhea: Dysautonomia affects the autonomic nervous system’s signalling to the stomach, this can cause a condition called Gastroparesis.
Vision problems: Your autonomic nervous system doesn't involve your vision directly. However, it does manage the width of your pupils (regulating how much light enters your eyes) and the muscles your eyes use to focus. A form of dysautonomia called "Familial Dysautonomia" can cause sight problems due to progressive damage to the optic nerve in the eyes.
Getting a Diagnosis
Dysautonomia can be a challenge to diagnose, with many symptoms that may appear unrelated at first. A diagnosis normally comes when your doctor has ruled out other illnesses. For more information about the process of diagnosing dysautonomia Click Here
To learn some useful tips and tricks on managing dysautonomia symptoms Click Here
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