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What Is?
What is Dysautonomia?
Did you know that Dysautonomia is considered to be a rare disease when in actuality it is not? Instead it is rarely known about and therefore falsely categorized. It is reported that somewhere around 500,000 people are affected however the number is thought to be much higher. It is thought that a large number of people are still undiagnosed due to the obscurity that these conditions still has. It primarily affects young women however it also affects men and other individuals as well. The onset of the condition is thought to be either gradual or sudden and the factors resulting in each is not yet understood.
While Dysautonomia may sound like a fancy medical term, it is actually very general in definition. It simply means dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system. In people who suffer from this, the autonomic nervous system becomes out of balance and results in inappropriate responses of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Not only does it result in failure of the ANS it can also result in over activity as well. Dysatutonomia can affect one or both, this results in a wide variety of symptoms. These symptoms can include but are not limited to the following:
| Forgetfulness |
Neck Pain |
| Swollen Lymph Nodes |
Abdominal Pain |
| Poor Balance |
Back Pain |
| Abnormal Gait |
Muscles Aches |
| Detached Feeling |
Joint Pain |
| Pupil Abnormalities |
Clamminess |
| Blurred Vision |
Reduced Sweating |
| Tunnel Vision |
Excessive Sweating |
| Floaters |
Cold Intolerance |
| Flushing |
Sleeping Disorders |
| Easily Over stimulated |
Heat Intolerance |
| Trembling |
Delayed Reaction |
| Cold Extremities |
Dizziness |
| Sensitivity to Light |
Depression |
| Sensitivity to Noise |
Sensitivity to Food |
| Chills |
Loss of Sex Drive |
| Weight Gain |
Irregular Menstrual Cycles |
| Weight Loss |
Sensitivity to Medications |
| Sensitivity to Motion |
Sensitivity to Chemicals |
| Memory Loss |
Chest Pain |
| Generalized Weakness |
Burning and Tingling |
| Restless Leg Syndrome |
Chronic Fatigue |
| Nervousness |
Migraines |
| Panic Attacks |
Headaches |
| Anxiety |
Loss of Appetite |
| Reduced Pulse Pressure |
Feeling Full Quickly |
| Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) |
Bloating |
| Polyuria (Excessive Urination) |
Hyperventilation |
| Diarrhea |
Shortness of Breath |
| Blood Pooling |
Constipation |
| Vomiting |
Hypertension (high blood pressure) |
| Nausea |
Hypotension (low blood pressure) |
| Pre-Syncope |
Dysphagia (Difficulty Swallowing) |
| Confusion |
Hypovolemia (low blood volume) |
| Lightheadedness |
Mood Swings |
| Difficulty Thinking |
Syncope |
| Tachycardia |
Irritability |
| Bradycardia |
Exercise Intolerance |
The symptoms experienced by dysautonomia sufferers are unpredictable and can vary hour to hour. One hour they can feel perfectly fine and the next be nearly incapacitated by there symptoms. Suffers often find it hard to explain their symptoms to others as they are always changing.
Known Causes
Causes of Dysautonomia’s include viral illnesses, genetic factors, exposure to chemicals, pregnancy, trauma or injury, and traumatic emotional experiences which damage the autonomic nervous system.
Treatment
There is no cure for Dysautonomia. Treatment for those with primary dysautonomia varies depending upon each patient. Symptoms can usually be controlled by using a combination of medications along with fluid and salt intake. Those with secondary dysautonomia are treated by proper control of their primary underlying condition.
Prognosis
Prognosis depends greatly on the diagnosis. For example, those with conditions such as Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) generally respond well to treatment or are at least provided some relief. Their conditions are also considered to be life altering, but certainly not life threatening. However patients with chronic, progressive, generalized dysautonomia such as multiple symptoms atrophy (MSA) generally have a poor long term prognosis which can result in death from cardiac arrest, pneumonia, and acute respiratory failure.
Doctors and Dysautonomia
Presently doctors are slowly beginning to recognize dysautonomia as a true condition. Sadly, not all doctors believe this condition actually exists and will send their patient to undergo unnecessary psychiatric evaluations or even ignore them all together. These things in themselves can cause undue psychological and emotional trauma as the patient begins to think they have no where to turn. While you maybe discouraged by what a particular doctor may tell you, do not give up hope. You are the only person who truly knows how you feel and you do not deserve to suffer due to lack of knowledge or understanding of others. |
