Dysautonomia Awareness Month
October is Dysautonomia Awareness Month. Dysautonomia International states that dysautonomia “impact[s] over 70 million people around the world.”
According to the National Institute of Health, dysautonomia is a dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The ANS is in charge of involuntary bodily functions such as breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, and much more. Some symptoms of dysautonomia include a person passing out, heart palpitations, dizziness, migraines, and nausea.
The term dysautonomia contains many different autonomic nervous system dysfunctions under its diagnostic umbrella. This condition can be either generalized meaning that it impacts the entire body, or localized meaning that the condition is confined to one area of the body.
One condition classified under the dysautonomia umbrella is postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome or Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). This is a condition where the body is unable to regulate its blood pressure and heart rate while changing its posture. This is an example of a generalized dysautonomic disorder as it impacts the entire body. Without this regulation, a person with this condition may have fainting episodes, brain fog, or extreme tachycardia.
One of the rarer, but localized, types of dysautonomia is called reflexive sympathetic dystrophy. This is a condition where the brain misfires and sends extreme pain signals to one or more areas of the body.
According to Cleveland Clinic, dysautonomia is commonly diagnosed with tests like the tilt table test or with a physical or neurologic exam, but other tests can be used depending on symptom presentation.
The Cleveland Clinic also states that, “There’s no cure for dysautonomia, but many symptoms are manageable. The treatment approach for dysautonomia depends strongly on many factors, especially what’s causing it.”
Non-medical ways to manage dysautonomia include a change in diet to include more sodium and maintaining sufficient levels of hydration. In some cases, however, it is necessary for the use of medications that can increase blood pressure or modify your autoimmune system to manage symptoms.
One of the common sets of conditions that dysautonomia comorbids are connective tissue disorders. These are a group of disorders in which the collagen in your connective tissue is faulty. Due to connectivity issues, it is more difficult for the nervous system to communicate with the brain causing the dysautonomic symptoms.
Another example of a condition dysautonomia comorbids is Chairi Malformation. This is a condition where there is an abnormal growth of brain tissue that extends into the spinal canal. This again is an example of a condition that makes communication between the brain and nervous system more difficult which can result in dysautonomia.
Dysautonomia can occur idiopathically or secondarily to another condition. According to the NIH, people who take part in alcoholism or have diabetes have a higher risk of being diagnosed with some form of dysautonomia.
Dysautonomia presents differently in each patient, and it should be noted that just because you have some of these symptoms does not necessarily mean that you have this condition. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your personal health, please seek advice from a medical professional.
Thumbnail Photo via WikiMedia Commons
