Dysautonomia

Dysautonomia is when the autonomic nervous system, which controls important bodily functions such as blood pressure, heart rate, digestion and temperature, does not function normally. This nervous system is divided into two branches: the sympathetic and the parasympathetic. Dysautonomia primarily affects the sympathetic branch. It can be a very limiting condition and some people can become bedridden because they cannot get up without experiencing severe symptoms. Dysautonomia can be caused by head injuries such as concussions, diseases, infections, surgery, genetic factors or have an unknown cause. If you experience a combination of symptoms related to problems with the autonomic nervous system and do not know what is causing it, it may be worth considering dysautonomia as a possible explanation.

There are several types of dysautonomia, and POTS is one of them.

Click to read more about POTS

What are the symptoms?

The symptoms of dysautonomia can vary from person to person and can fluctuate in intensity over time. Each case of dysautonomia is unique and different.

People who have dysautonomia often face challenges such as:

  • Headache
  • Exhaustion
  • Fainting spells
  • Sensitivity to light and sound
  • Irregular or increased heart rate
  • Unstable blood pressure
  • Dizziness/vertigo
  • Nausea
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Brain fog

They may also experience balance problems, chest pain, constipation or diarrhea, frequent urination, erectile dysfunction, intolerance to physical activity, shortness of breath, sleep disturbances, difficulty swallowing, tremor, mood swings, anxiety and depression.

Triggers for dysautonomia symptoms include heat, fatigue, dehydration, alcohol intake, physical exertion and emotional stress. Unfortunately, the link to emotional stress often leads to misdiagnosis of people with dysautonomia as psychological conditions.

Treatment

There is currently no cure for primary dysautonomia. Secondary forms of dysautonomia often improve when the underlying condition is treated.

One of the main functions of your brain is to help you determine your position in the world. It does this by combining information from the inner ear to understand the position of your head in relation to gravity and movement. It also uses feedback from your muscles, joints and eyes to determine your body's position and location in the visual environment.

To respond appropriately to your environment, your brain must integrate all these impressions and create a coherent understanding of where you are in the world. In dysautonomia, there are often problems with the brain's ability to integrate information from the visual (eyes), vestibular (balance organ) and proprioceptive (muscles and joints) systems. This can lead to functional problems and difficulties in regulating blood flow.

At the clinic, we have a comprehensive therapeutic approach that aims to address dysfunction in the visual, vestibular and proprioceptive systems. The main goal is to rehabilitate the integration between these systems. By restoring proper communication between the eyes, the inner ear and the body, through a series of progressively challenging activities against gravity, the goal is to restore proper autonomic regulation. While we cannot guarantee specific results, and the effects of the treatment may vary depending on the type of dysautonomia, we have seen positive results with our approach.

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