Dysautonomia: the illness impacting millions worldwide

Dysautonomia

Dysautonomia, Automatic nervous system, Primary dysautonomia, Associated illnesses, Who gets it?, How serious is it?, The symptoms, Triggers, Primary conditions, Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), Familial dysautonomia (FD), Pure autonomic failure, Tilt-table testing, Other tests, How is it treated?

Dysautonomia refers to a group of illnesses that can occur when the automatic nervous system isn’t working properly.

Automatic nervous system

Dysautonomia, Automatic nervous system, Primary dysautonomia, Associated illnesses, Who gets it?, How serious is it?, The symptoms, Triggers, Primary conditions, Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), Familial dysautonomia (FD), Pure autonomic failure, Tilt-table testing, Other tests, How is it treated?

These include breathing, heartbeat, and digestion. If the ANS isn’t working properly, then you can experience issues with breathing, heart and blood pressure, and bladder control. The automatic nervous system (ANS) regulates functions in the body that happen automatically. 

Primary dysautonomia

Dysautonomia, Automatic nervous system, Primary dysautonomia, Associated illnesses, Who gets it?, How serious is it?, The symptoms, Triggers, Primary conditions, Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), Familial dysautonomia (FD), Pure autonomic failure, Tilt-table testing, Other tests, How is it treated?

Dysautonomia can present itself in two different ways. One is primary dysautonomia, which means that it is its own disorder and there aren’t other diseases present.

Associated illnesses

Dysautonomia, Automatic nervous system, Primary dysautonomia, Associated illnesses, Who gets it?, How serious is it?, The symptoms, Triggers, Primary conditions, Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), Familial dysautonomia (FD), Pure autonomic failure, Tilt-table testing, Other tests, How is it treated?

These include diabetes, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, HIV, Lyme disease, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, celiac disease, Vitamin B and E deficiencies, and many more.

Who gets it?

Dysautonomia, Automatic nervous system, Primary dysautonomia, Associated illnesses, Who gets it?, How serious is it?, The symptoms, Triggers, Primary conditions, Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), Familial dysautonomia (FD), Pure autonomic failure, Tilt-table testing, Other tests, How is it treated?

Dysautonomia is a relatively common condition, affecting approximately 70 million people worldwide. It’s something you can be born with, develop slowly as you age, or be struck with suddenly later in life. It affects men and women equally.

How serious is it?

Dysautonomia, Automatic nervous system, Primary dysautonomia, Associated illnesses, Who gets it?, How serious is it?, The symptoms, Triggers, Primary conditions, Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), Familial dysautonomia (FD), Pure autonomic failure, Tilt-table testing, Other tests, How is it treated?

For some people, their symptoms will be very mild and have minimal effect on their quality of life. For others, it can be extremely severe, or even fatal.

The symptoms

Dysautonomia, Automatic nervous system, Primary dysautonomia, Associated illnesses, Who gets it?, How serious is it?, The symptoms, Triggers, Primary conditions, Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), Familial dysautonomia (FD), Pure autonomic failure, Tilt-table testing, Other tests, How is it treated?

These ANS malfunctions can disrupt blood pressure, breathing, digestion, heart rate, kidney functioning, pupil dilation, sexual functioning, and temperature control in the body.

Triggers

Dysautonomia, Automatic nervous system, Primary dysautonomia, Associated illnesses, Who gets it?, How serious is it?, The symptoms, Triggers, Primary conditions, Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), Familial dysautonomia (FD), Pure autonomic failure, Tilt-table testing, Other tests, How is it treated?

The condition and symptoms can be worsened by certain factors like alcohol, dehydration, stress, hot environments, or tight clothing.

Primary conditions

Dysautonomia, Automatic nervous system, Primary dysautonomia, Associated illnesses, Who gets it?, How serious is it?, The symptoms, Triggers, Primary conditions, Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), Familial dysautonomia (FD), Pure autonomic failure, Tilt-table testing, Other tests, How is it treated?

As mentioned previously, dysautonomia is the umbrella term for a group of conditions that involve malfunctioning of the ANS. Let’s take a look at some of the most common conditions.

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS)

Dysautonomia, Automatic nervous system, Primary dysautonomia, Associated illnesses, Who gets it?, How serious is it?, The symptoms, Triggers, Primary conditions, Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), Familial dysautonomia (FD), Pure autonomic failure, Tilt-table testing, Other tests, How is it treated?

POTS is a disorder that affects the heart. It causes problems with circulation in the body, which can lead to fainting after standing up, shortness of breath, and chest pains.

Familial dysautonomia (FD)

Dysautonomia, Automatic nervous system, Primary dysautonomia, Associated illnesses, Who gets it?, How serious is it?, The symptoms, Triggers, Primary conditions, Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), Familial dysautonomia (FD), Pure autonomic failure, Tilt-table testing, Other tests, How is it treated?

Familial dysautonomia is more common among Ashkenazi Jewish people, or those with Eastern European heritage.

Pure autonomic failure

Dysautonomia, Automatic nervous system, Primary dysautonomia, Associated illnesses, Who gets it?, How serious is it?, The symptoms, Triggers, Primary conditions, Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), Familial dysautonomia (FD), Pure autonomic failure, Tilt-table testing, Other tests, How is it treated?

People with this disorder experience a drop in blood pressure when they stand up. The symptoms include dizziness, fainting, visual problems, chest pain, and tiredness. The symptoms can sometimes be relieved by sitting down.

Tilt-table testing

Dysautonomia, Automatic nervous system, Primary dysautonomia, Associated illnesses, Who gets it?, How serious is it?, The symptoms, Triggers, Primary conditions, Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), Familial dysautonomia (FD), Pure autonomic failure, Tilt-table testing, Other tests, How is it treated?

The main test for diagnosing dysautonomia is the tilt-table test. This rather strange-looking test moves the patient from a lying to a standing position.

Other tests

Dysautonomia, Automatic nervous system, Primary dysautonomia, Associated illnesses, Who gets it?, How serious is it?, The symptoms, Triggers, Primary conditions, Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), Familial dysautonomia (FD), Pure autonomic failure, Tilt-table testing, Other tests, How is it treated?

Other tests a doctor may perform to diagnose dysautonomia include sweating tests, breathing tests, blood tests, and a heart workup.

How is it treated?

Dysautonomia, Automatic nervous system, Primary dysautonomia, Associated illnesses, Who gets it?, How serious is it?, The symptoms, Triggers, Primary conditions, Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), Familial dysautonomia (FD), Pure autonomic failure, Tilt-table testing, Other tests, How is it treated?

Dysautonomia doesn’t have any cure. However, there are a wide variety of therapies that can be used to manage the symptoms. The following are a few of the most common strategies.

Salt

Dysautonomia, Automatic nervous system, Primary dysautonomia, Associated illnesses, Who gets it?, How serious is it?, The symptoms, Triggers, Primary conditions, Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), Familial dysautonomia (FD), Pure autonomic failure, Tilt-table testing, Other tests, How is it treated?

Adding extra salt to the diet can also help to keep a normal fluid volume in your blood vessels, which is important for maintaining healthy blood pressure.

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