Dysautonomia is something that catches all of us in the course of the disease. It can be confusing, it can be anything and in the symptom-variety you often do not know, what comes from the disease and what not. But it is a little bit like our body is a train without a driver. Let’s summarize what dysatonomia can be. In any case not motor symptoms like ataxia.
Dysautonomia or autonomic dysfunction is a condition in which the autonomic nervous system (ANS) does not function properly. This can affect the function of the heart, bladder, bowel, sweat glands, pupils, and blood vessels. Dysautonomia has many causes, not all of which can be classified as neuropathic. A number of conditions may present with dysautonomia, such as Multisystem Atrophy.
Diagnosis is made by functional testing of the ANS. Investigations can be performed to identify underlying disease processes that may have led to the development of the symptoms or autonomic neuropathy. Symptomatic treatment is available for many symptoms associated with dysautonomia; again, some disease processes can be treated directly.
The symptoms of dysautonomia, can be numerous and vary widely among individuals. Primary symptoms in individuals with dysautonomia include:
- Anhydrosis (lack of sweat secretion).
- Anxiety (pathologically exaggerated anxiety or anxiety that cannot be rationally justified)
- Blurred or double vision
- Bowel incontinence
- Brain fog (clouding of consciousness)
- Constipation
- Dizziness
- Difficulty swallowing
- Stress intolerance
- Insomnia
- Low blood pressure
- Orthostatic hypotension (in orthostatic dysregulation, there is a malfunction of the orthostasis response. In healthy individuals, this orthostasis response ensures that the cardiovascular system functions properly even in the upright position. Due to the malfunction, symptoms such as dizziness, palpitations, disturbance of visual function, nausea, weakness and lightheadedness occur in the upright position, forcing the patient to sit down or lie down, under which the symptoms quickly subside).
- Syncope (loss of consciousness)
- Tachycardia (rapid heartbeat)
- Tunnel vision
- Urinary incontinence or retention
- Dizziness
- Feeling of weakness
Treatment of dysautonomia can be difficult; because it is composed of many different symptoms, a combination of drug therapies is often needed to treat individual symptomatic complaints.
Injection of botulinum toxin can be used to treat some symptoms.
The prognosis for those of us with MSA is very modest.
Autonomic dysfunction symptoms such as orthostatic hypotension, gastroparesis, and gustatory sweating are more commonly seen in deaths.
By the way the bouquet of symptoms is getting bigger and bigger, it’s almost like collecting postage stamps, only without the joy when you have something new.