AUTONOMIC Neuropathy / Symptoms
AUTONOMIC Neuropathy / Symptoms
dailystrength.org
on 05/07/08, 12:05 pm
AUTONOMIC NEUROPATHY
Edited for Froedert Support Group
For the full article go to MayoClinic.com - Special to CNN.com
INTRODUCTION
Neuropathy is the term for damage to your nerves. Autonomic neuropathy is damage to the nerves that regulate the body functions that you can't control, including the nerves that regulate your heart rate, blood pressure, perspiration and digestion, among other functions. Neuropathies are often due to diabetes, although they also have other causes.
Your nerves transmit messages between your brain and your muscles, blood vessels, skin and internal organs. Autonomic neuropathy results in faulty communication between your brain and the parts of your body that your autonomic nervous system serves.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Signs and symptoms of autonomic neuropathy vary depending on which nerves
are affected but can range from dizziness to trouble with digestion and urination
to sexual difficulties. Treatment of autonomic neuropathy involves addressing the
underlying cause, if possible, and managing the signs and symptoms. Signs and
symptoms of autonomic neuropathy depend on which parts of your autonomic
nervous system are most affected. They may include:
- A drop in blood pressure on standing (orthostatic hypotension), which can cause dizziness and fainting
- Trouble with urination, including diminished sensation, overflow incontinence and inability to empty your bladder completely, which can lead to urinary tract infections
- Sexual difficulties
- Difficulty digesting food (gastroparesis), which can cause a feeling of fullness after eating little, loss of appetite, diarrhea, constipation, abdominal bloating, nausea, vomiting and heartburn
- Cardiovascular problems, such as heart rate abnormalities that may include a lack of normal heart rate changes when you exert yourself
- Heat intolerance
- Sluggish pupil reaction to light and dark
- Exercise intolerance, which causes your heart rate to remain unchanged instead of increasing and decreasing in response to your activity level
- Lack of usual warning signs of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), which include shakiness, sweating and palpitations
CAUSES
Your nervous system is made up of two parts. The core is your central nervous system - your brain and spinal cord. The rest of your nervous system, branching off from your spinal cord to the rest of your body, is your peripheral nervous system.
Part of the peripheral nervous system involves nerves that you consciously control - such as nerves you use to move your voluntary muscles. Part is your autonomic nervous system - the nerves that regulate the part of your nervous system that you can't control, such as your heart rate, blood pressure and intestinal function.
Damage to your peripheral nerves is called peripheral neuropathy. Autonomic neuropathy is a type of peripheral neuropathy.
A number of conditions can lead to damage of the autonomic nerves.
Causes may include:
- Alcoholism
- Diabetes
- Abnormal protein buildup in organs (amyloidosis), which affects the organs and the nervous system
- Autoimmune diseases, in which your immune system attacks and damages parts of your body, including your nerves
- Some tumors
- Multiple system atrophy, a degenerative disorder that destroys the nervous system
- Surgical or traumatic injury to nerves
- Treatment with certain medications, chemotherapy and drugs
- Other chronic illnesses, Parkinson's disease and HIV/AIDS
SCREENING AND DIAGNOSES
Because autonomic neuropathy isn't a single disease, it can be difficult to
diagnose. Often, determining the diagnosis is a matter of ruling out other
causes of the signs and symptoms. Your doctor is likely to take a medical
history, ask for a thorough description of your symptoms and do a physical
exam.
Your doctor also may use a number of tests to aid in diagnosis. These
may include: Breathing tests., Tilt-table test, Quantitative sudomotor axon
reflex test (QSART, Thermoregulatory sweat test, Ultrasound).
COMPLICATIONS
The possible complications of autonomic neuropathy are many. They may include:
- Injuries from falls caused by lowered blood pressure when you stand
- Mental and physical fatigue due to low blood pressure
- Malnutrition and weight loss from digestive system difficulties
- Fluid or electrolyte imbalance from excessive vomiting or diarrhea, a condition in which your body loses minerals you need
- Relationship problems due to sexual dysfunction
- Urinary problems, including urinary tract infections
- Cardiovascular complications, such as irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)
- Kidney failure from bladder problems that aren't treated properly
TREATMENT
Treatment for autonomic neuropathy depends on the underlying cause
and the particular signs and symptoms you're experiencing. For example,
if the underlying cause is diabetes, you'll need to control your blood sugar
to keep it as close to normal as possible. If the underlying cause is an
autoimmune disease, treatment will focus on modulating your immune
system and decreasing inflammation. The goal of treatment is to manage
the underlying condition, repair nerve damage, if possible, and provide
symptom relief. The type of medication your doctor may prescribe
depends on your symptoms.
PREVENTION
Ways to help prevent autonomic neuropathy may include:
- Control your blood sugar if you have diabetes.
- Get help if you have a problem with alcohol.
- Get appropriate treatment if you have an autoimmune disease.
- Take steps to prevent or control high blood pressure.
- Achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
- Stop smoking.
- Exercise regularly.
COPING SKILLS
Living with a chronic illness or disability presents daily challenges. Some of
these suggestions may make it easier for you to cope:
- Set priorities. Decide which tasks you need to do on a given day and which can wait until another time. Stay active, but don't overdo.
- Seek and accept support. Having a support system and a positive attitude can help you cope with the challenges. Ask for or accept help when you need it. Don't shut yourself off from family and friends.
- Prepare for challenging situations. If something especially stressful is coming up in your life, such as a move or a new job, knowing what you have to do ahead of time can help you cope.
- Talk to a counselor or therapist. Depression and impotence are possible complications of autonomic neuropathy. If you experience either, you may find it helpful to talk to a counselor or therapist in
addition to your primary care doctor. There are treatments that can help.
April 13, 2006 - http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/...
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Autonomic Neuropathy can be genetic, acquired or both.
AUTONOMIC SMALL FIBER SYMPTOMS
Autonomic - Everything your body does automatically without you telling it to do it.
Allergies/Histamine Reactions (Mouth Itching)
Allergies - Food and Environmental
Anxiety
Asthma
Back Pain
Bladder Pressure
Blood Pressure High or Low
Breathing Difficulties
Burning Pain
Buzzing
Chemical Sensitivities
Chest Pain
Cognitive Changes
Depression
Digestive
Dizziness/Balance
Dry Skin
Ear Pain
Eyes - Dry or Tear
Eye Infections - Blood Shot
Exercise Intolerance
Fatigue - Mental and Physical
Full Gastric Dysmotility
GI Problems - Other
Headaches
Heart Burn
Heart Rate
IBS
Immune System Compromised
Incontinence
intolerance to Cold
Intolerance to Heat
Jaw Pain - TMJ
Joint Pain/Overextension
Lightheaded
Loud Crowded Locations
Medication Under or Over Reaction
Motor Skills
Nausea
Neuropathy Pain
Night Driving
Noise Intolerance
Numbness/Tingling/Weakness
Optical Blurriness (looking through wax paper or grittiness)
Optical Problems w/ Flashing Lights or Moving \ Light/Shadow
Rashes / Hives
Reflux
Restless Leg
Sleep - Irregular Patterns - Days and Nights Mixed
Sleep - Can go without sleep or sleep 18 hours
Spasms
Swallowing
Sweating - uncontrollable
Swelling
Temperature Intolerance
Trigger Finger
Twitching
Urinary Tract Infections
Vaginal Pain
Vibration Intolerance
Vision Loss
Vitamin Deficiencies
Vocal Cord - stroke
Weakness
Weather Changes - Temperature or Seasonal
Weight Loss or Gain
Not all people have all symptoms or at any one given point in time... Your brain randomly sends mixed / wrong messages to your brain.
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! I often have many of these symptoms and it produces such an out of control feeling. I tell my husband that I feel like I'm turning into the hulk or something when I start sweating and my heart starts racing for no apparent reason. DH is a physiologist so he understands what I am going through as much as is possible without actually experiencing it. But he says I'm very good with my descriptions. ;) Reply #2 05/13/08 4:15pm
petitep Here is a great link for Dysautonomia which means "autonomic failure"
http://www.healthatoz.info/disease...
Reply #3 06/16/08 11:36pm
RenateF ok, I have chronic cataplexy, and many I mean a lot of those symptoms are totally me. If I am having a lot of those symptoms is my diagnosis wrong? If I am having autonomic failure what can I do about it? I am coping now but my medication can only help some of the symptoms and it gets overwhealming. We are talking to many things are going wrong at the same time. Reply #4 06/17/08 1:52am
petitep There is a topic in this group that will provide links to Doctors throughout the world that specialize in "Autonomic Problems". Otherwise, my first choice would be to go to a teaching hospital / medical complex and ask if there is anybody that specializes specifically in "autonomic" problems. Their first response will be "yes he specializes in... and will give you other neurology type of titles" if they respond with that, then keep calling! You can specifically ask for a Dysautonomia (same name=medical term) specialist. They will run several different types of tests (tilt table, sweat test and others) to confirm such. This type of neruologist is in a speciality of thier own.
Bring as many NOTES as possible with you to your first appointment. Write things down that you wouldn't think would be revelent but in fact is.
Autonomic is a small fiber nerve issue.
My doctor says... his most difficult job is to find everybody out there... these patients are in all of these "other specialist" offices, randomly going from one specialist to another... and his job then is to undo everything all of these patients have previously been told (other diagnoses) and give them ONE NAME for it all! It's because for instance, Fibro, Chronic Fatigue and GBS, etc... all effect the "autonomic nerve - small fiber nerves" patients are given all of these other "titles", when in fact that it's all related. Other doctors aren't seeing the autonomic nerve system as the BIG picture. Reply #5 06/17/08 2:40am
crazylegs I don't yet know whether my long-standing sciatica (about 6 years) is from permanent nerve damage or whether I'll still have some improvement now that I've had a laminectomy about 5 weeks ago. My dr tells me to be patient - nerve regeneration takes a long time. I would really appreciate anything my friends out there can tell me about use of a neurostimulator to treat nerve pain. How effective are they? Any side effects? Is it difficult to adjust to? Thanks in advance for any information since I'm thinking there's a good chance my sciatica may not be cured by this surgery. Reply #6 06/21/08 9:39pm
reddutchgirl So now that I have read this post, I feel like an idiot for my post. It answered more than I even asked. Thank you very much and you can disregard my previous post. I am continually learning about what my body is going through. Thank you all for being an informative outlet. Kim Reply #7 06/21/08 10:07pm
aubleeanna Thank you for this posting. It answers a lot of questions for me. Plus, how many of us are bringing on more symptoms with the treatments the doctors give us? It's terribly confusing and I hate being on so many drugs ... along with drugs to counteract what other drugs do. I think I will learn a lot here. Kyle Anne Reply #8 06/22/08 5:20am
nikL this is very interesting. i've also had many of the symptoms listed here. and yes, when i'm by myself in the house and my body seems to forget how to breathe or pump blood, or my nerves send part of my body alternately numb or shocked with pain, it's scary. but at least i know i'm not alone while part of this group.
i want to bring this info to my neuro and hopefully she'll find it helpful as well.
is there a certain site that decribes this all succinctly?
yes, neuropathy can come from many different conditions. the one thing that connects these conditions is the brain and nervous system, and/or the immune system thru some type of injury/inflammation from brain damage, exposure to toxins or viruses, etc. thanks for helping me connect the dots by providing this info. Reply #9 06/22/08 10:20am
petitep TOPICS AVAILABLE BY EMAIL!
We have MANY of these research topics in a WORD document.
These documents have a full detailed list of the original that was posted with a full list of the links and detailed information in easy to ready print format.
If interested in retrieving a copy email your requests to: Neuropathyteam@yahoo.com
If you were requesting this document for instance please put in the subject line: Request for Autonomic Document
This way it won't get "mixed in" with the other DS emails. In the message include the name of the topic and the date it was originally posted. Autonomic Neuropathy / Symptoms - Posted on 5/7/08
Reply #10 06/24/08 8:07am
AnnieMetalGirl I have nerve damage due to spinal issues. I have a neurogenic bladder and chronic constipation and nerve pain all over my body.
Annie in TN
Wow!!! Were you talking about me? I have pretty much most of the symptoms described here. Just plain craziness is what my body is going through!! Or at least it feels like on some days!! Thank you for posting this. Reply #12 09/01/08 12:41pm
kathyrsh thank you very much..this answered all and more of my questions Reply #13 09/04/08 12:58pm
bentleyfox I have tinnitus and chronic neuropathy, constipation and inolterance o heat/cold Reply #14 09/04/08 2:38pm
Dezna Thank you for this post, this helps me understand more about my nerve damage. Reply #15 09/29/08 1:11am
WhiteDolphin WOW I have A LOT of those symptoms. I have fibromyalgia and CFS and a bunch of other stuff.(see my profile). I have't been diagnosed with any neuropathy disease but a friend tol me about it and I am just now looking and that list is SO familiar! Reply #16 10/01/08 10:46am
NeuropathyTeam Glad we were able to help. Reply #17 11/09/08 1:49pm
firefly9 This is by far the best post I have had the pleasure to read since I became a member. It has so much information that applies directly to me it's mind boggling. I am bumping this up because I need to learn more about it. Reply #18 11/09/08 2:11pm
faithinspires firefly9, I absolutely agree! It is so hard to find info that fully encompasses explaining these disorders or the massive list of symptoms that one can have to a degree that others without these disorders can begin to understand the complexity of it. I have learned much about my disorder from it & hope to pass it on to increase awareness and understanding among those who fail to have awareness or understanding. I have been diagnosed for quite some time & researching this for quite some time and still learning new things about it daily! Thanks to the team for posting this great article!!!! Reply #19 11/09/08 2:12pm
Gmaaaa bump away, firefly. I, for one, am printing same for my next visit to my neurologist.
Hagd, all
GMA @ http://granmashouse.net Reply #20 11/13/08 10:29am
featherme65 Thank you for what you posted about autonomic neuropathy. I've been dx with small fiber neuropathy and thus autonomic neuropathy. Reading this list explains while even having my gall bladder removed my nausea remains.
I have so many on the list I would not consider mentioning to a doctor not thinking they were related. Tomorrow I see an autonomic neuropathy specialist. I will copy this list and hilite all my symptoms. I agree about being given different names that really don't cover all the ANS covers. I was dx with fibromyalgia in 1985! Since my body has taken me on this wild trip that didn't relate to what was known about FMS. I've been on disability for almost six years. I pray my visit tomorrow will be the beginning of help for me. Had my small fiber neuropathy been discovered years ago perhaps I would not have it in my hands, forearms, and chest now.
How can I find more information about how Autonomic Neuropathy effects Allergic Reactions? I have many of the symptoms above and have been educated well by my doctors, but the allergy part is new to me. I have severe allergies and asthma, but recently when tested for allergies, it showed I have NONE! In spite of that, the antihistamines and Xolair that I take do help the allergies/asthma.
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