What is autonomous dysreflexia?

Autonomous dysreflexia is a potentially life -threatening syndrome that occurs in patients with spinal cord injury or lesions caused by diseases such as multiple sclerosis. Injuries are usually above the level of the fifth thoracic vertebra. People can experience autonomous dysreflexion whenever after spinal cord injury, although it is most common in the first year after injury. Due to risk, some people bear a medical warning card explaining syndrome and provide basic instructions on what to do so to pass the card to someone who can help if they experience autonomous dysreflexia.

The syndrome begins with a stimulus below the injury level. One of the most common causes is overcrowded or infected bladder, but other stimuli may include signals from the intestines or signals sent due to cutting, burning or broken bones. Signals travel to the spinal cord, but because of i cannot achieve a brain as a result, it is a knife and the autonomous nervous system moves into overdrive. The brain tries to regulate blood pressure fromBy slowing the heart rhythm and the spread of blood vessels, but it cannot achieve regulation due to lack of control over the body areas under the injury. The patient usually becomes stuffy and cold, may feel dizziness and nausea and may have blurred vision. Strokes and seizures can occur as a result of autonomous dysreflexia.

also known as hyperreflexia, autonomous dysreflexia should be treated immediately. The patient's head should be kept increased, either by sitting upright or lifting the head of the bed, and the cause should be identified and repaired if possible. For example, if the problem is a crowded bladder, the bladder should be cathered to release the urine. The cause may require medical treatment, as in the case of a broken bone, in which case the patient should be maintained as stable as possible and transported to the hospital for treatment.

If someone begins to identify the first signs of autonomDysreflexia, he should speak. This is particularly important if the syndrome is triggered by something the care provider does. Rapid intervention to stop blood pressure dysregulation before it goes too far, is important to prevent permanent damage and to get the patient out of danger.