Dysautonomia / POTS

{WHAT IS DYSAUTONOMIA?}

"Dysautonomia is a general term used to describe a breakdown, or failure of the autonomic nervous system.  The autonomic nervous system controls your involuntary functions. Symptoms are wide ranging and can include problems with the regulation of heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature and perspiration. Other symptoms include fatigue, lightheadedness, feeling faint or passing out (syncope), weakness and cognitive impairment." - NDRF - National Dysautonomia Research Foundation"  http://ndrf.org/

{ SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS }
"The symptoms of dysautonomia are numerous and vary widely from person to person. Since dysautonomia is a full-body condition, a large number of symptoms may be present that can greatly alter a person's quality of life. Each patient with dysautonomia is different—some are affected only mildly, while others are left completely bed-ridden and disabled.

The primary symptoms present in patients with dysautonomia are:

• Excessive fatigue
• Excessive thirst (polydipsia)
• Lightheadedness, dizziness or vertigo
• Rapid heart rate or slow heart rate
• Orthostatic hypotension, sometimes resulting in syncope^[1] (fainting)

Other symptoms frequently associated with dysautonomia include: Gastroparesis (delayed gastric emptying), headaches, pallor, malaise, facial flushing, salt cravings, mydriasis (abnormaldilation of the pupils), constipation, diarrhea, nausea, acid reflux, visual disturbances, orthostatic hypotension, numbness, nerve pain, trouble breathing, chest pains, in some cases loss of consciousness and seizures.^[1] " - Wikepedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dysautonomia

Dysautonomia literally means dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system is the master regulator of organ function throughout the body. It is involved in the control of heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, respiration, digestion and other vital functions. Dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system can produce the apparent malfunction of the organs it regulates. For this reason, dysautonomia patients often present with numerous, seemingly unrelated maladies.

Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome
Often more simply referred to as postural tachycardia syndrome, or POTS, this disorder is characterized by the body's inability to make the necessary adjustments to counteract gravity when standing up.

The defining symptom of POTS is an excessive heart rate increment upon standing. However, as you will discover, there are a multitude of other symptoms that often accompany this syndrome. As such, POTS can be a difficult disorder to detect and understand.

- DINET Dysautonomia Information Network - http://www.dinet.org/

The following diagnostic terms may be issued to children with forms of dysautonomia:

• Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)
• Neurocardiogenic Syncope (NCS)
• Vasovagal Syncope
• Neurally Mediated Hypotension (NMH)
• Post-Viral Dysautonomia
• Familial Dysautonomia (FD)
• Non-Familial Dysautonomia
• Generalized Dysautonomia

- DYNA - Dysautonomia Youth Network of America - http://dynainc.org/dysautonomia

Non-familial Dysautonomia (sometimes called autonomic neuropathy) is a disease of the neurological system. It afflicts over four million Americans, primarily women. Basically the human body's central computer (the autonomic nervous system), which controls automatic bodily functions, is malfunctioning.  The most common and recognized form of dysautonomia is Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). 
A major symptom of dysautonomia/POTS is unregulated low blood pressure (sometimes called orthostatic hypotension or intolerance). As a result, people with the disorder often feel as if they are going to pass out upon standing. This happens because there is insufficient blood supply to the brain.  Accordingly, due to poor blood pressure control (sometimes referred to as hypoperfusion), patients may experience severe headaches, fatigue, inability to stand, dizziness, feeling light-headed, nausea, confusion, and a rapid heart-beat.  Patients also have debilitating pain in parts of their body because of the insufficient blood supply to the different organs.   What confuses many doctors and patients alike is that people have symptoms in many of their systems because the autonomic/automatic nervous system controls all automatic functions.  

You may wonder how a disease that has more patients than autism is so misunderstood.  This is because doctors aren’t taught about it in medical school.  The American Dysautonomia Institute (ADI), a 501(c)(3) non-profit is working to change this.  
The following conditions are types of dysautonomia:  orthostatic hypotension (OH), orthostatic intolerance (OI), postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome also known as postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS), and neurocardiogenic syncope (NCS)

-AMERICAN DYSAUTONOMIA INSTITUTE http://www.adiwebsite.org/81301.html