The effects of dysautonomia can be distressing, and the condition doesn’t usually cause abnormalities in the physical examination or laboratory tests. In general, it takes time to get a diagnosis of dysautonomia because other, more common conditions are typically considered first.
Risk factors for developing dysautonomia include diabetes, autoimmune disease, Parkinson’s disease, endocrine disorders, and more. There is a rare familial type of dysautonomia as well.
Finding an effective treatment can also be challenging. It can take some time and a lot of patience from you and your healthcare provider to find the right combination of therapies to get your symptoms under acceptable control.
Diagnosing Dysautonomia
The diagnosis of dysautonomia is based on the symptoms and medical history, a physical examination, and possibly diagnostic tests. You may have tests to assess positional changes in your blood pressure and heart rate, the function of your digestive system, and more.
Sometimes, the diagnosis is preceded by a diagnosis of other similar conditions that closely correlate with the symptoms and diagnostic findings.
For example:
If fatigue is the most prominent symptom, you might be diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome. If you have recurrent episodes of passing out, you might be diagnosed with vasovagal syncope. If you have a high resting pulse, you might be diagnosed with inappropriate sinus tachycardia. If dizziness on standing up is the chief problem, you could be diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). If you have frequent diarrhea or abdominal pain, you could be diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome. Aches and pains throughout the body can lead to a diagnosis of fibromyalgia.
These conditions are more common than dysautonomia. Sometimes, having more than one effect of a dysfunctional autonomic nervous system leads to a diagnosis of dysautonomia.
Treating Dysautonomia
You and your healthcare provider will need to take the prolonged trial-and-error approach as you begin using therapies to reduce your symptoms to a tolerable level.
Since the underlying cause of dysautonomia is not well understood, treatment is aimed at controlling symptoms and is not typically effective at curing the problem.
Non-Drug Therapies
Maintaining an adequate daily level of physical activity is important for people with dysautonomia. Regular physical activity helps stabilize the autonomic nervous system, and in the long run, makes symptoms less frequent, less severe, and of shorter duration.
Physical therapy and alternative treatments such as yoga, tai-chi, massage therapy, and stretching therapy have been reported to help as well.
Dietary Supplements: Supplements have not been shown to help prevent or reduce symptoms of dysautonomia.
Drug Therapies
Pharmaceutical treatment is sometimes prescribed for treating dysautonomia and associated symptoms.
Treatments include:
Tricyclic antidepressants such as Elavil, Norpramin, and Pamelor have been used, in low dosage, to treat several of the dysautonomia syndromes. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil have also been used to treat these syndromes. Anti-anxiety drugs such as Xanax and Ativan help to control symptoms of anxiety, especially in patients with panic disorder. Anti-low blood pressure drugs such as Florinef help prevent the symptoms caused when the blood pressure drops upon sitting or standing (a condition called orthostatic hypotension), a prominent feature of vasovagal syncope and in POTS. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Advil and Aleve can help control the pains associated with dysautonomia.
A Word From Verywell
If you have dysautonomia, it’s important for you to know that dysautonomia usually improves with time. Research is progressing to define the precise causes and mechanisms of these conditions and to devise effective treatments.
