Dysautonomia

What is dysautonomia?

Dysautonomia means: dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system.



Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)

The ANS is responsible for all of these automatic processes of the body:

heart rate

blood pressure

temperature

digestion

respiration

perspiration

and all of the vital functions of the body!



The ANS is broken down into 3 subgroups!

1. Sympathetic Nervous System

2. Parasympathetic Nervous System

3. Enteric Nervous System




Sympathetic Nervous System - "Flight or Fight" System

When you perceive yourself to be in danger, the Sympathetic Nervous System kicks into action. Your body begins to prepare itself so that you can either fight or flee in order to survive. Your digestion will slow and your blood will be drained from the periphery which lessens bleeding in case of an injury. Key sympathetic nerves will send signals to your adrenal glands, which triggers a release of hormones that ready the body for exertion.

Sympathetic Division

pupils dilate

salivation is inhibited

increased respiration

bronchial passages dilated

increased heart rate

digestion inhibited

secretion of adrenal hormones

increased secretion by sweat glands

hair follicles raise; goosebumps

bladder relaxed



Parasympathetic Nervous System - "Rest and Digest" System

When everything in your world is balanced, the Parasympathetic Nervous System is able to conserve bodily resources, saving and storing energy. Parasympathetic nerves slow heart rate, reduce blood pressure, and promote digestion.

Parasympathetic Division

pupils constrict

salivation is stimulated

decreased heart rate

bronchial passages constricted

decreased heart rate

digestion stimulated

bladder contracted



Enteric Nervous System

The Enteric Nervous System will normally direct the muscles surrounding the small intestines to contract in an organized fashion which moves the food down the pipe and gives the mixing motion that digestive chemicals need to convert your food into nutrients.

But if for some reason you become stressed, the brain is going to send a signal to your digestive tract via your vagus nerve, to protect your body from external threats.

(Vagus Nerve: the longest nerve of the cranial nerves! it wanders through the brain stem, organs in the neck, thorax, and abdomen.)

Your digestive system will be emptied to prepare your body for the "flight or flight" system mentioned earlier. It's much easier to do on an empty stomach. Sometimes, however, you will empty afterwards. It depends on how your ENS functions. You will have a stop in your digestion, a sudden release of diarreah, or you will vomit.

When your brain signals danger, it tells so-called mast cells in the lining of your small intestines and/or colon to release histamine and other chemicals that trigger an inflammatory response inside the small intestines. This attracts the cells from the bloodstream to rush to the area, making your body ready for possible trauma.

This is important because your digestive tract is full of bacteria that can be deadly if released all over the body! If you were stabbed in the abdomen, the large presence of inflammatory cells, called neurophilis, would ensure your body a better chance of controlling possible infection and surviving the wound.

So, when all of the parts of the Autonomic Nervous System are out of wack and fails to work properly, you have Dysautonomia.