What is Dysautonomia
Dysautonomia or autonomic dysfunction is a general term for a group of disorders in which the autonomic nervous system (ANS) doesn’t function as it should. The ANS is the part of the nervous system that controls involuntary body functions like your heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, digestion, body and skin temperature, hormonal function, bladder function, sexual function and many other functions.
Dysautonomia has become much more recognized in recent years and the prevalence is affecting young females five times more than males. Therapeutic interventions are continuing to progress every year, but it is not until the year 2023 that we have found a formula that yields a consistently high success rate.
Therapeutic Considerations for Dysautonomia
The individuality and specificity is a critical aspect of our approach, however there are some important applications that are frequently used in most cases.
Improve sleep because that is when the brain and body heal. We have effective recommendations that can greatly improve sleep.
Poop. You have to regulate elimination because that is how your body removes harmful waste out of your body and away from your brain.
Blood sugar balance, detoxification and gut repair are important steps to take in the right timing.
Hydration, because your brain and body cells cannot survive without enough water. Help your body absorb the water you drink.
Breathwork such as box breathing can help balance the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system.
Gravity Reset Method: Re-Calibrate the Vestibular, Visual & Sensory systems (GRM). This is critical in making your brain aware of where your head is compared to the environment. This is partially why symptoms of dysautonomia typically worsen sharply when standing. The GRM was the first discovery credited for the surge in success for dysautonomia at BBRS.
Strengthen & stabilize the cervical spine. This is critical in making your brain aware of where your head is compared to your body. This is partially why symptoms of dysautonomia typically worsen sharply when standing. At Brain & Body Rehabilitation Specialists we use the industries number one neck rehabilitation device. As of 2023, BBRS is the only clinic in Georgia to use the Multi-Cervical Unit (MCU) and it has become instrumental in our success.
Strengthen the core and midline structures.
Optimize brain stem modulators (Cerebellum, Frontal lobes, Vestibular)
Full body Pulse PEMF and compression sleeves. Pulse PEMF is pulsed electromagnetic frequency, which exercises the cells of the body to optimize healing. The compression sleeves apply gentle compression to the legs in a wave like pattern from the toes to the thighs in order to improve blood flow.
Testing & Diagnosing Dysautonomia
Our testing protocol consist of a complete neurological exam, but one of the most important deciding factor in identifying dysautonomia is a type of heart rate variability program called Nerve Express. The Nerve Express technology can help us identify dysautonomia with little to no doubt.
Types of Dysautonomia
Neurocardiogenic syncope (NCS) aka Reflex Syncope: It can cause fainting spells that happen once or twice in your lifetime or multiple times every day. NCS is also called situational syncope or vasovagal syncope. Response to a trigger due to dysfunction of the heart rate and blood pressure regulating mechanism.
Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS): A disorder that causes problems with circulation (blood flow), POTS can cause your heart to beat too fast when you stand up. It can lead to fainting, chest pain and shortness of breath. 30 bpm increase (40 bpm ages 12-19) and tachycardia of more than 120 bpm, 20 point drop in systolic BP (in absence of hypotension).
Familial dysautonomia (FD): Aka hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy, type III. Inherited from genetic relatives. It can cause decreased pain sensitivity, lack of eye tears and trouble regulating body temperature.
Multiple system atrophy (MSA): A life-threatening form of dysautonomia, multiple system atrophy develops in people over 40 years old. A degenerative neurological disorder formerly called Shy-Drager syndrome, olivopontocerebellar atrophy or striatonigral degeneration. MSA shares many symptoms with Parkinson's disease, such as slow movement, rigid muscles and poor balance.
Pure autonomic failure: A neurodegenerative disease of the autonomic nervous system. PAF usually affects only the peripheral autonomic nervous system, which means it does not usually involve the brain and spinal cord (the central nervous system).
At BBRS our mission is to provide the highest quality care to our patients through a specific individualized brain-based approach and restoring optimal brain and body synergy.
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