Dysautonomia: expert diagnosis and treatment
Common symptoms include:
- Difficulty standing for long periods of time
- Fatigue and persistent tiredness
- Lightheadedness or dizziness, especially upon standing
- Gastrointestinal issues like nausea, bloating, or diarrhea
- Brain fog and cognitive difficulties
- Palpitations, tachycardia, or irregular heart rate
- Respiratory challenges, including shortness of breath
Given the variability of symptoms and presentation, timely comprehensive testing is important for an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment planning.
Types of dysautonomia
An estimated 70 million people worldwide have some form of autonomic dysfunction — often invisible illnesses. Patients may not look sick, yet symptoms can make it difficult to work, go to school, and perform daily activities. Experts believe there are at least 15 different types of dysautonomia; POTS and neuro-cardiogenic syncope are the most common.
Primary dysautonomia: familial dysautonomia (Riley-Day syndrome), pure autonomic failure (PAF), multiple system atrophy (MSA), neuro-cardiogenic syncope.
Secondary dysautonomia: postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), diabetic autonomic neuropathy, Guillain-Barré syndrome, vaso-vagal syncope.
Causes of dysautonomia
- Autoimmune diseases like Sjögren's syndrome or lupus
- Diabetes-related autonomic neuropathy
- Certain viral or bacterial infections (including post-viral syndromes such as Long COVID)
- Physical trauma impacting the nervous system
- Genetic predispositions affecting the ANS
Advanced diagnostics – VitalScan ANS+
We leverage the FDA-cleared VitalScan ANS+ system for non-invasive testing that detects and monitors conditions such as dysautonomia, cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy, and hypertension — enabling early risk identification and personalized health strategies.
Benefits: non-invasive and comfortable, comprehensive insights into autonomic nervous system health, and early identification of autonomic dysfunction and related conditions.
How it works: a resting phase establishes your baseline, a deep-breathing test assesses parasympathetic activity and baroreflex response, and a Valsalva maneuver analyzes cardiovascular and autonomic changes.
Diagnosis and personalized care
Diagnosis involves a thorough review of medical history, physical examination, and specialized testing. While there is no cure, symptoms can be effectively managed with personalized treatment plans that may include lifestyle modifications (dietary adjustments, physical therapy), medications targeting blood pressure or heart rate, and supportive therapies such as hydration protocols and compression garments.
