Health and Disability

'Dysautonomia,' is an umbrella term used to describe a number of different medical conditions that cause a malfunction of a person''s autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system controls the automatic functions of a person's body that we do not consciously think about such as blood pressure, heart rate, digestion, constriction and dilation of the pupils, temperature control and kidney function. People living with different forms of dysautonomia have difficulty regulating these systems, something that may result in lightheadedness, unstable blood pressure, fainting, malnutrition, abnormal heart rates or even death in severe instances.

Dysautonomia is fairly common; more than 70 million people around the world live with different forms of dysautonomia. People of any gender, race, or age may be affected. There is currently no cure for any form of dysautonomia, although research is being pursued to develop better treatments and hopefully one day – a cure for each form of dysautonomia. Even with the high prevalence of dysautonomia, the majority of people take years to receive a diagnosis because of a lack of awareness among medical personnel and the public at large. Some different forms of dysautonomia include the following.