In order to learn about something new, I need to know what the words describing the illness mean. If you look at the word “dysautonomia,” and have never run across the term before, it looks long and ominous.
So, let’s break it down.
“Autonomic” means acting or occurring involuntarily, such as why your heart beats or why you breathe in and out without even thinking about it. Your autonomic nervous system takes care of those functions, and many other involuntary actions.
So, it follows that “dys” and “autonomia” mean a dysfunctioning autonomic nervous system.
There are a number of different dysautonomic conditions, including postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or POTS. A person with POTS may feel light-headed or dizzy when standing up because their autonomic nervous system isn’t properly regulating their blood pressure, which suddenly drops as the person tries to stand. Another symptom commonly experienced is rapid heartbeat. In very severe cases, the sufferer is confined to a wheelchair to reduce injuries that result from unexpectedly falling.
There is an excellent article by Peter Pressman, MD, describing the different manifestations of dysautonomia. It’s very informative and may point you in the right direction if you want to know more.
