Your autonomic nervous system (ANS) manages involuntary bodily functions such as breathing, heart rate, digestion, and circulation. Things you rarely think about — unless they aren’t working properly.
Dysautonomia is an umbrella term for various disorders that interfere with the ANS and cause unpredictable symptoms. It often evades standard medical approaches, leaving many patients without answers.
Center for Multisystem Disease founder and leading dysautonomia expert Jill Schofield, MD, specializes in getting to the root of these complex issues. Here, we explore what goes into creating a personalized treatment plan for patients with dysautonomia.
For some, dysautonomia is a primary diagnosis in itself, manifesting in different forms like postural tachycardia syndrome, neurocardiogenic syncope, or pure autonomic failure. It can also be genetic or develop with no clear cause. But often, dysautonomia stems from one or more underlying medical issues, such as:
Because the autonomic nervous system regulates nearly every system in the body, a disruption can lead to a wide variety of symptoms — often debilitating ones. These can vary depending on the patient and the type of dysautonomia but may include fatigue, fainting, brain fog, abnormal heart rate, or digestive issues.
If you’re one of over 70 million people worldwide who have dysautonomia, you may feel as though clear answers are always just out of reach. Patients often find that their concerns are misunderstood or conventional methods fail to provide the relief they need.
While treating surface-level symptoms may be effective for some conditions, complex issues like dysautonomia require a more individual approach. To get a complete picture, Dr. Schofield explores your complete health history, lifestyle, and how your body functions.
This may involve a comprehensive physical and neurological exam, along with diagnostic tests like blood work, electrocardiogram, or tilt test — a safe way to measure changes in your blood pressure and heart rate when you go from sitting to standing.
By reviewing your results and analyzing patterns in your symptoms, Dr. Schofield aims to identify the underlying cause of your dysautonomia. Her expert process can reveal what might have been overlooked in previous assessments and potentially provide opportunities for direct treatment.
Given the complex nature of dysautonomia, there’s no single treatment that works for everyone. Instead, Dr. Schneider tailors her recommendations to your specific health profile and the factors driving your symptoms. Your plan may include:
Ultimately, the goal is to rebuild your body’s resilience and restore essential functions. While there’s no cure for dysautonomia, this personalized approach can lead to better outcomes and an improved quality of life.
Don’t let dysautonomia define your life any longer. To take the next step, schedule a consultation at Center for Multisystem Disease in Denver, Colorado.
