What Is Autonomic Neuropathy in Vacaville
If the nerves that help your organs function becomes damaged, then it can cause a condition called autonomic neuropathy (AN). The damage can interrupt the processing of signals between the brain and the autonomic nervous system.
This can affect the following:
- Digestion
- Blood pressure
- Bladder emptying
- Bowel movements
- Heart rate
- Perspiration patterns
Autonomic neuropathy in Vacaville is sometimes linked with other diseases, medical conditions, and certain medications. The symptoms may vary depending on what caused your neuropathy and where the nerve damage is located.
Causes of autonomic neuropathy in Vacaville
There are several factors that can injure your autonomic nerves. This includes the following:
- Alcoholism
- Diabetes
- Medication
- Autoimmune diseases
- Chronic illnesses
- Degenerative disorders
- Nerve trauma
- Unusual buildup of protein in your organs
Risk factors of autonomic neuropathy
These are the types of individuals who are at high risk of autonomic neuropathy:
- Older people
- Overweight individuals
- People with high cholesterol
- People with high blood pressure
factors that could increase your risk
These are some of the factors that could increase your risk of autonomic neuropathy:
- Alcoholism
- Botulism
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- HIV
- Lupus
- Parkinson's disease
Symptoms of autonomic neuropathy
There are many organs that are affected by AN and it can cause different types of symptoms. But the early symptoms of AN include dizziness or faintness whenever you stand or rise up, and vomiting and feeling nauseated when eating. You will also experience disturbances in your bladder control, bowel movements, or sexual function.
The other symptoms can affect the function of the following organs:
- Bladder - When your bladder is affected, your symptoms may include frequent urinary tract infections and urinary incontinence or your inability to empty your bladder.
- Digestive system - AN can cause the following symptoms to your digestive system:
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Poor appetite
- Swollen abdomen
- Vomiting undigested food
- Heartburn or frequent indigestion
- Feeling full even after eating just a small portion
- Reproductive organs - AN can cause the following symptoms to your reproductive organs:
- Erectile dysfunction
- Premature ejaculation
- Vaginal dryness
- Difficulty achieving an orgasm in women
- Heart and blood vessels - AN can cause the following symptoms to your heart and blood vessels:
- Fainting
- Rapid heart rate when resting
- Dizziness when standing or rising
- Breathing difficulties during exercise
- Heart attack without warning signs
- Eyes - AN symptoms can affect your eyes which includes difficulty in driving at night and slow pupil adjustment from light to dark.
- Sweat glands - AN symptoms can affect your sweat glands, which will make the skin on your feet dry and excessive or lack of sweating.
- Other symptoms - AN can also cause other symptoms such as unexplained weight loss and low blood glucose levels without warning signs, such as shakiness.
Long-term outlook on autonomic neuropathy
Your outlook will vary on what caused your nerve damage in the first place and how well it can be treated. There are instances that the nerves can repair on their own. As for others, the symptoms will remain unchanged or may even worsen despite getting treatment. Whatever the case is, it's important to consult your doctor if ever these symptoms show up or whenever you feel that something isn't right.
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Absolute Integrative Physical Medicine
1490 Alamo Drive Suite B
Vacaville, CA 95687