Advance information
The autonomic nervous system controls a large number of internal organs. The symptoms of disorders in this part of the nervous system can be correspondingly complex. Typically, the autonomic nervous system controls body functions, such as circulatory regulation, bladder emptying or bowel movements, which are only given special attention if they disturb everyday life or limit well-being.
In our experience, the understandable training helps to better understand the body reactions mentioned as examples. This makes it easier for those affected in everyday life to assess which diet and daily structure are suitable to support vegetative functions or how activity or relaxation can be used in a targeted manner to prevent stress-related vegetative complaints.
From acute to chronic - autonomic disorders are accompanying symptoms of many diseases
Almost every disease in which nerves become acutely or chronically ill can affect the autonomic nervous system. Since it regulates all vital functions, it is involved in the most common chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, rheumatism and cancer. The list of possible causes for a disease of the autonomic nervous system is correspondingly long: vitamin deficiency, inflammation, infections, alcohol consumption or drug side effects. Acute illnesses such as stroke, heart attack or injuries to the brain or spinal cord can also lead to disturbances in the regulation of vital functions of the autonomic nervous system such as circulation, breathing, digestion, urination and sleep.
Diseases of the autonomic nervous system have many faces
Diseases of the autonomic nervous system can show many faces: fainting, dizziness, fluctuations in blood pressure, shortness of breath, concentration disorders, sleep disorders, irritable bowel symptoms, incontinence, excessive sweating, itching, redness, but also abnormal sensations and pain. Many of these complaints occur in connection with nerve diseases in the legs or arms (polyneuropathies) but also in connection with diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's diseases or dementia diseases. Accidents with traumatic brain injuries but also traumatic paraplegic syndromes of the spinal cord can temporarily or permanently damage the autonomic nervous system or the regulation of vegetative nerves.
Shorten the path to diagnosis with ANS Clinic
If, for example, disorders of the circulatory system, sleep, digestion, urinary bladder and abnormal sensations are involved, the description of the complaints can be very complex and time-consuming for those affected. It is not uncommon for only individual complaints to be taken into account, so that the actual cause, namely a disease of the autonomic nervous system, is recognized late or not at all. Diagnosing these disorders can be especially frustrating and tedious when routine blood, heart, stomach, intestinal, and bladder exams typically produce normal results. Experience has shown that the neurovegetative anamnesis, examinations of the heart and circulatory regulation, gastroenterological functional diagnostics and urodynamic examinations help to assign the symptoms and diagnose the disease. Thanks to standardized autonomous functional diagnostics in the ANS Clinic, but also with cardiological, neurourological and neuro-gastroenterological colleagues, circulatory reflexes, gastric and intestinal activity, the emptying dynamics of the urinary bladder and also the function of the sweat glands can be assessed.
Tingling, stinging, burning - the cause can be small fiber neuropathy
Parasitic sensations and pain in the context of diseases of the slowly conducting, small-caliber, non-myelinated nerve fibers (small fibers) often puzzles the diagnosis. Thanks to standardized quantitative sensitivity tests, suitable diagnostics are available at the ANS Clinic for patients with small fiber neuropathies. This enables the targeted investigation of neuropathies of the pain-conducting nerve fibers. Small fiber neuropathies can sometimes be very similar to fibromyalgia. Occasionally, small fiber neuropathies express themselves with restlessness of the legs (restless legs symptoms). The exact differentiation of the diseases helps us to treat those affected more successfully and to provide better prognostic advice. To investigate the diagnosis of neuropathy as the cause of the pain.
Autonomic Nervous System Disorders: Not Rarely - Rarely recognized
At the ANS Clinic, it is not only important to us to offer you a comprehensive range of diagnostic and therapeutic options. It is just as important to us to train your eye for the body and to give you helpful recommendations for leading a life in everyday life. Diseases of the autonomic nervous system are by no means rare. Because they have received little diagnostic attention so far, we do not know how many people are affected by them. But experts estimate the number of chronically ill patients with vegetative dysfunction in Germany to be at least seven digits.
FAQ - Frequently asked questions
Which organs of the body are supplied by the autonomic nervous system?
All internal organs, heart, lungs, intestines, etc., as well as the eyes and skin
What do you understand by the term abdominal brain?
The term abdominal brain is used to describe the enteric nervous system. The gastrointestinal tract has its own nervous system made up of around 100 million nerve cells and, like the brain, can work autonomously.
Which complaints can indicate a circulatory disorder?
For example dizziness, nausea, difficulty concentrating, tiredness, headache
Have you ever had circulatory problems? How do dizziness and fainting occur?
Triggers can include: standing up for a long time, getting up quickly, heat, severe pain, great loss of fluids, side effects from medication.
How often do people empty their bladders every day?
About 6 to 8 times in a 24 hour period.
Is there a blood pressure difference between lying down and standing?
Ideally, upper blood pressure values (systolic blood pressure) can be the same when lying down and standing. Typically, however, the upper blood pressure value measured while standing in many people is slightly (less than 20 mmHg) below the upper blood pressure value when lying down. The lower blood pressure value (diastolic value) should remain roughly the same. This can increase slightly for many people. Slight differences of less than plus or minus 10 mmHg are normal.
What complaints can occur with a disease of the small fibers (slowly conducting nerve fibers)?
The complaints associated with disease of the small fibers, that is, the slowly conducting, non-myelinated nerve fibers, include above all paresthesia and pain mostly in the legs, often in the hands, and more rarely also affecting the body, face and oral cavity. These can be accompanied by burning, standing, itching and tingling, for example.
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