Why does bladder distention cause autonomic dysreflexia?

Autonomic Hyperreflexia Inciting stimuli such as bladder distention, bowel distention, or surgical stimulation can produce an exaggerated sympathetic response. This occurs because there is a loss of normal inhibitory impulses from areas above the level of the lesion.

What is autonomic dysreflexia bladder?

Autonomic dysreflexia is a syndrome of paroxysmal hypertension, headache, sweating, vasodilatation, and bradycardia. This syndrome consists of sympathetic discharge below the level of the cord lesion in response to afferent stimuli that would be innocuous in the normal person.

What triggers autonomic dysreflexia?

Autonomic dysreflexia can occur on a daily basis and can be triggered by stimuli such as distension of the bladder (most common), bladder or kidney stones, a kink in a urinary catheter, infection of the urinary tract, fecal impaction, pressure sores, an ingrown toenail, fractures, menstruation, hemorrhoids, invasive …

Which patient is at increased risk for autonomic dysreflexia?

Autonomic dysreflexia is a condition that emerges after a spinal cord injury, usually when the injury has occurred above the T6 level. The higher the level of the spinal cord injury, the greater the risk with up to 90\% of patients with cervical spinal or high-thoracic spinal cord injury being susceptible.

Why does autonomic dysreflexia cause hypertension?

For example, your blood vessels may react to the faulty signals and become narrower, which makes your blood pressure go up. Your brain tries to lower your blood pressure, but its message can’t get past the damaged part of the spinal cord. High blood pressure can give you a heart attack or a stroke.

What is autonomic shock?

Neurogenic shock is a distributive type of shock resulting in hypotension (low blood pressure), often with bradycardia (slowed heart rate), caused by disruption of autonomic nervous system pathways. It can occur after damage to the central nervous system, such as spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury.

What possible complications may occur from autonomic dysreflexia?

If left untreated, autonomic dysreflexia can cause seizures, retinal hemorrhage, pulmonary edema, renal insufficiency, myocardial infarction, cerebral hemorrhage, and, ultimately, death. Complications associated with autonomic dysreflexia result directly from sustained, severe peripheral hypertension.

Why does autonomic dysreflexia cause sweating?

The brain and body communicate through the spinal cord. However, after a spinal cord injury, that communication is disrupted, and messages may not be able to travel past the damage. As a result, functions like sweating may be affected.

Does autonomic dysreflexia cause hypotension?

Impaired control of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), especially in individuals with high thoracic and cervical SCI, can lead, for example, to hypotension, bradycardia, and autonomic dysreflexia.

Why is autonomic nervous system important?

The autonomic nervous system plays an important role in the human body, controlling many of the body’s automatic processes. This system also helps prepare the body to cope with stress and threats, as well as returning the body to a resting state afterward.

How does the autonomic system maintain homeostasis?

The ANS helps to maintain homeostasis (internal stability and balance) through the coordination of various activities such as hormone secretion, circulation, respiration, digestion and excretion.