Most people never think about their autonomic nervous system.
In fact, most people don’t even know it exists.
Yet every second of every day, this remarkable system is working behind the scenes to keep you alive and functioning. It regulates your heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, digestion, body temperature, pupil size, sweating, and countless other processes without requiring conscious effort.
Under normal circumstances, these functions happen automatically.
When you stand up, your blood pressure adjusts.
When you exercise, your heart rate increases appropriately.
When you eat, your digestive system activates.
When you encounter stress, your body responds and then returns to baseline.
For individuals with dysautonomia, however, these automatic processes can become disrupted.
The result can be a wide range of symptoms that often seem unrelated at first glance. Many people spend years searching for answers, seeing multiple specialists, and undergoing extensive testing before discovering that many of their symptoms may stem from dysfunction within the autonomic nervous system.
Understanding dysautonomia is important because it is far more common than many people realize and can significantly impact quality of life.
From a chiropractic neurology perspective, dysautonomia offers a powerful example of how changes in nervous system function can affect nearly every system in the body.
Something Isn’t Right
Many individuals with dysautonomia describe a similar experience.
They know something feels off, but they struggle to explain it.
They may feel exhausted despite getting adequate sleep.
They become dizzy when standing.
Their heart races unexpectedly.
Exercise leaves them feeling worse instead of better.
They experience brain fog, headaches, digestive issues, temperature intolerance, or unexplained fatigue.
Some people are told their symptoms are stress-related.
Others are told their laboratory tests look normal.
Many begin to wonder whether the symptoms are all connected.
The answer is often yes.
The autonomic nervous system influences virtually every organ system in the body. When it is not functioning properly, symptoms can appear almost anywhere.
This is one reason dysautonomia is frequently misunderstood.
The symptoms may seem unrelated when viewed individually but often make sense when viewed through the lens of autonomic nervous system function.
What Is the Autonomic Nervous System?
The autonomic nervous system is responsible for regulating many of the body’s automatic functions.
It consists primarily of two major branches:
The Sympathetic Nervous System
Often referred to as the “fight-or-flight” system, the sympathetic nervous system prepares the body for action.
It increases:
- Heart rate
- Blood pressure
- Alertness
- Energy availability
This system helps us respond to challenges and stressors.
The Parasympathetic Nervous System
Often called the “rest-and-digest” system, the parasympathetic nervous system promotes recovery and restoration.
It helps regulate:
- Digestion
- Relaxation
- Recovery
- Energy conservation
- Sleep quality
Healthy autonomic function depends on balance between these systems.
The body must be able to activate when necessary and recover when appropriate.
Dysautonomia occurs when this regulation becomes impaired.
When Automatic Functions Become Unpredictable
Dysautonomia is not a single disease.
Instead, it is an umbrella term used to describe disorders involving dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system.
Because the autonomic nervous system affects so many bodily functions, symptoms can vary considerably from person to person.
Common symptoms include:
- Dizziness
- Lightheadedness
- Fainting
- Rapid heart rate
- Heart palpitations
- Chronic fatigue
- Brain fog
- Exercise intolerance
- Headaches
- Migraines
- Digestive issues
- Nausea
- Temperature intolerance
- Excessive sweating
- Reduced sweating
- Shortness of breath
- Anxiety-like symptoms
- Sleep disturbances
- Difficulty concentrating
- Visual disturbances
For many patients, symptoms fluctuate throughout the day and may worsen with standing, physical activity, heat exposure, illness, or stress.
This unpredictability can make daily life challenging.
Common Types of Dysautonomia
Several conditions fall under the dysautonomia umbrella.
Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)
One of the most recognized forms of dysautonomia is POTS.
Individuals with POTS experience an excessive increase in heart rate when moving from lying down to standing.
Common symptoms include:
- Dizziness
- Rapid heart rate
- Fatigue
- Brain fog
- Exercise intolerance
- Lightheadedness
POTS has received increasing attention in recent years because of its association with Long COVID.
Orthostatic Hypotension
Orthostatic hypotension occurs when blood pressure drops excessively upon standing.
Symptoms may include:
- Dizziness
- Fainting
- Weakness
- Blurred vision
Neurocardiogenic Syncope
This condition involves abnormal regulation of heart rate and blood pressure, sometimes resulting in fainting episodes.
Autonomic Dysfunction Following Concussion
Many individuals experience autonomic dysregulation following traumatic brain injury or concussion.
Symptoms may include:
- Exercise intolerance
- Heart rate abnormalities
- Fatigue
- Cognitive difficulties
- Dizziness
Long COVID-Associated Dysautonomia
Research increasingly suggests that autonomic dysfunction plays a significant role in many Long COVID cases.
Patients frequently report symptoms that closely resemble POTS and other dysautonomic conditions.
Conditions Commonly Associated with Dysautonomia
Dysautonomia frequently occurs alongside other neurological and medical conditions.
These may include:
- Long COVID
- Concussion
- Post-concussion syndrome
- Migraine disorders
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Fibromyalgia
- Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
- Autoimmune disorders
- Vestibular disorders
- Multiple sclerosis
- Small fiber neuropathy
While the relationship varies between conditions, autonomic dysfunction often contributes significantly to symptom severity and quality-of-life limitations.
A Chiropractic Neurology Perspective
Chiropractic neurology focuses on assessing how the nervous system functions rather than looking solely at structural pathology.
From this perspective, dysautonomia represents a problem of neurological regulation.
The brain, brainstem, autonomic centers, vestibular system, and cardiovascular system must work together continuously to maintain stability.
When communication within these networks becomes disrupted, symptoms may emerge.
A chiropractic neurological evaluation may assess:
- Eye movements
- Balance
- Vestibular function
- Cognitive performance
- Postural stability
- Autonomic responses
- Heart rate variability
- Coordination
- Sensory processing
The goal is to identify areas where neurological regulation may be impaired and contributing to symptoms.
Supporting Autonomic Regulation Through Neuroplasticity
One of the most encouraging aspects of autonomic dysfunction is that the nervous system remains adaptable.
Neuroplasticity allows the brain and nervous system to modify and strengthen neural connections over time.
Depending on the individual’s presentation, chiropractic neurological rehabilitation may include:
- Vestibular rehabilitation
- Balance training
- Eye movement therapies
- Breathing exercises
- Gaze stabilization exercises
- Graded exercise protocols
- Sensory integration therapy
- Autonomic regulation strategies
- Cognitive rehabilitation
- Coordination training
For example, vestibular dysfunction can influence autonomic regulation through direct connections between the vestibular system and autonomic control centers.
Improving vestibular function may therefore have broader effects on autonomic stability.
Similarly, improving sensory processing and neurological efficiency may help reduce the overall stress placed on autonomic systems.
The goal is not simply managing symptoms.
The goal is helping the nervous system become more adaptable and resilient.
Why Dysautonomia Is Often Misunderstood
One reason dysautonomia can be difficult to diagnose is that symptoms often involve multiple body systems simultaneously.
A patient may experience:
- Cardiovascular symptoms
- Gastrointestinal symptoms
- Neurological symptoms
- Cognitive symptoms
- Fatigue
Because these symptoms span different specialties, individuals are sometimes evaluated by multiple providers before autonomic dysfunction is recognized.
Understanding the role of the autonomic nervous system helps connect the dots.
What appears to be multiple unrelated problems may actually reflect dysfunction within a single regulatory system.
Helping the Nervous System Find Balance Again
Living with dysautonomia can be frustrating.
Symptoms are often invisible.
They fluctuate unpredictably.
Simple activities may require significant effort.
Many individuals begin to avoid exercise, social activities, travel, or work because they cannot predict how their body will respond.
Yet there is reason for optimism.
The autonomic nervous system is dynamic.
It adapts continuously to internal and external demands.
With appropriate evaluation, rehabilitation, and management, many individuals can improve their tolerance to daily activities and enhance overall function.
Chiropractic neurology offers a framework for understanding dysautonomia through the lens of nervous system regulation and neuroplasticity.
Rather than focusing solely on symptoms, it seeks to understand why the autonomic nervous system has become dysregulated and how neurological rehabilitation may help restore more efficient function.
Ultimately, dysautonomia reminds us that some of the most important systems in the body are the ones we rarely think about.
When they work properly, we hardly notice them.
When they do not, they can affect nearly every aspect of life.
Understanding these systems is often the first step toward helping them function better again.
If you or someone you love is suffering from dysautonomia symptoms and you would like to learn how chiropractic neurology can help, contact the team at Georgia Chiropractic Neurology Center today. We look forward to hearing from you.
Written by Sophie Hose, DC, MS, DACNB, CCSP
Peer-Reviewed References
- Freeman R, Wieling W, Axelrod FB, et al. Consensus statement on the definition of orthostatic hypotension, neurally mediated syncope and postural tachycardia syndrome. Clinical Autonomic Research. 2011.
- Raj SR. Postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS). Circulation. 2013.
- Vernino S, Bourne KM, Stiles LE, et al. Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome and other autonomic disorders after COVID-19 infection. Nature Reviews Cardiology. 2021.
- Benarroch EE. The central autonomic network: functional organization and clinical correlations. Neurology. 1993.
- Goldstein DS. Dysautonomia in autoimmune and neurological disorders. Seminars in Neurology. 2003.
- Goodman BP, Khoury JA, Blair JE, Grill MF. COVID-19 dysautonomia. Frontiers in Neurology. 2021.