Can persistent health issues such as arrhythmia, headaches, and obesity be a “nerve” problem? Symptoms of dysautonomia, a disorder of the autonomic nervous system, can vary widely, and it is impossible to generalize about the impact and extent of the disorder. Autonomic nerves are found in every organ of the body. Once they are imbalanced, they cannot function normally, so don’t ignore the painful problem of dysautonomia.
“I have neck and shoulder pain, and I often feel tightness in my chest, which makes me feel like I can’t breathe.”
“It’s so weird! There seems to be a hot current in my pinky. Sometimes it’s numb, sometimes it’s hot, and sometimes it feels sore. Although it’s not very obvious, I feel it.”
“Occasionally, my heartbeat speeds up, and I can’t breathe smoothly for no apparent reason. I feel out of breath, and it makes me upset and irritable. I’ve been to a lot of doctors and done a lot of tests. The doctors say there is nothing wrong with me and I am healthy, but I feel uncomfortable! What is wrong with me?”
“I’ve gained 8 kilograms and tried all the weight loss methods, but I still can’t stop the weight from rising. What’s worse, while I’m still very restrained in choosing low-calorie food during the day, I can’t suppress the constant urge to eat at night. This makes me get more and more anxious, and in turn leads to symptoms of autonomic nervous disorder like insomnia, headache, and hand tremor.”
These are the cries from the bottom of the hearts of those who suffer from dysautonomia. Whether or not you have ever felt similarly, you are recommended to take some time to learn more about this “health killer” that has come along with the progress of civilization — dysautonomia.
If you think that dysautonomia has nothing to do with you, you are mistaken. According to a statistical report from the United States, the prevalence of dysautonomia is 4 percent.
The woman with a thousand faces is responsible for all major and minor illnesses
Dysautonomia is like a woman with a thousand faces — she appears in different guises to different people. She is so ever-changing and unpredictable that in A, muscle pain, tinnitus, and shoulder stiffness may occur; in B, it may become eye fatigue and itchy skin; in C, it is changed to dizziness, rapid heartbeat, and difficulty breathing. The insomnia, moodiness, lack of concentration, and even obesity problems that plague many people may also be the result of autonomic dysregulation.
Symptoms of dysautonomia can vary significantly from person to person, and it is impossible to generalize the impact and extent of the disorder.
The domino effect of diseases
Dysautonomia can be described as a standard disease of civilization and is relatively common in modern society. The autonomic nervous system spreads throughout every organ of the body, so once it is out of balance, it will not be able to function correctly, and then all sorts of big and small problems will pop up one after another.
Headaches, sore eyes, muscle aches, ringing in the ears, poor gastrointestinal health, and excessive sweating can all be symptoms of autonomic dysregulation. You may think that these are minor things and treat them lightly. If you have a headache, you take a painkiller; if your eyes are sore, you take a break and take some eye drops; if your gastrointestinal health is not good, you eat more yogurt to increase the good bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract. But if you consider it carefully, is the problem as simple as it seems?
To cite a few simple examples, I believe we may all have the experience of taking off-the-shelf painkillers for headaches. Some painkillers make people tired and unable to concentrate on work or driving. In addition, for common skin problems such as mosquito bites and allergies, as long as the situation is not particularly serious, most people usually buy medicine and apply it on their own.
However, you may not know that many skin ointments contain steroids. Long-term use may cause skin atrophy, acne, and other adverse reactions. Excessive use may also lead to symptoms such as moon face, puffiness, and edema.
Also, when the upper respiratory tract is infected and causes conditions such as nasal congestion, runny nose, and sneezing, if you are accustomed to treating them by taking antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs and have been doing so for a long time, your body may lack good bacteria and your immunity will decline.
Dysautonomia, the biggest killer of health in the 21st century
Talking about health killers in civilized society, I believe the first common answers that come to many people’s minds are cancer and depression. It is undeniable that the number of people who have lost their lives due to malignant tumors has been on the rise year after year and has even set an astonishing record of ranking first among the top 10 leading causes of death for 27 consecutive years. Depression, through vigorous coverage in newspapers and magazines in recent years, has even taken on the posture of a health killer of the century.
The above diseases indeed have a profound impact on our health. However, I would like to propose a newer idea — dysautonomia is humanity’s most significant health killer in the 21st century.
This is precisely because dysautonomia has a comprehensive impact on human health, both physically and psychologically, externally and internally. Even cancer and depression are all related to dysautonomia.
The human body can treat and heal itself. As in the case of colds, when foreign bacteria and viruses invade our body with great force, waving their flags and beating their war drums arrogantly, the immune system will be the first to come forward to counterattack.
The heroic white blood cell fighters will play their best role in maneuvering around and confronting the enemy to drive them out and win the final victory. The autonomic nervous system also can self-regulate. However, just as immunity may not always defeat colds and viruses, the autonomic nervous system’s ability to regulate is also limited.
An autonomic dysregulation is a warning from the autonomic nervous system that you should “listen carefully and respond positively.” If you ignore it, your autonomic nerves will strike one day and fully impact your health.
Excerpted from an article by Dr. Guo Yuxiang (2023) entitled If you don’t want to get sick, take care of your autonomic nervous system: If you cannot find out the problem, the problem is actually with your “nerves”! Persimmon Culture Publishing House.
Translated by Cecilia and edited by Amanda
