Autonomic Nervous System Dysfunction: The Source of All Diseases
The autonomic nervous system is not controlled by our own will, but automatically regulates the functions of the entire body, such as digestion, blood circulation, respiration, and excretion. The autonomic nervous system can be divided into the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system. Through the balance and harmony between these two systems, the overall function of the body is maintained. Specifically, when the sympathetic nervous system is activated, it accelerates heart rate, causing increased pulse rate, blood vessel constriction, and elevated blood pressure.
Conversely, when the sympathetic nervous system is inhibited and the parasympathetic nervous system is activated, heart rate slows down, pulse rate decreases, blood vessels dilate, blood circulation becomes poor, and blood pressure drops. After a meal, saliva and gastric juice are naturally secreted, and gastric digestion is active because the nervous system can adapt to different conditions and effectively drive the normal functioning of various organs.
So, what happens when there is an imbalance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems?
The activities of the heart, stomach, intestines, blood vessels, and other organs controlled by these nerves become disordered, and our body exhibits various symptoms. This is what we call autonomic nervous system dysfunction.
The autonomic nervous system is present in all organs of the body. If it becomes chaotic, various symptoms will appear. Below, we will discuss the symptoms related to autonomic nervous system dysfunction in different parts of the body.
① General symptoms: fatigue, tiredness, fever, obesity, emaciation, cold hands and feet, etc.
② Mental symptoms: restlessness, anxiety, tension, loss of consciousness, insomnia, decreased memory, etc.
③ Muscle or nerve symptoms: heaviness in the head, headaches, shoulder and back pain, numbness in the hands and feet, etc.
④ Circulatory system symptoms: palpitations, difficulty breathing, irregular pulse, cold hands and feet, high blood pressure, edema, etc.
⑤ Respiratory system symptoms: shortness of breath, cough, hiccups, etc.
⑥ Gastrointestinal symptoms: loss of appetite, abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, feeling of pressure in the stomach (autonomic nervous system dysfunction can also cause gastric ulcers).
⑦ Skin symptoms: hyperhidrosis, anhidrosis, atopic dermatitis, alopecia areata, etc.
⑧ Urinary and reproductive system symptoms: frequent urination, nocturia, impotence, menstrual irregularities, menopausal disorders, etc.
⑨ Ear, nose, and mouth symptoms: dizziness, tinnitus, neurogenic rhinitis, epistaxis, abnormal saliva secretion, etc.
The above symptoms of autonomic nervous system dysfunction are just a rough outline, there are many more if listed one by one.
"Psychosomatic disorders" are also closely related to autonomic nervous system dysfunction. Psychosomatic disorders can affect the entire body. For example, recently popularized diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome, eye fatigue, and cardiac neurosis are typical psychosomatic disorders.
In summary, most of the diseases labeled as "modern diseases" are more or less related to autonomic nervous system dysfunction.
