Symptoms and Manifestations of Autonomic Nervous System Dysfunction

Clinical manifestations of autonomic nervous system dysfunction may involve multiple organ systems throughout the body, including the cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, endocrine, metabolic, and urogenital systems.

Typical symptoms include orthostatic hypotension, chest tightness, shortness of breath, palpitations, a sense of impending doom, gastric pain, abdominal distension, vomiting, and other gastrointestinal symptoms; menstrual irregularities in women and nocturnal emissions or erectile dysfunction in men; as well as insomnia and memory impairment.

Numbness in the extremities, heat sensation in the palms and soles, generalized skin warmth, migratory pain, and migratory abnormal sensations; these are often accompanied by emotional changes such as tension, worry, fear, dread, anxiety, and depression.