Medical Complications in Spinal Cord Injury

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1. Autonomic dysreflexia
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4. Heterotopic ossification
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Original Editor - George Prudden

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Autonomic dysreflexia

Autonomic dysreflexia (AD) is a life threatening condition and is considered a medical emergency that requires immediate intervention. AD occurs most often in individuals with spinal cord lesions above the T6 spinal cord level. AD is also seen in multiple sclerosis.

AD is the result of overstimulation of the autonomic (involuntary) nervous system. It is characterized the sudden onset of severe high blood pressure known as paroxysmal hypertension. This manifests itself as throbbing headaches, profuse sweating, nasal stuffiness, flushing of the skin above the level of the lesion, slow heart rate, anxiety, and sometimes cognitive impairment.

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