Autonomic neuropathy affects the nerves that control involuntary bodily functions, such as heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, sweating, sexual function, and bladder control. Because these nerves work automatically in the background, symptoms can be confusing, frustrating, and easy to overlook.
At Infinity Regenerative and Neuropathy Center, we help patients in Plano, TX better understand neuropathy symptoms and explore care options that support nerve health, comfort, and overall wellness. The practice is a Neuropathy and Wellness Center in Plano, Texas, offering care for patients experiencing chronic pain, tingling, and numbness from peripheral neuropathy.
Infinity Regenerative and Neuropathy Center also provides full-service Family Practice care, including chronic disease management, preventive screenings, medication management, lab work and diagnostic testing referrals, and coordination of specialist care.
Location: 4700 Dexter Drive, Suite 400, Plano, TX 75093 | Phone: (469) 209-8100
What Is Autonomic Neuropathy?
Autonomic neuropathy is damage to the nerves that control the body’s internal organs and automatic functions. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases explains that autonomic neuropathy can affect heart rate and blood pressure, digestion, bladder function, sex organs, sweat glands, eyes, and the ability to sense low blood sugar.
Unlike sensory neuropathy, which often causes pain, tingling, burning, or numbness in the hands and feet, autonomic neuropathy may cause symptoms involving internal body systems. This can include dizziness when standing, digestive problems, bladder changes, abnormal sweating, or difficulty recognizing low blood sugar.
Autonomic neuropathy may affect heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, bladder control, bowel function, sweating, sexual function, eye adjustment, and blood sugar awareness.
Symptoms Affecting the Heart, Circulation, and Digestion
Autonomic nerve damage can affect how the body controls circulation. Mayo Clinic lists dizziness and fainting when standing as possible symptoms, caused by a sudden drop in blood pressure. Possible symptoms include dizziness when standing, lightheadedness, fainting or near-fainting, rapid heartbeat, exercise intolerance, fatigue with position changes, and blood pressure drops after standing.
Autonomic nerves also help control digestion. When these nerves are affected, digestion may slow down, speed up, or become irregular. Possible digestive symptoms include nausea, vomiting, bloating, feeling full quickly, constipation, diarrhea, alternating constipation and diarrhea, abdominal discomfort, loss of appetite, and unexplained weight changes. Patients with diabetes may experience digestive nerve problems such as gastroparesis, where the stomach empties more slowly than normal.
Bladder, Sweating, and Blood Sugar Awareness Symptoms
Autonomic nerves help the bladder sense fullness and empty properly. Mayo Clinic notes that autonomic neuropathy may cause urinary problems including difficulty starting urination, loss of bladder control, difficulty sensing a full bladder, and incomplete bladder emptying, which can increase the risk of urinary tract infections.
Autonomic nerves also help regulate sweating and body temperature. Symptoms may include sweating too much or too little, heat or cold intolerance, dry skin, night sweats, and uneven sweating patterns.
In people with diabetes, autonomic neuropathy may reduce the body’s ability to sense low blood sugar. NIDDK explains that autonomic neuropathy can affect the ability to sense hypoglycemia, also called hypoglycemia unawareness. This can be especially important for patients who use insulin or medications that may lower blood sugar.
What Causes Autonomic Neuropathy?
Autonomic neuropathy can have several causes. One of the most common is diabetes-related nerve damage. NIDDK describes autonomic neuropathy as one form of diabetic neuropathy that affects nerves controlling internal organs.
Possible causes and risk factors include diabetes or poorly controlled blood sugar, prediabetes or metabolic syndrome, autoimmune conditions, certain infections, some medications, alcohol-related nerve damage, vitamin deficiencies, thyroid disorders, Parkinson’s disease or neurologic conditions, injury or surgery affecting nerves, inherited nerve disorders, and unknown causes.
Because autonomic symptoms can overlap with many other conditions, proper evaluation is important.
Diabetic Autonomic Neuropathy
Diabetic autonomic neuropathy occurs when diabetes damages nerves that control automatic body functions. This may affect blood pressure, heart rate, digestion, urination, sexual function, sweating, and blood sugar awareness.
Patients with diabetes should pay close attention to symptoms such as dizziness when standing, resting rapid heartbeat, nausea or bloating or early fullness, constipation or diarrhea, bladder emptying problems, erectile dysfunction or sexual changes, unusual sweating, and difficulty recognizing low blood sugar.
Because Infinity Regenerative and Neuropathy Center offers chronic disease management for conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, thyroid disorders, and more, patients can receive broader support for health factors that may contribute to neuropathy symptoms.
How Autonomic Neuropathy Is Evaluated
Autonomic neuropathy evaluation often begins with a detailed health history, symptom review, medication review, and discussion of chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, thyroid disease, and neuropathy.
Your provider may ask which body systems are affected, when symptoms started, what makes them worse, and whether symptoms are changing. Bring a list of medications, supplements, diabetes medications, blood pressure medications, and any treatments you have tried. Your provider may also check blood pressure, heart rate, and whether symptoms occur with position changes.
Infinity Regenerative and Neuropathy Center provides lab work and diagnostic testing referrals as part of Family Practice care. Testing may help evaluate diabetes control, thyroid function, vitamin deficiencies, kidney function, or other contributors. Some patients may also need referral coordination with neurology, cardiology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, urology, or other specialists.
Treatment and Management Options
Treatment depends on the cause, affected body system, symptom severity, and overall health. In many cases, care focuses on identifying the underlying cause, managing chronic disease, reducing symptoms, preventing complications, and coordinating specialty evaluation when needed.
Care may include diabetes management, blood pressure monitoring, thyroid disorder management, medication review, lab work and diagnostic testing referrals, lifestyle and nutrition guidance, neuropathy-focused care, specialist coordination, and follow-up monitoring.
Mayo Clinic notes that autonomic neuropathy treatment includes managing the disease or condition damaging the nerves and managing specific symptoms.
When Should You Schedule an Autonomic Neuropathy Evaluation?
Consider scheduling an appointment if you have dizziness or fainting when standing, unexplained rapid heartbeat, blood pressure changes, nausea or bloating or feeling full quickly, chronic constipation or diarrhea, trouble emptying your bladder, frequent urinary tract infections, sweating too much or too little, sexual function changes, difficulty sensing low blood sugar, neuropathy symptoms with diabetes, or tingling, burning, numbness, or weakness in the hands or feet.
Seek urgent or emergency care right away for chest pain, trouble breathing, sudden weakness, fainting with injury, severe dehydration, stroke-like symptoms, severe abdominal pain, or sudden loss of bladder or bowel control.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does autonomic neuropathy feel like?
Autonomic neuropathy may not feel like typical nerve pain. Symptoms often involve body functions such as dizziness when standing, rapid heartbeat, nausea, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, bladder problems, abnormal sweating, sexual dysfunction, or difficulty recognizing low blood sugar.
Is autonomic neuropathy the same as peripheral neuropathy?
No. Peripheral neuropathy often affects the hands and feet and may cause burning, tingling, numbness, or shooting pain. Autonomic neuropathy affects nerves that control internal organs and automatic functions such as blood pressure, digestion, and bladder control.
Can diabetes cause autonomic neuropathy?
Yes. Diabetes is one of the most common causes of neuropathy. NIDDK identifies autonomic neuropathy as a type of diabetic neuropathy that affects internal organ function.
What are early signs of autonomic neuropathy?
Early signs may include dizziness when standing, digestive changes, abnormal sweating, bladder changes, sexual function changes, resting rapid heartbeat, or reduced awareness of low blood sugar.
Can autonomic neuropathy affect blood pressure?
Yes. Autonomic nerve damage can interfere with blood pressure regulation, sometimes causing dizziness or fainting when standing due to a sudden blood pressure drop.
Can autonomic neuropathy affect digestion?
Yes. Autonomic nerves help control digestion, so nerve damage may contribute to nausea, bloating, early fullness, constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, or abdominal discomfort.
Does Infinity Regenerative and Neuropathy Center treat autonomic neuropathy?
Infinity Regenerative and Neuropathy Center provides neuropathy-focused care and Family Practice services in Plano, TX. Patients with autonomic neuropathy symptoms can schedule an evaluation to discuss symptoms, chronic disease factors, lab or diagnostic testing referrals, and specialist coordination when appropriate.
When should autonomic neuropathy symptoms be urgent?
Seek urgent care for chest pain, trouble breathing, fainting, severe dehydration, sudden weakness, stroke-like symptoms, severe abdominal pain, or sudden loss of bladder or bowel control.