Symptoms of neuropathy of the autonomic nerves
The autonomic nervous system controls involuntary actions in the internal organs that are necessary to sustain life, such as breathing, heart rate, contractions of the smooth muscles, blood pressure, and several aspects of the digestive system. If these nerves become neuropathic, many of these functions may be disrupted. Signs of autonomic nerve neuropathy include [5]:
- Excessive sweating or inability to sweat at all
- Heat intolerance
- Incontinence or loss of bowel or bladder control
- Abnormal alterations in heart rate
- Inability to relax and contract blood vessels that regulate blood pressure
- Sudden onset of dizziness or light-headedness
- Gastrointestinal disorders
- Sexual dysfunction
- Difficulty swallowing in more unusual cases