What are common signs of autonomic dysreflexia?

• A. Headache, diaphoresis, nausea, nasal congestion, bradycardia
• B. Cough, fever
• C. Seizures
• D. Visual disturbances only

Answer: (A)

Autonomic dysreflexia occurs when a noxious stimulus below a spinal cord injury triggers an overwhelming sympathetic response, leading to a sudden spike in blood pressure. The signs that most clearly reflect this crisis include a sudden, severe headache, profuse sweating (diaphoresis), nasal congestion, and bradycardia. Nausea can also accompany the episode. These symptoms arise because the body tries to compensate for the high blood pressure with parasympathetic signals above the level of injury, while below the injury the sympathetic response remains unmitigated. Cough with fever suggests infection rather than this autonomic crisis, and seizures or visual disturbances alone do not capture the typical autonomic dysreflexia pattern.