Autonomic Dysreflexia is a life-threatening condition which occurs only in individuals with spinal cord injury at T6 or higher.

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Common Signs and Symptoms:

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• High blood pressure

• Pounding headache

• Flushing above level of spinal cord injury

• Nasal congestion

• Pallor or gooseflesh below level of spinal cord injury

• Anxiety

• Nausea

• Metallic taste in mouth

• Change in heart rate (note it could be low or high)

The most common causes are bladder and bowel distension, however, there are many other stimuli identified in the table below that can cause the sudden onset of excessively high blood pressure.

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