The following information has been put together by the NSIC Clinical Psychology team and is based on many years’ experience working alongside people with spinal cord injuries and their families. It is also drawn from research aiming to better understand what it is like to live with spinal cord injury, as well as general evidence about enhancing emotional health and …
Main Link
Main Link
Main Link
Benefits of logging in
Have you Registered or Logged in?
Benefits of logging in
Have you Registered or Logged in?
Benefits of logging in
Have you Registered or Logged in?
What to do if AD is suspected:
- Most importantly, locate and remove the offending stimulus, if possible.
Early recognition of the condition is essential so that treatment can be started immediately. - Begin by looking for your most common causes: bladder, bowel, tight clothing, skin issues.
- Most importantly, locate and remove the offending stimulus, if possible.
NOTE: Keep in mind that when you remove the cause, your AD may get worse before it gets better.
Then follow these steps:
- Sit up or raise your head to 90 degrees
If you can lower your legs, do so - Loosen or remove anything tight
- Treat the cause
- Not everyone has access to a blood pressure (B/P) machine but if you can, check blood pressure every five minutes.
NOTE: It is more important to treat the cause first when you are dysreflexic, than trying to get a blood pressure reading.
In adults with a cervical level (neck) injury who often have low blood pressure, a rise in systolic (upper) blood pressure of 20 – 40mmHg (which may bring your B/P within the normal range) may indicate AD.
For other patients a systolic (upper) B/P of 150mmHg or more is an indicator of AD.
Make sure you know YOUR normal resting blood pressure (see below*) - Stay sitting up until blood pressure is normal
- Sit up or raise your head to 90 degrees
