The National Spinal Injuries Centre (NSIC) provides acute and rehabilitation care for patients with spinal cord injury The centre, founded by Professor Sir Ludwig Guttmann, has been serving patients since 1944and has established an international reputation for its quality services. The NSIC offers diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation for patients with acute spinal cord injuries and non-traumatic spinal cord lesions of acute …
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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
