Neurally Mediated Hypotension

[Guest guest]

Chinese Traditional Medicine, Larry Stockwell <stockwells4> wrote:

>

> In regards to the following e-mail, I thought I'd relate some of my

history. I actually started fainting when I was about 12 - I've

passed out around 12 times in my life but most of my life I've felt

like it. When I was young I thought it was hypoglycemia and I'm sure

that my play a part. But mine is definitely related to movement.

Since I have chronic neck spasms and headaches, my neck area is

hypersensitive. I can't stand any pressure at all on it. I'm dizzy

a lot and when I move my neck more it's worse.

 

There is a condition called Neurally Mediated Hypotension that you

may want to research. There probably is something about it on the

website of The CFIDS Association of America since so many PWCs have

been found to have NMH.

 

The blood pressure does not maintain and does not rise when it

should. Movement can cause a person to feel like s/he is going to

pass out. Most sufferers have low blood pressure, but some have high

blood pressure. The key symptom is that the blood pressure does not

rise or maintain when it should. The test for NMH is a tilt table

test, but I hear the test is agony if one has NMH.

 

I've noticed that many who have the symptoms of NMH also have

hypoglycemic symptoms. When one gets up too suddenly or changes the

position of the head, feelings of being about to faint occur, though

the person rarely passes out. Dizziness is common.

 

I forget the name of the drugs used to treat NMH, but some people

with NMH prefer to use the herb, licorice. Licorice, aka Radix (root

of) Glycyrrhizae Uralensis, aka Gan Cao, has some mineralocorticoid

effects. It has aldosterone-like effects, causing the person to hold

onto sodium instead of excreting it in the urine, and causing the

person to excrete more potassium. Longterm use of licorice can cause

edema because of this property, but this is one of the properties

that causes the herb to be useful in NMH. Warning: Licorice, just

like the drugs prescribed for NMH will raise blood pressure. Needless

to say, in TCM this herb is contraindicated in cases of Dampness,

nausea, or vomiting.

 

Licorice is honey-fried to tonify the Middle Burner (Stomach and

Spleen) and to reduce spasms.

 

The herb also has some glucocorticod effects. It increases

the " duration and strenght of the effects of cortisone. " Some

believe that " glycyrrhetinic acid is similar in structure to some of

the substances of the adrenal cortex, while others believe that it

inhibits degradation of these substance. "

 

Information about licorice taken from Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia

Medica, revised ed., Dan Bensky and Andrew Gamble, pp.323-325.)

 

Yhere are some other medical conditions besides NMH that can cause

one to be prone to fainting when moving, but I'm unfamiliar with

these.

 

Sometimes doctors will take the blood pressure when a person is

laying down, sitting, and standing.

 

Victoria