orthostatic

Your autonomic nervous system is the part of your nervous system that controls involuntary actions, such as the beating of your heart and the widening or narrowing of your blood vessels. When something goes wrong in this system, it can cause serious problems, including:

• Blood pressure problems
• Heart problems
• Trouble with breathing and swallowing
• Erectile dysfunction in men

Autonomic nervous system disorders can occur alone or as the result of another disease, such as Parkinson's disease, alcoholism and diabetes. Problems can affect either part of the system, as in complex regional pain syndromes, or all of the system. Some types are temporary, but many worsen over time. When they affect your breathing or heart function, these disorders can be life-threatening.

Some autonomic nervous system disorders get better when an underlying disease is treated. Often, however, there is no cure. In that case, the goal of treatment is to improve symptoms.

NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

You've probably heard that high blood pressure is a problem. Sometimes blood pressure that is too low can also cause problems.

Blood pressure is the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your arteries. Each time your heart beats, it pumps out blood into the arteries. Your blood pressure is highest when your heart beats, pumping the blood. This is called systolic pressure. When your heart is at rest, between beats, your blood pressure falls. This is the diastolic pressure. Your blood pressure reading uses these two numbers. Usually they're written one above or before the other, such as 120/80. If your blood pressure reading is 90/60 or lower, you have low blood pressure.

Some people have low blood pressure all the time. They have no symptoms and their low readings are normal for them. In other people, blood pressure drops below normal because of a medical condition or certain medicines. Some people may have symptoms of low blood pressure when standing up too quickly. Low blood pressure is a problem only if it causes dizziness, fainting or in extreme cases, shock.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a serious, long-term illness that affects many body systems. Another name for it is chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). ME/CFS can often make you unable to do your usual activities. Sometimes you may not even be able to get out of bed.

Researchers don't yet know what causes ME/CFS. There may be more than one potential cause. It is also possible that two or more triggers might work together to cause the illness.

Researchers are studying many possible causes, including:

• Infections
• Immune system changes
• Physical or emotional stress
• Changes in the way cells in the body get their energy
• Genetics; the illness can sometimes run in families

Anyone can get ME/CFS, but it is most common in people between 40 and 60 years old. Adult women are more likely to develop it than adult men.

The primary, or core, symptoms of ME/CFS are:

• Not being able to do activities that you used to do before the illness, along with severe fatigue. The fatigue must last six months or longer, and it is not improved by rest.
• Post-exertional malaise (PEM), which means that your symptoms get worse after any physical or mental activity.
• Sleep problems.

Along with the primary symptoms, to be diagnosed with ME/CFS, you need to have one or both of these symptoms:

• Problems with thinking and memory.
• Worsening of symptoms while standing or sitting upright. This is called orthostatic intolerance. It can cause you to feel lightheaded, dizzy, weak, or faint while standing or sitting up.

Some of the other symptoms that ME/CFS can cause include:

• Pain, including muscle pain, joint pain, and headaches
• Sore throat
• Tender lymph nodes (glands) in the neck or armpits
• Digestive issues, like irritable bowel syndrome
• Chills and night sweats
• Allergies and sensitivities to foods, odors, chemicals, light, or noise

ME/CFS can be unpredictable. Your symptoms may come and go. They may change over time; sometimes they might get better, and other times they may get worse.

ME/CFS can be difficult to diagnose. There is no specific test for ME/CFS, and other illnesses can cause similar symptoms. Your health care provider has to rule out other diseases before making a diagnosis of ME/CFS.

Your provider will do a thorough medical exam, which will include:

• Asking about your medical history and your family's medical history.
• Asking about your current illness, including your symptoms. Some questions they may ask could include how often you have symptoms, how bad they are, how long they have lasted, and how they affect your life.
• Thorough physical and mental status exams.
• Blood, urine, or other tests to check for other illnesses which could be causing your symptoms.

Your provider may also ask you to see a specialist to check for other conditions which can cause similar symptoms.

There is no cure or approved treatment for ME/CFS, but you may be able to treat or manage some of your symptoms.

You, your family, and your provider should work together to decide on a plan. You should figure out which symptom causes you the most problems and try to treat that first. For example, if sleep problems affect you the most, you might first try using good sleep habits. If those do not help, you may need to take medicines or see a sleep specialist.

Strategies such as learning new ways to manage activity can also be helpful. You need to make sure that you do not "push and crash." This can happen when you feel better, do too much, and then get worse again.

When you have ME/CFS, it can be hard to help develop a treatment plan. It can also be difficult to try to take care of yourself. So it's important that you have support from family members and friends.

There are also various resources and strategies that might be helpful to you, such as:

• Getting counseling to help you cope with the illness and its impact on your life.
• Eating a healthy diet.
• Nutritional supplements, if your provider suggests them.
• Complementary therapies such as meditation, gentle massage, or relaxation therapy.

Make sure to talk to your provider before you try any new treatments. Some treatments that are promoted as cures for ME/CFS are unproven, often costly, and could be dangerous.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Occupational health problems occur at work or because of the kind of work you do. These problems can include:

• Cuts, fractures (broken bones), and sprains and strains
• Loss of limbs
• Repetitive motion disorders
• Hearing problems caused by exposure to noise
• Vision problems
• Illness caused by breathing, touching, or swallowing unsafe substances
• Illness caused by exposure to radiation
• Exposure to germs in health care settings

Good job safety and prevention practices can reduce your risk of these problems. Try to stay fit, reduce stress, set up your work area properly, and use the right equipment and gear.