Dysautonomic Polyneuropathy Helped by Prolotherapy
Ross A. Hauser, M.D.

In 1925, Jean Alexandre Barre, M.D., a French Neurologist, and in 1928, Yong-Choen Lieou, a Chinese Physician independently of each other, described a syndrome with a variety of symptoms thought to be due to a dysfunction of the posterior cervical sympathetic nervous system. The posterior sympathetic syndrome became known as Barre-Lieou Syndrome. The posterior cervical sympathetic nervous system is a group of nerves located near the vertebrae in the neck.

Symptoms that characterize the Barre-Lieou Syndrome are listed below:
Headache
Vertigo
Hoarseness
Sinus Congestion
Facial Pain
tinnitus
neck pain
Chest Pain
Ear Pain
Loss of Voice
Severe Fatigue
Sense of Eyeballs Being Pulled Out

Other symptoms may include dysesthesias of the hands and forearms (painful pins and needles sensation), corneal sensitvity, dental pain, lacrimation (tearing of the eyes), blurred vision, facial numbness, shoulder pain, swelling of one side of the face, nausea, vomiting, and localized cyanosis of the face.

When the vertebrae in the neck move too much or become unstable, wobbling, moving too much, whatever you call it, they can 'pinch' the autonomic nerves, causing the above symptoms. So the condition is caused when the ligaments become 'lax', stretched, torn, and/or weakened. When the ligaments are strengthened, the vertebral movement, one compared to the other, normalizes, and thus the autononmic nervous system functions normally. Yes, Barre-Lieou Syndrome can be helped with Prolotherapy.

What happens when the autonomic nerves to the lower extremity become altered? What happens when the vertebrae in the thoracic or lumbar region move excessively or are unstable? What happens when you get ligament injury in these areas? Yes, the autonomic nervous can affect the digestive tract, urinary tract, or blood flow to the legs. For lack of a better term, the condition whereby the autonomic nervous system function is disruped is called Dysautonomic Polyneuropathy. The symptoms of this can be:

Chest Pain
Shortness of Breath
Chronic Fatigue
Coughing
Poor Digestion
Frequent Urination
Diarrhea
Constipation
Inability to Hold Urine
Bloating
Cold Feet
Burning Legs
Burning Feet
Abdominal Pain
Groin Pain
Low back pain
Pins/Needles in Legs
Pins/Needles in Abdomen
Numbiness (numbness sensation but can feel)
Thoracic Pain

There is not one diagnostic test for Barre-Lieou Syndrome or Dysautonomic Polyneuropathy. One has to go on the history, physical exam, and then results with Prolotherapy. Prolotherapy is the only treatment that I have found that has definitive results for Dysautonomic Polyneuropathy that is due to ligamentous injury. When someone has pain as a primary component of these syndromes, then often this is a sign that Prolotherapy will work for the condition. Anyone who has Barre-Lieou Syndrome or Dysautonomic Polyneuropathy knows, traditional allopathic treatments including medications are not very effective for the symptoms of the condition. A better option in my opinion, is for patients with these disorders or their symptomotology, is to get an evaluation by a Prolotherapist. If ligament injury is suspect, then a trial with Prolotherapy should be done. It is amazing to see 'internal medicine' type complaints go away with Prolotherapy.

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