Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse (CRRN) Practice Exam

What is NOT typically a symptom of autonomic dysreflexia?

1. Pounding headache

2. Flushing below the level of the lesion

3. Nasal congestion

4. Feeling of apprehension and doom

The correct answer is: Flushing below the level of the lesion

The symptom that is not typically associated with autonomic dysreflexia is flushing below the level of the lesion. Autonomic dysreflexia occurs in individuals with a spinal cord injury, particularly those at or above the T6 level, and it is characterized by an exaggerated autonomic response to stimuli, usually below the level of injury. In autonomic dysreflexia, the body cannot appropriately regulate blood flow and nerve signals below the spinal injury, leading to elevated blood pressure and a range of symptoms above the injury site. Common symptoms include a pounding headache, nasal congestion, and feelings of apprehension or doom, which all stem from the body’s response to the heightened blood pressure and the resulting neurological distress. Flushing typically occurs above the level of the lesion due to vasodilation, while the area below the lesion might experience pallor and reduced circulation. This distinction is crucial; flushing below the lesion is not a recognized reaction in cases of autonomic dysreflexia. Thus, the correct understanding emphasizes that symptoms related to this condition manifest predominantly above the level of the spinal injury rather than below it.