Let's learn about the "Fight-or-Flight" system in your body? (Sympathetic Nervous System - SNS)

What would happen to your body if you were suddenly chased by a dog while walking on the street, or if you narrowly escaped a major accident at an unexpected time? Imagine... your heart beats faster, you sweat, your breathing increases, your eyes widen, right? Today we are going to talk about an amazing system inside our body that prepares our body for emergencies, dangerous situations, or stressful situations, and gives us the strength to face the situation or run away (Fight-or-Flight). That is what we call the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) .

Simply put, what is the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS)?

This may sound like a complicated name, but it's actually quite simple. Your Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) is part of your Autonomic Nervous System. We might also call it the "automatic" nervous system. That's because it controls many of the things that happen in our bodies that we don't consciously control.

Imagine, you can't control things like your heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, urination, and sweating. All of those things happen automatically. This SNS is part of the main system that controls things like that.

But the SNS is mainly known for responding to dangerous or stressful situations , as we talked about earlier. At times like these, your SNS kicks in and prepares everything inside your body to save you from that danger.

How does this SNS work in times of danger?

The SNS controls our "Fight-or-Flight" response. That is, preparing the body to "fight or flee." When you sense danger or great stress, the SNS is activated and makes many of these changes in your body.

All of these changes, when combined, help you think faster, act faster, and increase your strength, endurance, and reflexes. This SNS also works when you're feeling stressed, like when you're exercising or when you're sick.

Chemical messengers that carry messages (Neurotransmitters)

This SNS uses special chemicals called neurotransmitters to send messages throughout the body. Specifically, it uses chemical messengers called norepinephrine, epinephrine (also known as adrenaline), and acetylcholine .

What is the difference between the Sympathetic and Parasympathetic systems?

This is very interesting. Your Sympathetic (SNS) and Parasympathetic nervous systems are like two sides of a coin. They work in completely opposite directions .

• Sympathetic (SNS) system: Carries signals that "alert" the body and prepare it for battle. Like the accelerator in a car.
• Parasympathetic system: Carries signals that "relax" the body and bring it back to normal. Like the brakes on a car.

These two systems work together to keep our bodies in balance. The SNS takes the lead until the danger is over. Once the danger is over, the Parasympathetic system takes over, bringing things like a racing heart and rapid breathing back to normal, and calming the body down. We call this "Rest and Digest."

What are the medical conditions that affect this SNS system?

Unfortunately, this important system can also be affected by various diseases and problems. Let's take a look at a few of them.

What are the possible symptoms of a problem with the SNS system?

If there is a problem with this system, a variety of symptoms can occur. If you have one or more of these, it is very important to see your doctor for advice .

• Heartbeat abnormalities (Arrhythmias)
• Constipation
• Dizziness or lightheadedness when standing up
• Drooping eyelid (Ptosis)
• Rapid heartbeat for no reason, even when just standing still (Tachycardia)
• Sexual dysfunction (e.g., priapism)
• Excessive sweating (Hyperhidrosis) or lack of sweating (Anhidrosis)
• Digestive problems (Gastroparesis)
• Difficulty swallowing food (Dysphagia)

What tests are done to identify these problems?

Your doctor may recommend one or more of these tests depending on your symptoms.

• Blood tests: They can detect many things, such as immune system problems and neurotransmitter levels.
• Blood pressure measurement: Blood pressure is measured in different positions (standing, lying down).
• Electrocardiogram (EKG): To check the function of the heart.
• MRI scan (Magnetic Resonance Imaging): To examine the structure of the nervous system.
• Autonomic nervous system testing: A series of tests that examine the ability to control heart rate, blood pressure, and sweating.

How to avoid these situations?

Although we cannot prevent some conditions that affect the SNS system (e.g. genetic diseases), we can prevent or delay many problems by changing our lifestyle.

• Eat a well-balanced diet: Vitamin deficiencies, especially vitamin B12, can cause nerve damage. Also, taking too many vitamins (especially B6) is harmful.
• Avoid drugs and alcohol: These are toxic to the nervous system.
• Stay physically active and maintain a healthy weight: Preventing or delaying type 2 diabetes can reduce the risk of nerve damage.
• Wear protective equipment when necessary: ​​This helps prevent nerve damage from accidents at work or while playing sports.
• Manage chronic conditions properly: If you have a condition like diabetes or high blood pressure, following your doctor's instructions will go a long way in protecting your nervous system.

Ultimately, the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) is our body's own bodyguard, essential to our survival and protecting us during stressful situations. Therefore, taking good care of this system and the entire nervous system will go a long way in helping us live a healthy, long life.