WHY THE SYMPATHETIC IS OVERACTIVE IN ARACHNOIDITIS:

The central nervous system is damaged in arachnoiditis. It is therefore unsurprising that it may not function normally.

Some possible factors might be:

• Abnormal feedback from damaged nerves
• Thalamic effects: pain, stress
• Limbic system: emotional input?
• Sympathetic chain:? direct damage
• Spinal cord injury>> autonomic dysfunction
• Cervical pathology >> autonomic dysreflexia
• Thyroid abnormalities
• Effects of medication?
• Disturbance of hypothalamic-pituitary axis (seen in some fibromyalgia patients)
  

Constant pain is a continual stressor, resulting in adrenal over activity and subsequent exhaustion (sudden onset fatigue may be associated)