What condition is characterized by diaphoresis and flushing above the level of injury, alongside chills and severe vasoconstriction below the level of injury?

The condition characterized by diaphoresis and flushing above the level of injury, along with chills and severe vasoconstriction below the level of injury, is autonomic dysreflexia. This syndrome typically occurs in individuals with spinal cord injuries, particularly those with injuries at or above the T6 level.

In autonomic dysreflexia, there is an exaggerated response to stimuli that normally would not elicit such a strong reaction. This results from a disconnect in the autonomic nervous system. When a noxious stimulus occurs below the level of the spinal injury—such as a full bladder, bowel impaction, or skin irritation—the body’s sympathetic nervous system responds with vasoconstriction and marked hypertension below the injury site. However, the brain does not receive these signals correctly, leading to compensatory mechanisms that manifest above the injury level. Consequently, patients experience flushing, sweating, and headache above the injury level due to the uncontrolled sympathetic response.

The other conditions listed do not present with this specific symptom pattern. Spinal shock involves loss of reflexes and flaccidity rather than the autonomic responses seen in dysreflexia. Neurogenic shock is characterized by hypotension and bradycardia resulting from loss of sympathetic tone, not the conflicting