Autonomic dysreflexia presenting as a severe headache

Hypertension, bradycardia, and severe headache have been associated with autonomic dysreflexia. Autonomic dysreflexia affects those with spinal transection above the level of T6 after plastic changes of the afferent pathways. This restructuring in the presence of noxious stimuli below the level of the lesion leads to autonomic dysreflexia. The onset of the first episode of autonomic dysreflexia has been documented as soon as 30 days and as late as 13 years after the injury. This report presents a case study of a paraplegic man 8 years after injury with autonomic dysreflexia associated with a urinary tract infection.