Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome
What is POTS?
POTS is a form of dysautonomia. Your body has an autonomic nervous system that controls everything your body does automatically or without conscious thought. This includes breathing, heartbeat, blood pressure and digestion. A dysautonomic disease occurs when this nervous system does not work properly.
POTS is a specific form of dysautonomia that affects blood flow in the body when the person is sitting up or standing. In a normal person’s body when you stand up your body reacts in a way that allows your blood to fight gravity and pump from your feet back up to your heart. However, in a person with POTS this mechanism does not occur. So instead, blood pools in your feet rather than being pumped up to your heart.
POTS is a specific form of dysautonomia that affects blood flow in the body when the person is sitting up or standing. In a normal person’s body when you stand up your body reacts in a way that allows your blood to fight gravity and pump from your feet back up to your heart. However, in a person with POTS this mechanism does not occur. So instead, blood pools in your feet rather than being pumped up to your heart.
SyMPTOMS
Because your heart does not get all of the blood it needs, less blood is pumped to the rest of your organs. This causes MANY symptoms which can include:
- Headaches
- Dizziness, especially when standing
- Fainting
- Nausea
- Abdominal pain
- Chronic Pain (General)
- Chest Pains
- Heart Palpitations
- Fatigue
- Shortness of Breath
- Insomnia
- Brain Fog
- Sweating Abnormalities
- Weakness
- Bladder Dysfunction
- Tremors
- And MUCH more
Treatment
Treatment focuses on improving quality of life since there is currently no cure. It includes medication, lifestyle changes and exercise. While there is no cure it is very possible to live a mostly normal life with this kind of help.
Illness REP |
FoundatioN, NON-PROFIT, OR CharitY |
OtHER |