Lightheadedness or dizziness
Feeling lightheaded, dizzy, or faint when standing up.
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Learn · Education Guide
Understanding Dysautonomia and POTS
This page is for education. Dysautonomia is a general term for problems with the autonomic nervous system, the part of your body that runs things you do not think about, like heart rate, blood pressure, and digestion. POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) is one specific type. At Interventional Orthopedics of Washington, we do not advertise treatment for dysautonomia or POTS. We share this because these conditions sometimes travel alongside neck problems and joint hypermobility that we do address, and understanding the connection can help you ask better questions of your own care team.
Key Takeaways
- Dysautonomia describes dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system; POTS is one specific form of it.
- Common symptoms can include lightheadedness on standing, a racing heart, fatigue, brain fog, and trouble with temperature or digestion.
- Dysautonomia and POTS are managed by specialists such as cardiologists and neurologists. This page is educational and is not a treatment offer.
- For some people, these symptoms overlap with joint hypermobility and upper-neck (cervical) instability, which is where our work sometimes intersects.
- If you have neck pain or suspected cervical instability alongside these symptoms, a consultation can help clarify what is driving what.
The Basics
What Is Dysautonomia?
Your autonomic nervous system quietly manages the background tasks that keep you running: how fast your heart beats, how your blood vessels tighten and relax, how you digest food, and how you regulate temperature. When that system does not respond the way it should, doctors call it dysautonomia. It is not a single disease. It is a category that covers several patterns, and it can range from mild to genuinely disruptive.
One Specific Form
What Is POTS?
POTS stands for postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. In plain terms, when a person with POTS stands up, their heart rate jumps higher than it should, often with lightheadedness, palpitations, or fatigue. It is diagnosed by specialists using specific criteria and testing. POTS can appear on its own, or it can show up alongside other conditions.
Common Experiences
Common Symptoms People Describe
Fast or pounding heartbeat
A fast or pounding heartbeat, especially after standing or activity.
Ongoing fatigue
Ongoing fatigue that rest does not fully fix.
Brain fog
Brain fog and trouble concentrating.
Digestive and temperature issues
Nausea or digestive issues, and difficulty handling heat.
Why This Topic Appears Here
The Connection to the Neck and to Hypermobility
Here is why this topic shows up at an orthopedic clinic at all. Research and clinical experience have noted that dysautonomia and POTS can cluster with joint hypermobility, including hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS), and with instability in the upper neck. The ligaments that stabilize the upper cervical spine sit very close to structures involved in autonomic regulation. When those ligaments are lax or injured, some patients report a mix of neck symptoms and autonomic-type symptoms together.
This overlap is an area of active study, and the science is still developing. We are careful not to overstate it. What we can say is that when we evaluate a patient for neck pain or cervical instability, we take a full history, and these overlapping symptoms are part of the picture we consider.
Important: This overlap is an area of active study, and the science is still developing. We are careful not to overstate it.
IOW's Role
How This Fits With What We Do
Dr. Silva sees dysautonomia and POTS as possible cofactors in some cervical and hypermobility cases, not as conditions we treat directly. Our work centers on the musculoskeletal side: the ligaments, joints, and structures of the neck and spine, using non-surgical, image-guided care. If a neck problem is contributing to a person's overall picture, addressing that may be one part of a larger plan led by the right specialists.
If you are living with POTS or dysautonomia, your primary care physician, cardiologist, or neurologist should stay at the center of that care. We are happy to be one piece of the puzzle when there is a clear musculoskeletal reason to be.
Learn About Spine and Neck Care
Patient Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
No. We do not advertise or provide treatment for POTS or dysautonomia. These conditions are managed by specialists such as cardiologists and neurologists. This page is for education. Where we can help is with neck and cervical instability problems that sometimes overlap with these conditions.
Because joint hypermobility and upper-neck instability, which we do evaluate, can cluster with autonomic symptoms in some patients. Understanding that overlap helps patients and their care teams ask better questions.
Possibly, with the neck part. A consultation can help determine whether cervical instability or another musculoskeletal issue is contributing to your symptoms. Any autonomic care should stay with your specialists.
It is an area of ongoing research, not settled science. We share it as context, not as a promise. We are careful to frame it honestly.
When the Neck May Be Part of the Picture
Neck Pain, Hypermobility, or Suspected Cervical Instability?
If you have neck pain, hypermobility, or suspected cervical instability alongside these symptoms, a consultation can help sort out what is driving what.
Schedule a ConsultationFor POTS or dysautonomia itself, please stay connected with your medical specialists.
Content reviewed by Otoño Silva, MD.
Board Certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Fellowship-trained in interventional orthopedics. This page is educational and is not medical advice.