
A study at Mayo Clinic reported that more than 50% of cases reviewed during a 10-year period were due to neuropathic POTS. The outcome? Blood begins to pool in the lower half of your body and doesn’t completely circulate back towards the heart and the brain. Partial dysautonomic or neuropathic POTS: In some people, the cause of POTS may be attributed to nerve damage, which interferes with the ability of the blood vessels in the abdomen and lower extremities to constrict.There are various subtypes of POTS that have been recognized among medical professionals, though the boundaries between the different types aren’t always so clear-cut: The mechanical system for how blood circulates throughout the body has malfunctioned in people with POTS. POTS symptoms may even creep up in people who have been standing in one place too long without moving. They might feel dizzy, faint, or experience an increase in heart rate. But people with POTS have orthostatic intolerance issues, meaning symptoms arise when they move from lying down to an upright position. Under normal circumstances, your heart rate and blood pressure work in tandem to maintain sufficient blood flow throughout your body, regardless of your body’s position. Syndrome: Consists of a combination of symptoms, which often occur together.Tachycardia: References the increase in heart rate.Orthostatic: Pertains to being in an upright position.

Postural: Refers to the posture or position of your body.

To better understand, let’s look at a breakdown of the acronym POTS: It’s different from the cardiac symptoms that can occur as a result of Lyme disease.

POTS itself is a complex array of symptoms that affect the body’s ability to circulate blood adequately. This part of the nervous system is responsible for controlling the automatic functions of the body, including blood pressure, rate of respiration, digestion, and more. Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome is one example of dysautonomia, an overarching term that encompasses several medical conditions that impact the functionality of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). So what exactly is POTS, and better yet, what can be done to reduce symptoms and improve your quality of life? Here, we’ll explore the complexities of POTS and provide insights to help you cope and deal with this life-altering health condition. “So we have a lot to learn before we can pinpoint a specific causative agent.” “Microbes affect the balance of all the communications in the body- right down to the cellular level,” says Dr. “But it’s likely not from Borrelia burgdorferi alone.” Because POTS has been observed in people after both bacterial and viral illnesses, there’s overwhelming evidence that other microbes are at play. “When you look at the idea that POTS is associated with Lyme disease, it’s not surprising,” says Dr. Given these coincidences, many in the Lyme community wonder: Is there one specific pathogen implicated in this syndrome? For those battling long COVID, POTS may also be a recurring symptom. Bill Rawls, Medical Director of RawlsMD and Vital Plan.īesides Lyme, there can also be a symptomatic overlap of POTS with other chronic illnesses like myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia, and mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS). “I think everyone with chronic Lyme disease will have some of the symptoms of POTS, some more pronounced than others,” explains Dr. It affects between one and three million Americans, according to Dysautonomia International, most of whom are women ages 15 to 50 - and yet, it’s fairly common among those with chronic Lyme disease. These are some of the hallmark symptoms of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a condition that’s thought to be relatively rare.

A racing heart, dizziness upon standing, fatigue, nausea, inability to focus.
