Understanding POTS: How Chiropractic Care Can Help

 

Let’s clear something up right away.

When we talk about POTS, we are not talking about what’s in your kitchen cabinets. No sauté pans. No slow cookers. Not even that lid that mysteriously disappeared.

POTS stands for Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, and while it doesn’t clang around like cookware, it can seriously disrupt daily life—for both children and adults.

So… What Is POTS?

Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome is a disorder of the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS). It’s diagnosed when a person’s heart rate jumps 30 beats per minute or more (or exceeds 120 bpm) within 10 minutes of standing—without a corresponding drop in blood pressure.

Translation? The body struggles to regulate heart rate and blood flow when moving from sitting or lying down to standing.

But here’s the thing: POTS is not just a fast heartbeat.

For many people, it’s an entire constellation of symptoms that can feel confusing, frustrating, and overwhelming.

 

Common POTS Symptoms

People with POTS may experience:

• Dizziness or lightheadedness upon standing
• Extreme fatigue and weakness
• Brain fog and trouble concentrating
• Headaches
• Heart palpitations
• Tremors or shaking
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Nausea and digestive issues
• Blurred or tunnel vision
• Sleep disturbances

For some, the symptoms are mild and intermittent. For others, they are debilitating—making everyday tasks like showering, standing in line, or even eating feel exhausting.

In fact, research shows that quality of life for people with POTS can be comparable to individuals living with chronic kidney disease on dialysis. That’s not “just being tired.” That’s a serious life-altering condition.

 

The Emotional Toll of POTS

POTS doesn’t affect only the body—it affects the whole person.

Many individuals struggle with anxiety, depression, and feelings of hopelessness, often because their symptoms are misunderstood or dismissed. Some are told it’s “just stress,” “just anxiety,” or “all in their head.”

It’s not.

POTS is real. And it deserves real care.

 

Understanding the Subtypes of POTS

POTS is not one-size-fits-all. Just like the pots in our cabinets that work for different cooking methods, there are several subtypes, each with different underlying mechanisms.

Neuropathic POTS

This is the most common form and is closely linked to autonomic nerve dysfunction, particularly involving the vagus nerve.

The vagus nerve is a major player in regulating heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, and inflammation. When it’s not functioning optimally—often because of nervous system irritation or subluxation—the communication between the brain and body breaks down.

The result? Dysautonomia.
And symptoms like tachycardia, dizziness, digestive issues, and fatigue.

Hyper-adrenergic POTS

This subtype involves excessive release of norepinephrine, a stress hormone. It’s associated with palpitations, anxiety, and elevated blood pressure.

Often, this form is connected to a deeper nervous system imbalance—specifically prolonged sympathetic (“fight or flight”) activation.

Other POTS Subtypes

• Hypovolemic POTS: Low blood volume, often linked to dehydration or blood loss
• Secondary POTS: Caused by an underlying condition such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome or autoimmune disorders

Identifying the subtype matters. Care should never be guesswork.

 

The Nervous System Connection

To understand POTS, you need to understand the Autonomic Nervous System.

The ANS controls all the things your body does automatically—heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, temperature regulation. You don’t consciously manage these processes. Thankfully.

The ANS has two main branches:

• Sympathetic Nervous System: “Fight or flight”
• Parasympathetic Nervous System: “Rest and regulate”

In a healthy body, these systems work together in balance—a state called homeostasis.

In POTS, that balance is disrupted. Think of it like hanging pots and pans from the ceiling and a tremor hits, making them clang together like a junior high school percussion team. 

The sympathetic system stays stuck in overdrive, while the parasympathetic system—largely regulated by the vagus nerve—cannot apply the brakes.

This imbalance explains why POTS can involve far more than heart rate issues, including digestive problems, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and chronic fatigue.

You can learn more about how multiple stressors overwhelm the nervous system. For more on that, click here to read our article, The Perfect Storm.

 

A Root-Cause Approach to Care

Rather than only managing symptoms with medications, salt loading, or activity avoidance, chiropractic care focuses on addressing the underlying nervous system dysfunction.

At Escondido Hills Chiropractic, care is centered on restoring balance to the Autonomic Nervous System and supporting the body’s natural ability to heal.

One tool used is INSiGHT scanning technology — advanced scans that objectively measure nervous system function. These scans help identify areas of dysregulation and allow care plans to be tailored to each individual.

Progress isn’t guessed. It’s measured.

 

How Chiropractic Care Supports People with POTS

Chiropractic care helps by:

• Removing upper cervical subluxations
• Restoring proper spinal alignment and neurological communication
• Improving vagal tone
• Supporting healthy blood flow and nerve function

Because the spine houses and protects the nervous system, optimizing spinal function can have a profound impact on autonomic regulation.

Specific Ways Chiropractors Help

Posture Correction
Poor posture places additional strain on the nervous system and disrupts blood flow. Correcting posture can reduce symptom severity and improve tolerance of standing and movement.

Musculoskeletal Pain Relief
Gentle spinal adjustments help reduce inflammation, restore joint mobility, and improve nerve signaling—often easing dizziness, headaches, and fatigue.

Improved Mobility and Range of Motion
Soft tissue therapies and targeted movement support help reduce stiffness and pain, making daily activity more manageable.

Education and Lifestyle Guidance
Care doesn’t stop at the adjustment table. Patients receive guidance on hydration, electrolyte balance, nutrition, sleep hygiene, physical activity, and stress regulation.

 

POTS Is Real—and Treatable

• POTS is not imaginary.
• It is not laziness.
• And it is not something patients just need to “push through.”

With proper care, many individuals can significantly reduce symptoms, experience fewer flare-ups, and regain quality of life. Some even fully recover.

Chiropractic care is safe, natural, and holistic—supporting the nervous system, improving function, and treating the body as an integrated whole.

And no pots or pans required. 😉

If you or your kiddo are struggling with POTS or dysautonomia, there is hope. And there is help. Contact our office today for an appointment: 760.740.9799.