What is POTS?
POTS, or Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia is a type of Dysautonomia.
According to the Dysautonomia Information Network,
“Dysautonomia literally means dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system is the master regulator of organ function throughout the body. It is involved in the control of heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, respiration, digestion and other vital functions. Dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system can produce the apparent malfunction of the organs it regulates. For this reason, dysautonomia patients often present with numerous, seemingly unrelated maladies.”
Furthermore, according to the Dysautonomia Information Network,
“Often more simply referred to as postural tachycardia syndrome, or POTS, this disorder is characterized by the body\’s inability to make the necessary adjustments to counteract gravity when standing up. The defining symptom of POTS is an excessive heart rate increment upon standing. However, as you will discover, there are a multitude of other symptoms that often accompany this syndrome. As such, POTS can be a difficult disorder to detect and understand.”