<h1>Testing for POTS and Dysautonomia is Helpful--But What About Underlying Causes?</h1>

Dysautonomia is fairly general medical diagnosis that describes any malfunction of the autonomic nervous system. There are many other diseases and conditions, however, that can lead to a dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system. So, if you've had a postive POTS test, you may want to ask your doctor about this list of conditions and possibly futher testing to see if the root cause can be pinpointed and thus lead to real relief:

 

Amyloidosis - if harmful amyloid proteins are deposited on the heart or the peripheral nerves, it can cause symptoms of dysautonomia / POTS.

 

Antiphospholipid Syndrome - this condition is less well known to physicians, but APS causes"sludging" or thickening of the blood that may manifest as headache, memory loss, word finding difficulty, trouble with balance, multiple sclerosis-like syndrome, neuropathy and disorders of the autonomic nervous system (most commonly POTS) and neurocardiogenic syncope).

 

Celiac Disease - this is a common autoimmune disease in which the small intestine is the primary tissues that are attacked.  Various neurological disorders have been thought to occur in 6-10% of people with celiac disease.

 

Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease - CMT includes a group of disorders where genetic mutations impede normal function of the peripheral nerves (nerves not inside the brain or spinal cord), and often the autonomic nervous system.

 

There are many other conditions that can lead to dysautonomia or POTS symptoms--to read about more of these conditions, see this link.  If you think you have dysautonomia or POTS symptoms, the first, best thing to do is to visit an autonomic disorder treatment center and ask if the doctor can do a dysautonomia test.

 

Again, if that or a POTS test is positive, you may want to investigate other conditions to see if they are the cause. On the brighter side, many times simple lifestyle and dietary changes can greatly improve dysautonomia symptoms. 

 

Dr. Paula Moore and Dr. Susan Phillips at Dysautonomia MVP Center, LLC in Birmingham, AL bring more than 40 years of autonomic disorder expertise and they'll be able to quickly shed some light on your concerns and get you on the road to recovery. Call for an appointment today at (205) 286-3200.

Dysautonomia-MVP Center, LLC
Accurate Diagnosis & Treatment for Better Results
2470 Rocky Ridge Road Vestavia Hills, Alabama 35243
http://www.mvpctr.com
(205) 286-3200