What is POTS, and how do you know if you have it

Feeling lightheaded or dizzy after standing up is a fairly common experience.

Everyone at some point has probably experienced this drop in blood pressure, called orthostatic hypotension. It happens because blood tends to pool in our legs as we sit, and when we stand and our body takes a beat to compensate.

There is another condition that can cause lightheadedness upon standing: postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), and its symptoms are not as easily resolved.

One of the main symptom of POTS, besides palpitations, is lightheadedness, mainly after standing from lying down, because of decreased blood flow to the brain after standing.

Other symptoms of POTS can include:

• Heart palpitations
• Rapid heartbeat within 10 minutes of standing
• Dizziness
• Blurred vision
• Brain fog
• Fatigue
• Insomnia
• Gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, bloating, diarrhea or constipation
• Headaches

There are five subtypes of POTS, which may overlap in one individual, half of which are triggered by viral infections.