POTS and Dysautonomia in Phoenix

When the Body’s Automatic Nervous System Stops Working Correctly.

Most people do not think about their heart rate, blood pressure, sweating, digestion, temperature control, or circulation until something goes wrong. These functions happen automatically in the background because they are controlled by the autonomic nervous system.

When the autonomic nervous system is not working properly, patients may experience symptoms that seem unrelated at first. Dizziness. Rapid heartbeat. Fainting. Brain fog. Fatigue. Nausea. Heat intolerance. Shakiness. Exercise intolerance. Abnormal sweating. Blood pressure changes. Feeling worse when standing. Feeling better when lying down.

This group of problems is often called dysautonomia.

One of the most common forms of dysautonomia is Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, also known as POTS. POTS can cause rapid heart rate, lightheadedness, palpitations, weakness, fatigue, and brain fog when the body moves upright.

At Center for Neurology and Spine in Phoenix, Arizona, we offer POTS testing and autonomic evaluation for patients with symptoms of dysautonomia, orthostatic intolerance, dizziness, fainting, tachycardia, fatigue, and brain fog. Our Mayo-trained neurologists, Dr. Leslie Zuniga and Dr. Rebecca Jones, evaluate complex neurological and autonomic symptoms to help patients get clearer answers and a more personalized treatment plan.

If you are searching for POTS testing Phoenix, dysautonomia testing Arizona, autonomic testing Phoenix, tilt table testing Phoenix, neurologist for POTS Phoenix, or dizziness specialist Phoenix, this guide explains what dysautonomia is, how POTS fits into it, what symptoms to watch for, and how testing can help.

What Is Dysautonomia?

Dysautonomia is a term used when the autonomic nervous system is not regulating the body normally. The autonomic nervous system controls automatic functions that happen without conscious effort.

These functions include:

Heart rate

Blood pressure

Blood vessel tone

Sweating

Temperature regulation

Digestion

Bladder function

Pupil response

Circulation when standing

Response to heat, stress, meals, and exercise

When this system is disrupted, the body may have trouble adjusting to normal daily activities. Standing up, taking a shower, walking through a parking lot, eating a meal, exercising, or being outside in the Arizona heat can suddenly become difficult.

Dysautonomia is not one single disease. It is an umbrella term. POTS is one type of dysautonomia, but there are other forms as well, including orthostatic hypotension, vasovagal syncope, autonomic neuropathy, and other autonomic disorders.

What Is POTS?

POTS stands for Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome.

Postural means related to body position.

Orthostatic means related to standing upright.

Tachycardia means fast heart rate.

Syndrome means a group of symptoms that occur together.

In POTS, the heart rate rises too much when a person moves from lying down to standing. This happens because the body is having trouble maintaining circulation when upright. Blood may pool in the lower body, and the heart may beat faster to try to compensate.

Patients with POTS often feel better lying down and worse standing up. This is one of the most important clues.

Common POTS symptoms include:

Dizziness when standing

Rapid heartbeat

Palpitations

Lightheadedness

Near fainting or fainting

Brain fog

Fatigue

Weakness

Shakiness

Exercise intolerance

Shortness of breath when upright

Nausea

Headaches or migraine

Heat intolerance

Feeling worse after showers

Feeling worse after large meals

Symptoms that improve when lying down

Many patients with POTS have been told their symptoms are anxiety, dehydration, stress, or deconditioning. Sometimes those issues can overlap, but POTS is a measurable autonomic disorder. Testing can help show whether the body is responding abnormally to standing or tilt.

How POTS and Dysautonomia Affect Daily Life

POTS and dysautonomia can affect patients in ways that are difficult for others to see. A patient may look healthy while sitting in an exam room but struggle to stand in line, shower, grocery shop, exercise, work, or attend school.

A patient may say:

I feel fine lying down, but my heart races when I stand.

I get dizzy in the shower.

I feel like I might faint when I stand too long.

My brain fog gets worse when I am upright.

The Phoenix heat makes everything worse.

I can do one activity, but then I crash for hours.

I was told my heart is normal, but I still feel my heart racing.

I feel better when I lie down.

These symptoms can interfere with employment, school performance, driving, exercise, social life, and family responsibilities. Because symptoms can fluctuate, patients may also feel misunderstood.

Why the Autonomic Nervous System Matters

The autonomic nervous system acts like the body’s autopilot. It constantly adjusts heart rate, blood pressure, blood vessel tone, temperature regulation, and digestion.

When you stand up, gravity pulls blood toward the legs and lower body. A healthy autonomic nervous system responds quickly by tightening blood vessels and adjusting heart rate so blood continues flowing to the brain.

In dysautonomia, this automatic adjustment may not work correctly. The result can be dizziness, tachycardia, fainting, weakness, and brain fog.

This is why POTS is not simply a heart problem. The heart may be structurally normal, but the nervous system may not be regulating circulation properly. That is why neurologic evaluation and autonomic testing can be helpful.

Symptoms of Dysautonomia Beyond POTS

Not all dysautonomia looks exactly like POTS. Some patients have blood pressure drops. Some faint. Some have abnormal sweating. Some have digestive issues. Some have temperature intolerance or neuropathy symptoms.

Dysautonomia symptoms may include:

Dizziness

Fainting

Rapid heart rate

Slow heart rate

Blood pressure instability

Palpitations

Heat intolerance

Cold intolerance

Abnormal sweating

Dry eyes or dry mouth

Nausea

Constipation or diarrhea

Bloating

Exercise intolerance

Fatigue

Brain fog

Sleep disruption

Urinary symptoms

Numbness or burning pain

Color changes in the hands or feet

Because dysautonomia can involve many body systems, patients may see several specialists before the condition is recognized. A neurologist can help connect the symptoms and evaluate whether the autonomic nervous system is part of the problem.

Why Dysautonomia Is Often Missed

Dysautonomia can be difficult to diagnose because symptoms often come and go. Many patients have normal testing while seated or lying down. A routine EKG may be normal. Blood work may be normal. Imaging may be normal. A brief exam may not reproduce symptoms.

The missing piece is often position.

If symptoms happen when standing, walking, showering, exercising, or being in the heat, testing should evaluate how the body responds during those conditions.

Dysautonomia may be missed when:

Heart rate is only checked while sitting

Blood pressure is not checked during standing

Symptoms are blamed on anxiety without objective testing

The patient looks well during the visit

The patient is young and otherwise healthy

Routine cardiac testing is normal

The symptoms involve multiple body systems

Autonomic testing can help reveal patterns that may not appear during a standard office visit.

What Can Trigger POTS and Dysautonomia Symptoms?

Patients with dysautonomia often notice that symptoms worsen with specific triggers.

Common triggers include:

Standing still

Heat exposure

Dehydration

Hot showers

Large meals

Alcohol

Illness

Poor sleep

Overexertion

Stress

Menstrual cycle changes

Long travel days

Skipping meals

Medication changes

Arizona heat

For patients in Phoenix and surrounding areas, heat is one of the biggest triggers. Hot weather widens blood vessels and increases sweating. This can worsen blood pooling and dehydration, making dizziness and tachycardia more likely.

POTS and Dysautonomia in Arizona

Arizona’s climate can make dysautonomia harder to manage. In Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Glendale, Peoria, Paradise Valley, and Ahwatukee, patients may notice symptoms become more intense during summer months.

Common Arizona-specific challenges include:

Extreme heat

Hot cars

Long walks through parking lots

Outdoor school or sports events

Standing in lines

Dehydration from dry air

Heat exposure during errands

Hot showers after being outside

Monsoon humidity changes

A local care plan matters. Patients in Arizona may need practical strategies for cooling, hydration, exercise timing, and heat avoidance.

Helpful strategies may include:

Planning errands early in the morning

Avoiding outdoor activity during peak heat

Using cooling towels or portable fans

Sitting when waiting in lines

Hydrating before leaving home

Avoiding hot showers after activity

Exercising indoors or in a pool

Discussing salt and fluid goals with a clinician

Using compression garments if recommended

Tracking symptoms during summer months

These steps do not replace medical care, but they can reduce daily symptom burden.

What Is Autonomic Testing?

Autonomic testing evaluates how the nervous system controls automatic body functions. For patients with suspected POTS or dysautonomia, testing often focuses on heart rate, blood pressure, sweating, and response to position change.

Testing may include:

Orthostatic vital signs

Tilt table testing

Heart rate monitoring

Blood pressure monitoring

Autonomic reflex testing

Sweat function testing when appropriate

Valsalva testing when appropriate

Review of symptoms and triggers

The goal is to identify whether the body is responding normally or abnormally to standing and other physiologic stressors.

What Is Tilt Table Testing?

Tilt table testing is commonly used to evaluate POTS, fainting, and orthostatic intolerance.

During a tilt table test, the patient lies on a special table while heart rate and blood pressure are monitored. The patient is secured safely, and the table is tilted upright to simulate standing. The care team watches how heart rate, blood pressure, and symptoms change over time.

Tilt table testing can help evaluate:

POTS

Vasovagal syncope

Orthostatic hypotension

Orthostatic intolerance

Unexplained fainting

Unexplained dizziness

Blood pressure and heart rate response to posture

This test can be especially helpful for patients whose symptoms are not obvious during a regular exam.

What POTS Testing Can Show

POTS testing does more than confirm or rule out one diagnosis. It can help identify the pattern behind symptoms.

Testing may show:

Heart rate rises too much when upright

Blood pressure drops when upright

Heart rate and blood pressure change before fainting

Symptoms occur without major measurable changes

Findings suggest a different cause

Findings suggest overlapping conditions

This information matters because treatment depends on the pattern. POTS, orthostatic hypotension, vasovagal syncope, dehydration, medication effects, and cardiac rhythm disorders are not treated the same way.

What Else Can Look Like POTS?

Many conditions can mimic or overlap with POTS and dysautonomia.

These include:

Anxiety or panic disorder

Dehydration

Anemia

Thyroid disease

Cardiac arrhythmia

Medication side effects

Vasovagal syncope

Orthostatic hypotension

Vestibular disorders

Migraine

Long COVID

Chronic fatigue syndrome

Small fiber neuropathy

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome

Autoimmune disease

Because symptoms overlap, accurate testing and clinical interpretation are important.

POTS, Migraine, and Brain Fog

Many patients with POTS also experience migraine, headache, dizziness, and brain fog. These symptoms can overlap because migraine and autonomic dysfunction both involve nervous system sensitivity, vascular regulation, sleep disruption, nausea, and environmental triggers.

Brain fog in POTS may feel like:

Trouble concentrating

Word-finding difficulty

Poor short-term recall

Mental fatigue

Slow processing

Difficulty working at a computer

Feeling clearer when lying down

At CNS, patients can be evaluated for both autonomic dysfunction and neurological conditions such as migraine, neuropathy, seizures, and memory concerns.

POTS, Neuropathy, and Nerve Symptoms

Some patients with dysautonomia also report nerve symptoms, such as numbness, tingling, burning pain, abnormal sweating, or color changes in the hands and feet.

These symptoms may suggest involvement of small nerve fibers or peripheral nerves. A neurologic evaluation can help determine whether additional testing is needed, such as EMG testing, neuropathy evaluation, or other studies based on the patient’s symptoms.

How Treatment Is Personalized

Treatment for POTS and dysautonomia depends on the cause, pattern, and severity of symptoms. There is no single plan that works for every patient.

A treatment plan may include:

Education about the condition

Fluid optimization

Salt guidance when medically appropriate

Compression garments

Heat avoidance

Slow position changes

Smaller meals

Sleep improvement

Gradual exercise conditioning

Migraine treatment if needed

Medication review

Medication for heart rate or blood pressure support in selected patients

Follow-up testing or referrals when appropriate

Many patients benefit from a step-by-step approach. The goal is to reduce flares, improve standing tolerance, prevent fainting, and help the patient return to more normal daily function.

Why Choose Center for Neurology and Spine for POTS and Dysautonomia Testing?

Center for Neurology and Spine offers neurologist-led evaluation for POTS and dysautonomia in Phoenix, Arizona.

Patients choose CNS because we offer:

Mayo-trained neurologists

POTS testing in Phoenix

Autonomic testing in Arizona

Tilt table testing

Neurologic interpretation of complex symptoms

Evaluation for migraine and brain fog

Evaluation for neuropathy symptoms

Care for dizziness, fainting, and rapid heartbeat

Personalized treatment planning

Dr. Leslie Zuniga and Dr. Rebecca Jones help patients understand whether symptoms may be related to autonomic dysfunction, another neurological condition, or overlapping causes.

When to Schedule an Evaluation

Consider scheduling a POTS or dysautonomia evaluation if you have:

Dizziness when standing

Rapid heartbeat when upright

Fainting or near fainting

Brain fog that worsens upright

Fatigue that interferes with daily life

Palpitations with standing

Exercise intolerance

Heat intolerance

Symptoms that improve lying down

Symptoms after COVID or another illness

Normal cardiac testing but ongoing symptoms

Unexplained episodes of weakness or shakiness

Testing can help provide clarity and guide treatment.

When to Seek Urgent Care

Some symptoms should not wait for a routine appointment. Seek urgent medical evaluation if you experience:

Chest pain that is new or severe

Sudden weakness on one side

Facial drooping

Speech difficulty

Sudden severe headache

New seizure

Fainting with injury

Severe shortness of breath

Sudden vision loss

Persistent confusion

These symptoms may signal a medical emergency and should be evaluated immediately.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is POTS a type of dysautonomia?

Yes. POTS is one type of dysautonomia. It involves abnormal heart rate response to standing and symptoms of orthostatic intolerance.

What does dysautonomia feel like?

Dysautonomia can cause dizziness, fainting, rapid heartbeat, blood pressure changes, sweating problems, fatigue, brain fog, heat intolerance, digestive symptoms, and exercise intolerance.

How is POTS diagnosed?

POTS is diagnosed through symptoms and objective heart rate and blood pressure changes during standing or tilt table testing.

Can dysautonomia cause brain fog?

Yes. Many patients with dysautonomia report brain fog, poor concentration, mental fatigue, and difficulty thinking clearly, especially when upright.

Can anxiety mimic POTS?

Yes. Anxiety can cause rapid heartbeat and shakiness, but POTS symptoms are often posture-related and can be measured with autonomic testing.

Can Arizona heat make dysautonomia worse?

Yes. Heat can worsen blood pooling, sweating, dehydration, dizziness, and rapid heartbeat.

Can POTS improve?

Many patients improve with treatment, hydration strategies, compression, conditioning, trigger management, and individualized medical care.

Does CNS offer POTS testing in Phoenix?

Yes. Center for Neurology and Spine offers POTS testing and autonomic evaluation in Phoenix, Arizona.

Schedule POTS and Dysautonomia Testing in Phoenix

If you are living with dizziness, rapid heartbeat, fainting, fatigue, brain fog, heat intolerance, weakness, or exercise intolerance, you do not have to keep guessing.

Center for Neurology and Spine offers POTS testing and dysautonomia evaluation in Phoenix for patients across Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Glendale, Peoria, Paradise Valley, Ahwatukee, and surrounding Arizona communities.

Visit cnsofaz.com to request an appointment and take the next step toward understanding your symptoms.

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