A POTS chiropractor in Royal Oak looks at the nervous system that runs your response to standing. At Van Every Family Chiropractic Center, we explained that every POTS criterion fits a body in protection mode, and we measure with heart rate variability, thermography and surface EMG instead of guessing.
What does a POTS chiropractor in Royal Oak look at?
We look at the regulatory system that handles standing up. We said, "Remember that squeeze and adjust response is run from your brainstem, right where your brain meets your upper neck." That area, along with the neck and upper back, is where we said the old tension builds up.
Our POTS and dysautonomia page covers this in more detail.
Why does standing up set off the alarm?
A system busy holding old protection cannot make the quiet automatic adjustment when you stand. We said that system is "it's reading threat all the time, even when there isn't one."
So when you stand, it hits the alarm, and in our words, "the adrenaline floods in and your heart races to cover it." That is why one person's system struggles with gravity when someone else's does not.
How do the official POTS criteria fit this picture?
Each one describes a body that is protecting itself. We went back through them one at a time:
- Heart rate: we said, "Your heart rate jumps 30 or more beats when you stand." That is the alarm going off.
- Blood pressure: it does not drop. The body is still protecting you, working hard enough to race the heart to hold pressure up.
- Duration: it lasts three or more months, so it is a pattern the body is holding onto.
- Testing: the heart test, the blood work and the scans come back normal.
We said, "Every single criteria describes a body that is in protection mode," and that "there's nothing broken with those systems themselves." In our words, "It's the regulatory system that is stuck."
Why does hypermobility matter with POTS?
If you are hypermobile or have been told you have Ehlers-Danlos, we said this matters even more. We shared that "In one study, about one in three people with POTS met the criteria for hypermobile EDS."
The reasoning is plain: "When your joints and your connective tissues are looser, your nervous system has to do more of the bracing to keep you stable." More bracing means more of the system stuck in protection.
Our message to people living with this: "You're not broken. Your body is still protecting you and it's waiting on the signal that says it's safe to let go."
How do we measure the nervous system at our Royal Oak office?
We measure first. We said, "Our whole approach is built around one thing, helping your body know it's safe to let go of that tension it doesn't need anymore." We also said, "We use inside scans, which are safe with no radiation and nothing invasive."
- Heart rate variability: "Heart rate variability shows us how much fuel is in your nervous system's tank." It also shows whether you are stuck on the gas, the brake, or in the Goldilocks zone of adaptability.
- Thermography: "Thermography shows us what your nervous system is working on right now." It also shows how long it has been working in that area.
- Surface EMG: "surface EMG shows us how those layers of tension are being held."
Families come to our Royal Oak office from Troy, Ferndale, Berkley and Clawson. All three of our doctors use our full range of techniques, and you can meet the doctors before you come in. New here? Start with our new patient center.
Call or text (248) 616-0900 or book online. We also offer a free POTS guide.
Frequently asked questions
What do you measure for POTS at your Royal Oak office?
We use three inside scans: heart rate variability, thermography and surface EMG. We said they are safe, with no radiation and nothing invasive. Heart rate variability shows how much fuel is in the nervous system's tank, thermography shows what it is working on right now, and surface EMG shows how tension is held.
What are the official POTS criteria you talked about?
We went through three: heart rate jumps 30 or more beats when you stand, blood pressure does not drop, and it lasts three or more months. We also said the heart test, blood work and scans come back normal, because we see the regulatory system as the part that is stuck.
Does hypermobility matter with POTS?
We said hypermobility shows up a lot with POTS, and in one study about one in three people with POTS met the criteria for hypermobile EDS. Looser joints and connective tissues mean the nervous system does more of the bracing, which means more of the system stays in protection mode.
How do I schedule a visit at Van Every Family Chiropractic Center?
Call or text (248) 616-0900, or use the schedule an appointment page on our site. Our office is at 4203 Rochester Rd in Royal Oak. Dr. Anna Saylor, Dr. John Johr and Dr. Zach Conner all see pregnant patients, babies and children, along with adults.
