Postural Tachycardia Syndrome in Migraineurs

Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) is a disorder that causes lightheadedness, fainting and a fast heart rate. POTS was found to be common among patients with migraines in a recent study reported by the National Headache Foundation.

According to the study, “46% of migraineurs experienced syncope—a loss of consciousness because of a drop in blood pressure—at least once and were more likely to experience recurrent syncopal episodes than people without migraine. These and other findings suggest that migraineurs may be predisposed to having symptoms of orthostatic intolerance—problems that appear when standing up but disappear when sitting or lying down.”

POTS is a very common autonomic disorder, but diagnosis is challenging and often missed.
If you are experiencing headaches, cognitive difficulty, postural lightheadedness, syncope, and postural tachycardia, it could be POTS. Gastrointestinal symptoms such as constipation, diarrhea, and frequent urination may also be present.

There is no cure for POTS, but medications and lifestyle changes can help to control the symptoms.