A list of some common co-occurring conditions to POTS

Many people who have been diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome have to deal with much more than POTS. It is more common than not that people with POTS also have at least one other co-occurring condition that either sparked their POTS or just add to the symptoms that they have to manage everyday. With the help of some of my followers, I have made a list of some common co-occurring conditions. If you know of any more co-occurring conditions I can add to this list or any corrections on misinformation of the conditions I know less about please contact me here on my website and I will edit the page with your input.

• Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome – a group of inherited disorders that affect your connective tissues, primarily your skin, joints, and blood vessel walls (Mayo Clinic)
• Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder– an array of connective tissue disorders characterized by joint instability and chronic pain (Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine)
• Asthma– a chronic lung disease, caused by inflammation and muscle tightening around the airways which makes it harder to breathe (World Health Organization)
• Vasovagal Syncope – occurs when you faint because your body overreacts to certain triggers, such as the sight of blood or extreme emotional distress, also called neurocardiogenic syncope (Mayo Clinic)
• Mast Cell Activation Syndrome– a condition in which the patient experiences repeated episodes of the symptoms of anaphylaxis (American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology)
• Migraines – a headache that can cause severe throbbing pain or a pulsing sensation, usually on one side of the head, often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound (Mayo Clinic)
• Raynaud’s Syndrome – causes some areas of the body, such as fingers and toes, to feel numb and cold in response to cold temperatures or stress; smaller arteries that supply blood to the skin narrow (Mayo Clinic)
• Endometriosis – a disease in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus causing severe pain in the pelvis (World Health Organization)
• May Thurner Syndrome – the compression of the iliac vein against the lumber spine by an overlying iliac artery, resulting in venous insufficiency, stenosis, and obstruction, resulting in pain, swelling, and skin changes in the ipsilateral lower extremity (National Institutes of Health)
• Polysystic Ovary Syndrome – a condition where you have few, unusual or very long periods, often results in having too much of a male hormone called androgen; many small sacs of fluid develop on the ovaries that may fail to regularly release eggs (Mayo Clinic)
• Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome – a biological illness that affects many body parts; causes severe fatigue not improved by rest, problems thinking and sleeping, dizziness, pain, and many other symptoms (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Fibromyalgia – a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory and mood issues; researchers believe it amplifies painful sensations by affecting the way your brain and spinal chord process painful and non painful signals (Mayo Clinic)
• Iron Deficiency Anemia – the most common form of anemia, a blood disorder that affects your red blood cells (Cleveland Clinic)
• Small Fiber Neuropathy – presents with burning pain, often beginning in the extremities, most notably in the feet, due to the involvement of A-delta and C nerve fibers; may occur idiopathically or due to metabolic, hereditary, infectious, immune-mediated, or toxic etiologies (National Library of Medicine)
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome – a common condition that affects the gastrointestinal tract, aka the stomach and intestines; symptoms include cramping, belly pain, bloating, gas, and diarrhea or constipation, or both; it is an ongoing condition that needs long-term management (Mayo Clinic)
• Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome – a condition in which the median arcuate ligament presses too tightly on the celiac artery (a major branch of the aorta that delivers blood to the stomach, liver, and other organs) and the nerves in the area (celiac plexus) (Cleveland Clinic)
• Gastroparesis – meansparalysis of the stomach; a functional disorder affecting your stomach nerves and muscles that makes your stomach muscle contractions weaker and slower than they need to be to digest your food and pass it on to your intestines (Cleveland Clinic)
• Chiari Malformation – arecaused by problems in the structure of the brain and skull; the lower part of the brain presses on and through an opening in the base of the skull and cerebellum into the spinal canal (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
• Pelvic Compression or Congestion Syndrome – occurs whenvaricose veins develop around the ovaries, similar to varicose veins that occur in the legs (Stanford Health Care)
• Thoracic Outlet Syndrome – a group of conditions in which there’s pressure on blood vessels or nerves in the area between the neck and shoulder, causing shoulder and neck pain and numbness in the fingers (Mayo Clinic)
• Craniocervical Instability – a medical condition that occurs when the ligaments and connective tissues that support the head and neck become weakened or damaged, that can lead to excessive movement between the skull and the upper cervical spine, causing a variety of symptoms such as chronic headaches, neck pain, vertigo, and even cognitive impairment (Center for Complex Neurology EDS & POTS)
• Other Autoimmune Diseases