Specialist POTS Support
Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) is a form of autonomic dysfunction that can cause a wide range of symptoms, particularly when standing or remaining upright.
People with POTS may experience:
Dizziness or light-headedness
Rapid heart rate
Palpitations
Weakness
Fatigue
Brain fog
Exercise or activity intolerance
Shakiness
Nausea
Headaches
Temperature regulation difficulties
Feeling faint or occasionally fainting
Difficulty standing for prolonged periods
Symptoms and severity vary considerably between individuals.
Our POTS consultations focus on understanding how your symptoms affect your daily life and function and developing realistic management strategies around them.
Depending on your circumstances and existing medical advice, this may include discussion around pacing, positioning, movement, managing upright activity, physical conditioning where appropriate and strategies for carrying out everyday activities more comfortably.
Where relevant, we can also work alongside recommendations from your GP, cardiologist or other medical specialists.
Specialist consultations are available in person at our clinics, or online throughout the UK and internationally.
When ME/CFS and POTS Occur Together
ME/CFS and POTS can coexist, and this can make conventional approaches to exercise and rehabilitation particularly difficult.
Someone with POTS may potentially benefit from carefully selected physical conditioning, while someone who also experiences post-exertional malaise may become significantly worse if activity is progressed too quickly.
This is why an individual assessment is so important.
Rather than following a standard exercise programme, we consider your symptoms, current abilities, response to activity and recovery pattern before discussing what may be appropriate for you.
For some people, the initial priority may simply be stabilising activity and reducing repeated cycles of overactivity and symptom exacerbation.
Pacing & Energy Management
Pacing is often an important part of managing POTS and other fatigue conditions.
It is not simply about “doing less”.
It involves developing a better understanding of the amount and type of physical, cognitive, emotional and social activity your body can currently tolerate.
During your consultation, we can help you look at your individual pattern of activity and symptoms and identify where you may be repeatedly exceeding your available energy.
This may involve looking at:
Physical activity
Work or education
Caring responsibilities
Household activities
Social activity
Cognitive demands
Screen time
Travel
Exercise
Rest and recovery
The aim is to help you develop a more sustainable pattern of activity that reflects your current capabilities and priorities.
What Happens During a Consultation?
Your initial consultation provides time for a detailed discussion of your symptoms and how they affect your everyday life.
We may discuss:
Your medical history
When and how your symptoms began
Diagnoses or investigations you have already had
Your current symptoms
Post-exertional symptom exacerbation
Dizziness or orthostatic symptoms
Fatigue and sleep
Pain
Cognitive symptoms
Current activity levels
Work or education
Exercise and previous rehabilitation
Medication and existing medical advice
Your goals and priorities
From this, we can develop an individualised management plan.
For many people with complex or fluctuating conditions, having the time to discuss the whole picture can be extremely valuable.
Support Without Leaving Home
Travelling to appointments can be particularly difficult for people living with POTS or severe fatigue.
Online consultations allow you to access specialist support from your own home without the additional physical demands of travelling to a clinic.
You can attend from wherever you are most comfortable — including from a bed or sofa if necessary.
We understand that symptoms such as fatigue, pain, dizziness, cognitive difficulties and sensory sensitivity can affect your ability to participate in an appointment.
Consultations can therefore be adapted to your individual needs.
Ongoing POTS Support
Some people need only one appointment to gain a clearer understanding of their symptoms and develop a management plan. Others benefit from ongoing support.
Follow-up appointments can be used to review your symptoms, discuss what has and has not been manageable, adapt your activity or management plan and support you through changes in your condition.
The frequency of follow-up is individual and there is no expectation that you follow a predetermined rehabilitation programme.
Why Choose Wolds Holistic Health?
Wolds Holistic Health provides specialist physiotherapy and holistic healthcare for people with complex and long-term conditions.
Our approach looks beyond a single symptom and considers how your condition affects your whole life.
We recognise the importance of listening to your experience and developing a plan around your individual circumstances rather than expecting you to fit into a standard programme.
Our team has experience supporting people with POTS and complex long-term health conditions, including experience working within specialist NHS chronic fatigue services.
Alongside our online service, Wolds Holistic Health provides face-to-face specialist healthcare from multiple clinic locations across Yorkshire.
Online appointments mean that our specialist support can also be accessed by people throughout the UK and internationally.
POTS Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation
Specialist Physiotherapy for POTS, Dysautonomia & Orthostatic Intolerance
Living with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) can make everyday activities surprisingly difficult.
Standing, walking, showering, preparing meals, working, studying or exercising can trigger symptoms such as dizziness, palpitations, fatigue and weakness. For some people, even relatively small amounts of activity can leave them feeling significantly unwell.
At Wolds Holistic Health, we provide specialist physiotherapy assessment and individualised support for people living with POTS, dysautonomia and orthostatic intolerance.
Our approach is based around you: your symptoms, your current level of function and what you would like to be able to do.
In-person POTS physiotherapy appointments are available at our Yorkshire clinics, with online consultations available throughout the UK.
Do I Need a POTS Diagnosis Before Booking?
If you already have a diagnosis of POTS, we can work alongside the advice and treatment provided by your GP, cardiologist or other medical specialists.
If you are experiencing symptoms that you think may be POTS but have not yet been diagnosed, you can still contact us to discuss whether physiotherapy may be appropriate.
However, physiotherapy does not replace medical assessment or diagnosis.
Symptoms such as unexplained palpitations, fainting, chest pain, breathlessness or significant changes in heart rate may require appropriate medical investigation.
Working Alongside Your Medical Care
POTS often requires input from more than one healthcare professional.
Physiotherapy is not a replacement for medical management.
Where appropriate, we can work alongside your GP, cardiologist or other healthcare professionals to support the physical and functional aspects of managing POTS.
Our focus is helping you understand what your body currently tolerates and finding realistic ways to maintain or improve your everyday function.
The team have helped me so much - their knowledge is unrivalled
—Sue F.