Dr. Alvin Philipose DC, ICCP

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HomeConditions We TreatDysautonomia in Oklahoma City

Dysautonomia in Oklahoma City

You stand up and the room tilts. Your heart races in the grocery line. You’re exhausted by noon, your digestion is unpredictable, and heat wipes you out. You’ve seen a cardiologist, maybe a neurologist, and been told everything looks normal.

When the body’s automatic control systems stop working smoothly, the problem is called dysautonomia. It’s common, it’s real, and it’s frequently missed.

What dysautonomia is

The autonomic nervous system runs everything you don’t consciously control:

  • heart rate and blood pressure,
  • blood vessel tone and blood flow,
  • digestion and bladder function,
  • sweating and temperature regulation, and
  • pupil response.

Dysautonomia is an umbrella term for disorders of this system. It isn’t a single diagnosis. It describes a group of conditions with different causes and patterns.

Common forms

  • Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS): heart rate rises sharply on standing, with lightheadedness, fatigue, and brain fog.
  • Orthostatic hypotension: blood pressure drops on standing, causing dizziness or fainting.
  • Vasovagal (reflex) syncope: fainting triggered by prolonged standing, heat, pain, or stress.
  • Autonomic neuropathy: damage to autonomic nerves, seen with diabetes, small fiber neuropathy, and some autoimmune conditions.
  • Vagus nerve dysfunction: a term often used to describe problems with the nerve that connects the brain to the heart, lungs, and gut.

Common symptoms

  • Lightheadedness, near-fainting, or fainting, especially when upright
  • Racing or pounding heart on standing
  • Fatigue and exercise intolerance
  • Brain fog
  • Nausea, bloating, constipation, or early fullness
  • Heat intolerance, abnormal sweating, or cold and discolored hands and feet
  • Blood pooling in the legs, which may look reddish-purple when standing
  • Sleep disruption

What can trigger it

Dysautonomia can follow a viral illness, pregnancy, surgery, trauma, or concussion. It’s associated with joint hypermobility, mast cell activation, autoimmune disease, diabetes, and small fiber neuropathy. Sometimes no trigger is found.

Why it’s often missed

Most standard tests are done while you’re sitting or lying down. An EKG, echocardiogram, and routine bloodwork are frequently normal. Many people are told they’re anxious or deconditioned. Dysautonomia usually shows itself only when the autonomic system is challenged, such as when you stand.

How it is evaluated

  • A detailed history: what triggers symptoms, when they started, and which body systems are involved.
  • Orthostatic vital signs: heart rate and blood pressure lying down and then standing.
  • Review of prior testing, to avoid repeating what’s already been done.
  • Ruling out look-alikes: heart rhythm disorders, thyroid disease, anemia, dehydration, adrenal problems, and medication effects.
  • Referral for formal autonomic testing when it would change the picture.
  • Coordination with cardiology, neurology, and gastroenterology as needed.

Dysautonomia topics

When to get emergency care

Call 911 for:

  • fainting with injury, or fainting during exercise,
  • fainting while lying down,
  • chest pain, or palpitations followed by fainting,
  • shortness of breath at rest, or
  • stroke symptoms such as facial drooping, arm weakness, or slurred speech.

Serving Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and all of Oklahoma

Venturis Clinic sees patients from Oklahoma City and surrounding areas, including Tulsa, and from across Oklahoma. Many have spent years being told their tests are normal.

Frequently asked questions

Is dysautonomia a diagnosis?
It’s an umbrella term. The specific form, such as POTS or orthostatic hypotension, is the diagnosis.

Is dysautonomia the same as anxiety?
No. Anxiety can overlap, but dysautonomia involves measurable changes in heart rate, blood pressure, and other autonomic functions.

Can dysautonomia improve?
Many people improve, especially when triggers and contributing conditions are identified. The course varies by type.

Do you see patients from Tulsa?
Yes. We see patients from Oklahoma City and surrounding areas, including Tulsa, and from across Oklahoma.

Tired of hearing everything looks normal? Book a free 15-minute discovery call.

This page is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for individual evaluation.

By Alvin Philipose, DC, ICCP

Sources

  • Freeman R, et al. Consensus statement on the definition of orthostatic hypotension, neurally mediated syncope and the postural tachycardia syndrome. Clinical Autonomic Research. 2011;21(2):69–72.
  • Sheldon RS, et al. 2015 Heart Rhythm Society expert consensus statement on POTS, inappropriate sinus tachycardia, and vasovagal syncope. Heart Rhythm. 2015;12(6):e41–e63.