Can a Car Accident Cause POTS?

Postural tachycardia syndrome, known more commonly as POTS, causes a person to pass out when standing up. It occurs due to the heart and brain’s inability to adjust rapidly enough to compensate for the change in gravity when standing from a sitting position. In some situations, researchers have found that a car accident may cause POTS. Call a Springfield car accident attorney from Holley, Rosen & Beard, LLC, today.

Car Accidents and POTS

There are numerous causes of POTS, and researchers are not fully sure why some people suffer from this condition and others do not. Just being in a car accident does not mean you are going to have this condition or any of the complications that go with it.

What researchers have found is that various types of traumatic events, such as surgeries and serious car accidents, can cause symptoms of POTS to occur. It may also be brought on by severe viral infections, pregnancy, and after suffering from a condition like diabetes or cancer for a long time.

What Is POTS?

People who have POTS experience difficulty when they transition from lying down position to standing up. This often causes a fast heart rate, dizziness, and fatigue. There is no cure for this condition. More so, being diagnosed with it can be difficult. While car accidents are not the most common cause for the onset of POTS, it is one potential reason you could be experiencing this now if you have not done so before.

How Does a Car Accident Cause POTS?

Researchers are not fully sure what causes the onset of POTS after a car accident. However, many people who have suffered a car accident with serious health problems have developed POTS. This may be due to damage to the central nervous system, which helps regulate blood pressure in the heart, or it may be due to structural elements of the cardiovascular system.

Know the Symptoms of POTS After a Car Accident

Some people may develop POTS after a car accident and not know they have the condition. That is because some of the symptoms of this condition are easily confused with other illnesses. You may wish to speak to your doctor about your symptoms if you have just recently suffered a car accident and now have symptoms such as:

• Sudden lightheadedness when standing up
• Fainting after standing up (but not always)
• Trouble concentrating or experiencing brain fog randomly
• Being tired often
• Intolerance of exercise
• Blurry vision
• Tremors
• Headaches

Any changes in your mental health or physical well-being after a car accident are critical to pay attention to and get help for, no matter how insignificant they may seem. Many times, damage to the brain can occur, which is hard to notice at first and may become more pronounced over time, especially if your brain struggles to recover from it.

If you do have POTS and it can be traced to the car accident, the party responsible for that accident may also be responsible for the losses you have. Working with a car accident attorney from Holley, Rosen & Beard, LLC, who is familiar with POTS could be a critical step. Call us today for a free consultation.