Pots Due To Neck?

[AnnHasPots]

I think my neck is somehow at the root of my POTS.
Anyone else notice a connection?

If I hyperextend my neck, I get super POTSY.
All my symptoms started with my extending my neck while working out with my trainer.

I may be susceptible to dysautonomy, but it seems to be exasperated by neck position.

I have a theory that when I'm upright, my head position on my neck changes and this is what triggers my arrhythmia.
I know some people have found success with cranial osteopaths, and I'm wondering if it's because the head/neck position was changed?

Obviously, POTS can be triggered by different things, so it doesn't explain everyone's symptoms.

Anyone see a connection here with their neck?

I found this,

"Symptoms of dyspnea and cardiac arrhythmia and drop attacks may have a cervical spinal origin. Dyspnea can be related to a deficit in C3-C5 innervation of the diaphragm. Cardiac palpitations and tachycardia secondary to cervical spine pathology can be differentiated from those associated with other causes by the fact that these symptoms are associated with unusual positions or hyperextension of the neck. This is caused by irritation of C4 innervation of the diaphragm and pericardium, or by irritation of the cardiac sympathetic nerve supply. Drop attacks suggest posterior circulation insufficiency, resulting in an abrupt loss of proprioception without loss of consciousness."
Source: https://www.inkling.com/read/kelleys-textbook-of-rheumatology-firestein-budd-gabriel-mcinnes-odell-9th/chapter-45/clinical-features

[Relax86]

I often felt this way. It seemed like symptoms could be eased or provoked by my neck position. Symptoms often started in my right ear and ran down my right anterior neck. Have no rationale as to why I had success at times with changing head position and no results other times. I just chalked it up to the mystery of Dysautonomia

[AnnHasPots]

http://www.scholarpedia.org/article/File:Autonomic_nervous_system_main_figure_Blessing.gif

If you look at the picture, you can see that the neck maps directly to autonomic control of the blood vessels in the brain, the pupils, the heart, and the lungs.
Here is my theory, tell me if it makes any sense.

My theory is that an irritation of the superior cervical ganglion would cause blood vessel to constrict in the brain (not enough blood going to the brain!!) and cause pupils to dilate (doctors have commented that my pupils are so large!)
While an irritation of the stellate ganglion could trigger tachycardia, as well as fast breathing. People actually get a nerve block here to get rid of tachycardia, so the association is well known.
The superior cervical ganglion and stellate ganglion are both part of the sympathetic nervous system, and the body uses the parasympathetic system to oppose them.

The vagus nerve is part of the parasympathetic system and triggering it (deep breaths, bending neck to chest, coughing, bearing down) will cause the heart to slow down.
This is a trick I use to feel better when the tachycardia hits. It resumes, of course, but I can battle it this way.

All of these nerves are in the neck.
So, an irritation of these neck nerves (due to pure dysfunction/auto-inflammatory/physical causes) on assuming an upright posture might trigger this effect.
See, where I'm going....

[PackersFan]

Ann-

This is really interesting. I actually noticed a lot of my headdy/dizzy feelings a few years back after I had an upper endoscopy. For the past few years all these random symptoms progressed and got worse. Finally diagnosed with dysautonomia.

I told my Electrophisiologist and my chiropractor that I wondered if years back something happened during that appointment. They both said that my upper neck (atlas and axis bones) could have gotten tweaked due to the nature of the upper endoscopy and how they can move your head/neck around. With the nervous system all running through that area I wonder if this is the cause. Very interesting!

[kitt]

http://www.scholarpedia.org/article/File:Autonomic_nervous_system_main_figure_Blessing.gif

If you look at the picture, you can see that the neck maps directly to autonomic control of the blood vessels in the brain, the pupils, the heart, and the lungs.

Here is my theory, tell me if it makes any sense.

My theory is that an irritation of the superior cervical ganglion would cause blood vessel to constrict in the brain (not enough blood going to the brain!!) and cause pupils to dilate (doctors have commented that my pupils are so large!)

While an irritation of the stellate ganglion could trigger tachycardia, as well as fast breathing. People actually get a nerve block here to get rid of tachycardia, so the association is well known.

The superior cervical ganglion and stellate ganglion are both part of the sympathetic nervous system, and the body uses the parasympathetic system to oppose them.

The vagus nerve is part of the parasympathetic system and triggering it (deep breaths, bending neck to chest, coughing, bearing down) will cause the heart to slow down.

This is a trick I use to feel better when the tachycardia hits. It resumes, of course, but I can battle it this way.

All of these nerves are in the neck.

So, an irritation of these neck nerves (due to pure dysfunction/auto-inflammatory/physical causes) on assuming an upright posture might trigger this effect.

See, where I'm going....

It's interesting. There's been discussion on this before, and it's an interesting topic.

Some people have had neck surgery to try and 'fix' pots, and have not been helped.

I look forward to any new illustrations or ideas you have.

Thanks for sharing.

[badhbt]

Have you had any ct or MRI of the neck done?

[spinner]

Queston: do you have a thick neck and have you had a sleep test for apnea?

One ENT i consulted with told me he knew i had apnea because of my thick neck. Weightlifting

type activity for a long time made it thicker, as can gained weight there.

Sleep apnea can cause a severe disturbance in your nervous system, and in your respiration.

Respiration issues can be related to or signify cardio issues.

Is there a potential correlation?

[AnnHasPots]

I don't have a thick neck or sleep apnea.

Neck MRI shows reversal of the normal lordosis (curvature of neck is messed up) and some slight degeneration.
I had a viral infection before POTS started too, so...

[KareBear]

Hmmm, I was in a severe car accident as a teen and have severe neck problems and curvature/degeneration problems too. I have neck problems daily so this is interesting.

[badhbt]

I have reversal of the normal lordosis also. It was never mentioned in my MRI report, but when I showed my MRI to another Doctor he pointed it out.

[LMG]

I had whiplash twice in the year preceding POTS. My neck hurts a lot and I now get awful Migraines. I think the neck has something to do with my situation.

[bellgirl]

I have kyphosis, which I believe could be a contributing factor, but I also had a virus before developing major symptoms, 13 years before diagnosis. I have an 11 and a half inch neck, Spinner, and I have sleep apnea...lol. Typical neck size for a woman with sleep apnea, according to my Sleep Specialist is 16 inches, so I don't believe that the anatomical neck size is a factor for us. I also don't have TMJ, which is common with a lot of people with sleep apnea. I believe there is some CNS apnea going on there, even though they say I only had two of those episodes after testing. I developed Fibromyalgia after having been diagnosed with Dysautonomia for a year, and that involves CNS sensitivity. There is so much that is not known, but this is an interesting concept, Ann.

[Paige]

has anyone here tried a stellate ganglion block for their POTS? Did it work? What were your symptoms/level of relief?

Thanks!