“It’s Not All In Your Head”: Understanding POTS, MCAS, EDS & Nervous System Dysregulation

By Dr. Kirsten West

I can count on two hands how many patients over the last couple of months have started their initial visit by saying, “No one can figure out what is wrong with me, and it’s making me think it’s all in my head.”

Hearing this is heartbreaking. And unfortunately, it’s becoming increasingly common.

Conditions like POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome), MCAS (Mast Cell Activation Syndrome), and EDS (Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes) can be incredibly difficult to diagnose. The testing for these conditions is often very specific, which means that if someone doesn’t check every box, it can impact whether they receive a diagnosis—or have access to certain treatment options.

Part of this challenge comes from the limitations of current testing. Another part is that, several years ago, these conditions were not being recognized at the rate they are today. There is still so much we do not fully understand.

I truly hope research continues to bring more answers as to why these conditions are increasing so rapidly. But in the meantime, many patients are left hearing that their labs are “normal,” while their bodies are clearly telling them otherwise. Over time, this disconnect can make people begin to doubt themselves and wonder if it really is all in their head.

A mentor told me shortly after I graduated from chiropractic school, “I’m not a firm believer in coincidences.”
That perspective has stayed with me for more than 11 years and continues to shape the way I approach patient care.

Every person has a story. Every person has symptoms. But it’s often not until you start putting the pieces together that the larger picture begins to make sense—and you can better understand how someone arrived at a place where they feel exhausted, overwhelmed, inflamed, dizzy, anxious, or simply unwell most days.

POTS, MCAS, and EDS can all place a significant burden on the nervous system, though each does so in different ways. One of the most important parts of care is understanding when symptoms first began and what may have been happening around that time.

Was it after COVID? After a vaccine? After a viral infection? Lyme disease? A period of intense stress or burnout?

These are just a few examples of underlying stressors that can impact the nervous system and contribute to a person’s overall health picture.

At Mindful Wellness Space, we take these conditions seriously—and honestly, we approach them differently than many conventional models of care.

While every patient is unique, two common themes we often see with POTS, MCAS, and EDS are adrenal stress and nervous system dysregulation. These are not the only factors involved, but they are often important pieces of the puzzle.

Through nervous system support and regulation—including mindfulness practices and chiropractic adjustments—alongside blood work, functional testing, and Applied Kinesiology, we work to better understand the whole picture of what may be happening in someone’s body.

Our goal is not only to help improve quality of life and offer practical support, but also to help patients feel seen, validated, and hopeful again.

Because so often, after years of feeling dismissed, what people most need to hear is:

It is not all in your head.