I was listening to a POTS specialist talk about how POTS is not always just a cardiology issue, and that really stopped me in my tracks. He said that a lot of times he finds issues in the upper neck, and that even when a regular CT scan does not show much, more detailed imaging can reveal misalignment. That hit me hard because I recently had a CT scan of my upper spine after a fall, and they told me I have dislocations there. So of course my mind went straight to the question so many of us ask every day: what if this is connected?

I am not claiming I have all the answers, and I am not pretending one story proves a cause. But people with POTS live with life-altering symptoms while still being told conflicting things about what is really driving them. When so many of us are left piecing together clues from specialists, scans, injuries, and years of symptoms, that is a sign we need deeper research, not more dismissal.

That is why I am calling on federal health research leaders to invest in serious research into possible links between POTS and upper cervical or spine abnormalities. We need studies that look at patients holistically, including imaging, injury history, neurological symptoms, and autonomic dysfunction. If there is a connection for even some patients, people deserve to know sooner so they can pursue better evaluation and care.

If you have ever been left connecting the dots on your own, please sign. If you have POTS, care for someone who does, or simply believe chronic illness patients deserve real answers, add your name. We should not have to play detective with our own bodies just to be taken seriously.