Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) can have a significant impact on daily life, especially for girls and women aged 15 to 50. This condition causes an abnormal increase in heart rate after sitting up or standing. While symptoms can vary, individuals with POTS often face challenges that affect their quality of life.
When someone with POTS stands or sits, gravity pulls their blood towards their hands, feet, and belly. To compensate, blood vessels narrow and the heart rate increases. This is the body’s attempt to maintain blood flow to the brain and heart. However, the autonomic nervous system, responsible for automatic bodily functions, doesn’t function properly in individuals with POTS, resulting in decreased blood flow to the heart and brain when they stand upright.
Understanding the Symptoms
Fainting and dizziness are the most common symptoms of POTS. However, individuals may also experience difficulties with concentration, headaches, blurred vision, memory problems, chest pain, sweating, shaking, shortness of breath, and sleep issues. While the cause of POTS is sometimes unknown, it can develop at a young age and disappear after a few years, or it may arise in adulthood following a traumatic event or illness.
Addressing the Challenges of POTS
Treating POTS involves prescribed medications and non-medical strategies to manage symptoms. These strategies include drinking fluids, avoiding prolonged standing, lying down and raising the legs, and elevating the head of the bed for a less horizontal sleeping position. However, living with POTS can still be immensely challenging, and many individuals require additional assistance to navigate their daily tasks.
How Service Dogs Help Those with POTS
Service dogs play a crucial role in supporting individuals with POTS. These specially trained dogs assist people with disabilities by performing specific tasks directly related to their condition. Beyond physical tasks, they offer comfort, companionship, and a sense of safety.
Service dogs can be invaluable in several ways. They can detect and alert their handlers to oncoming symptoms such as fainting, allowing for immediate preventive actions. They can also be trained to retrieve medication or beverages, guide their handlers to a safe location, and even bring objects when dizziness prevents their handlers from doing so. These dogs provide mobility and balance assistance, preventing falls and helping their handlers maintain stability. They can also help navigate surroundings when handlers experience changes in peripheral vision, aiding in overcoming dissociative episodes.
The Benefits of Service Dogs
Service dogs are capable of so much more. They possess an uncanny ability to detect changes in chemical processes within the human body, such as fluctuations in blood pressure, blood sugar levels, or heart rate. Some dogs can even hear their owner’s heartbeat and alert them if it becomes abnormal. While the training of dogs for these tasks is still somewhat controversial, certain organizations claim success in teaching dogs to recognize and respond to these bodily processes.
In addition, service dogs can assist with tasks after symptoms have manifested. They can provide physical support to prevent falls, retrieve objects, and help with episodic memory loss by remembering the locations of keys, parking spots, or building exits. These remarkable animals can even be trained to call emergency services and open doors for medical staff. Furthermore, service animals offer emotional comfort during panic attacks or episodes of increased heart rate and breathlessness.
Accessing a Service Dog for POTS
Obtaining a service dog for POTS requires certain qualifications. An individual must have a diagnosed “disability,” as verified by a medical professional. While mild symptoms may not necessitate a service animal, there are options available for individuals who wish to train their own dogs. In such cases, having a letter from a licensed physician can provide additional verification of the service dog’s legitimacy, which may be required by airlines or facilities.
It’s important to note that the care and training of service animals require commitment. These animals need regular veterinary visits, vaccinations, exercise, practice of learned tasks, and downtime to rest and relax, as they are working animals.
Finding a Service Dog
There are several avenues to explore when seeking a service dog. Training organizations provide professional training but can be expensive. Non-profit or charity organizations may offer service dogs at no cost or require a minimal application fee, though waiting lists may be lengthy. Alternatively, individuals have the option to train their own service dogs, as the Americans with Disabilities Act does not require professional training. However, international travel with a service dog may require a certificate from a recognized organization, as some airlines only accept certificates issued by such entities.
Service dogs can make a profound difference in the lives of individuals with POTS. They offer both physical and emotional support, providing independence and enhancing overall well-being. To learn more about obtaining a service dog, visit 1mquotes for detailed information and resources.
