05/10/2026
Dysautonomia can be invisible, but the symptoms are very real.
For Dysautonomia Awareness Month, I wanted to talk about something I wish more people understood: you can look completely fine while your autonomic nervous system is struggling to regulate things that most of us take for granted.
Heart racing when you stand.
Dizziness.
Fatigue.
Brain fog.
Exercise intolerance.
Heat intolerance.
Feeling faint.
GI symptoms.
Feeling completely wiped after something that “shouldn’t” have been that hard.
And these symptoms are often dismissed as anxiety, dehydration, being unfit, stress, or simply “one of those things.”
I know this can be frustrating because I’ve experienced my own journey with dysautonomia. There have been times when I’ve questioned whether I was just tired, overworked or not coping well enough, when in reality, there was more going on physiologically.
Working clinically with hypermobility has made me appreciate how important it is to look beyond the obvious musculoskeletal presentation. hEDS/HSD and dysautonomia can overlap, and recognising that connection can completely change the way we approach someone’s symptoms, exercise tolerance and rehabilitation.
This doesn’t mean every episode of dizziness or fatigue is dysautonomia, but it does mean we should be asking better questions.
And as practitioners, sometimes the most important thing we can do is listen when someone’s symptoms don’t fit the mould.
I learned nothing about dysautonomia at university, awareness needs to reach everyone working in a clinical space, we can be the change our healthcare system needs.
*This post is for education and awareness only and is not medical advice or a substitute for individual assessment by a qualified healthcare professional.
