educational only, not a substitute for medical advice
dizzy decoded

resource page

standing lightheadedness

for people who feel faint, weak, or greyed out when they stand up or stay upright too long, especially if heart rate jumps too.

pattern snapshot

how this pattern tends to show up

this is usually more of an upright intolerance pattern than a room-spinning vertigo pattern.

common trigger

standing up, staying upright, heat, showers

how it feels

faint, greyed out, shaky, weak, or floaty

timing clue

worse upright, better sitting or lying down

what is it

simple breakdown

This bucket is less about spinning and more about feeling like you might pass out, black out, or get shaky when you are upright. Blood pressure changes, dehydration, orthostatic intolerance, and POTS-type patterns can all live here.

symptoms

common signs people notice

worse after standing up
feeling better when sitting or lying down
possible palpitations, brain fog, weakness, or heat intolerance

what to do next

finding the right kind of help

This one is less about vestibular diagnoses and more about taking your vitals, tracking patterns, and bringing those details to a clinician.

clinicians who may help

depending on the pattern, that may include an ENT, audiologist, neurologist, neuro-ophthalmologist, physical therapist, or occupational therapist with vestibular or neuro experience.

extra training matters

vestibular care is its own niche, so it helps to look for someone who treats dizziness regularly rather than assuming every general clinic will know what to do.

if you are trying to find a vestibular physical therapist or another vestibular provider, VEDA's healthcare directory is a good place to start.

upright clues

when people start wondering about pots or orthostatic hypotension

symptoms tend to flare with standing, hot showers, heat, long upright time, illness, stress, or around menstruation
people often describe lightheadedness, near-fainting, brain fog, fatigue, palpitations, nausea, and exercise intolerance more than spinning vertigo
a heart rate jump with standing can point more toward POTS, while a blood pressure drop with standing can point more toward orthostatic hypotension, which is why orthostatic vitals are worth checking carefully

what to track

details that help this make more sense

blood pressure and heart rate after lying down, then again after standing
whether symptoms are worse with heat, meals, dehydration, showers, travel, stress, or poor sleep
how long you can tolerate upright time before symptoms build, and what helps you recover

early support

common non-medication strategies people often discuss first

hydration and sodium are common starting points, but they should be tailored to your situation and medical history
compression garments and smaller, more frequent meals can help some people with blood pooling or post-meal crashes
graded exercise, physical therapy, aquatic exercise, or cardiac rehab may be part of the plan when someone is very deconditioned or activity-limited

deeper reading

trusted outside resources

The Dysautonomia Project: POTS overview

a practical overview of what POTS is, how it can show up, what orthostatic testing looks like, and common non-pharmacologic strategies.

Orthostatic hypotension handout

a printable handout on blood-pressure drops with standing, common symptoms, and day-to-day management ideas.

Top 10 non-pharmacological treatments handout

a printable handout with common lifestyle and rehab strategies people often review while figuring out upright intolerance or POTS care.

VEDA healthcare directory

helpful if you are trying to find a clinician with vestibular or related autonomic experience near you.