Episode 39: Homeopathy and PoTS with Paula Webb

POTS can affect much more than simply feeling dizzy when you stand up. In this episode of the Homeopathy247 Podcast, Mary Greensmith speaks with homeopath Paula Webb about postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, the wide range of symptoms people can experience and why she believes detailed, individualized case taking is especially important in complex cases. What Is POTS? Paula describes POTS as a condition involving the autonomic nervous system, which helps regulate functions such as heart rate, digestion, temperature and blood pressure. People may experience dizziness, fainting, palpitations, sweating, temperature changes, digestive problems, headaches, numbness, tingling and difficulty remaining upright. Because symptoms can affect several body systems, Paula explains that people sometimes spend a long time seeking answers before receiving a diagnosis. How Paula Began Working With POTS Paula's interest in POTS began when she was asked to see a young woman experiencing frequent fainting alongside several other symptoms. After working with her homeopathically, Paula says the woman improved considerably. Paula later wrote about the case and began hearing from people with POTS around the world. Since then, it has become one of the main areas of her practice. Every POTS Case Looks Different Although people may share the same diagnosis, Paula explains that their individual symptoms can be very different. One person may struggle mainly with fainting and heart symptoms, while another may experience headaches, digestive problems, temperature changes or neurological sensations. This is where individualized medicine becomes central to Paula's approach. Looking at the Whole Health History Paula uses the image of an onion to describe a person's health history. She talks about previous infections, injuries, grief, medication, hormonal changes and other events as different layers that may become relevant during homeopathic case taking. Her aim is to understand what was happening before the POTS symptoms appeared and how the person's health has changed over time. POTS and Long COVID The conversation also explores people developing POTS-like symptoms following COVID. Paula describes seeing more clients with long term post-viral symptoms and explains that she approaches these cases in the same individualized way, looking at the whole symptom pattern rather than the diagnosis alone. Becoming a Detective One of Paula's strongest messages is that practitioner and client need to work together. Details such as when symptoms appear, what makes them better or worse, whether lying down changes them and what emotional or physical events occurred beforehand may all provide useful information. Over time, Paula encourages clients to become more observant of their own patterns. Related Conditions Paula also discusses seeing conditions such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and mast cell activation syndrome alongside POTS in some clients. These conditions require appropriate medical assessment and management, and their presence can make a case more complex. Key Takeaways POTS can affect many different body systems. Symptoms can vary greatly between individuals. Paula specialises in working with complex POTS cases. Detailed health history is an important part of her homeopathic case taking. She considers physical and emotional events that occurred before symptoms began. POTS may also appear following viral illness, including COVID. Paula encourages clients to observe what improves or aggravates their symptoms. Homeopathy has not been established as a treatment for POTS and should not replace appropriate medical assessment or management. Paula website and contact details are: https://www.helixhomeopathy.com/ Her Facebook group is: https://www.facebook.com/groups/NaturalTreatmentforPOTS Subscribe to our YouTube channel and be updated with our latest episodes. You can also subscribe to our podcast channels available on your favourite podcast listening app below: Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/homeopathy247-podcast/id1628767810 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/39rjXAReQ33hGceW1E50dk Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/homeopathy247-podcast Follow us on our social media accounts: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/homeopathy247 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/homeopathy247 You can also visit our website at https://homeopathy247.com/