Aura Functional Neurology Center LLC

Aura Functional Neurology Center LLC Holistic Migraine Relief through Neuroplasticity and Brain Rehabilitation Techniques
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09/06/2026

In a functional neurology approach to dysautonomia and autonomic dysfunction, retraining the brain begins with a thorough evaluation.

Testing simple functions provides valuable insight into the integrity of a person's brain and helps identify specific areas of strength and weakness:

Eye Movements & Light Response: Assessing how the eyes move, how they track, and how well they respond to light maps directly to brain integrity.

Balance: Testing balance is another key component used to evaluate brain function.

Cranial Nerve Evaluations: Checking functions like facial sensation and tongue strength allows practitioners to assess the health of the cranial nerves.

In most cases, these underlying neurological weaknesses persist whether a patient is medicated or not.

Because of this ongoing dysfunction, individuals with autonomic nervous system issues frequently report symptoms such as:
- Feeling like they are on a boat
- A history of motion sickness
- Sensitivity to light and sound
- Sensory overwhelm

Throughout this month we've talked about:• dizziness• blood pooling• heat intolerance• adrenaline surges• fatigue• exerc...
09/05/2026

Throughout this month we've talked about:
• dizziness
• blood pooling
• heat intolerance
• adrenaline surges
• fatigue
• exercise intolerance
• brain fog
• sensory overload

While every person is different, many of these symptoms involve how the nervous system processes information and regulates the body's response to internal and external demands.

Functional neurology focuses on identifying areas of the nervous system that may not be adapting or regulating efficiently.

Treatment approaches are individualized and may incorporate:
• vestibular rehabilitation
• visual rehabilitation
• autonomic rehabilitation strategies
• sensory integration therapies
• graded exercise approaches
• lifestyle and nervous system support
• neurologically targeted therapies and modalities designed to support nervous system function and adaptability

The goal is not simply to chase symptoms, but to better understand how the nervous system is functioning and create opportunities to improve regulation, resilience, and overall function.

If you've been struggling with symptoms that seem disconnected, unpredictable, or difficult to explain, it may be worth exploring whether a nervous system-based approach could be part of the solution.

09/04/2026

Your pupils are doing more than adjusting to light – they can also offer clues about how your autonomic nervous system is functioning.

The autonomic nervous system controls how your pupils dilate and constrict throughout the day. For some people with dysautonomia, changes in this function may contribute to light sensitivity, blurred vision, eye strain, or difficulty adjusting between bright and dark environments.

That’s why evaluating pupillary function can be an important part of a comprehensive autonomic examination.

Ever walk into the grocery store feeling fine, only to leave exhausted, dizzy, foggy, or completely drained?For people w...
09/03/2026

Ever walk into the grocery store feeling fine, only to leave exhausted, dizzy, foggy, or completely drained?

For people with autonomic dysfunction, a simple grocery trip can place more demand on the nervous system than you might realize. Between standing, walking, bright lights, noise, visual stimulation, and constant decision-making, your brain and body are working hard to keep up.

Sometimes, it’s not just the store. It’s the amount of work your nervous system is doing behind the scenes.

09/02/2026

Taking a shower perfectly combines all of these stressors at once.

When you raise your hands to wash your hair, the sustained shoulder elevation narrows the thoracic outlet space, causing mechanical compression on the brachial plexus nerves and blood vessels.

This constant nerve irritation locks the body into a sympathetic fight-or-flight state, which primes your system for a POTS flare-up. At the same exact time, the heat from the shower expands your blood vessels, creating severe environmental and orthostatic stress.

This combination causes blood to pool down in your lower extremities and legs. Because the blood is pooling downstairs, less blood returns to your heart, causing your heart rate to spike.

This triggers further dysfunction within the autonomic nervous system, which compensates by leaving you with tachycardia and dizziness right there in the shower.

For many people with autonomic dysfunction, symptoms can flare after a meal.Research suggests that digestion requires a ...
09/01/2026

For many people with autonomic dysfunction, symptoms can flare after a meal.
Research suggests that digestion requires a significant increase in blood flow to the gastrointestinal tract. To support digestion, blood is redirected toward the stomach and intestines, a process known as splanchnic blood pooling.

Normally, the autonomic nervous system compensates by adjusting heart rate, blood vessel tone, and circulation to maintain blood flow throughout the body. However, in autonomic dysfunction, those compensatory mechanisms may be less effective.

This may contribute to:
• post-meal fatigue
• dizziness or lightheadedness
• brain fog
• heart racing
• weakness
• feeling like you need to lie down

Some people notice symptoms are worse after:
• large meals
• carbohydrate-heavy meals
• eating quickly
• meals eaten in hot environments

If you've ever felt like you needed a nap after lunch or noticed your symptoms worsen after eating, you're not imagining it.

The autonomic nervous system plays an important role in helping the body adapt to the circulatory demands of digestion.

Research:
• Kooner JS, et al. Relationship between splanchnic vasodilation and postprandial hypotension in patients with autonomic failure. Clin Sci (Lond). 1989. PMID: 2632742.
• Lipsitz LA, et al. Hemodynamic and autonomic nervous system responses to mixed meal ingestion in healthy young and old subjects and dysautonomic patients with postprandial hypotension. Circulation. 1993. PMID: 8425288.
• Jansen RW, et al. Postprandial hypotension: epidemiology, pathophysiology and clinical management. Ann Intern Med. 1995. PMID: 7825766.

08/31/2026

Ever feel dizzy, exhausted, lightheaded, or like you need to lie down after eating? It may not be the food itself.

After a meal, your body redirects more blood flow to the digestive system. For people with dysautonomia, the autonomic nervous system may have a harder time making the adjustments needed to keep blood pressure and circulation stable, which can lead to symptom flares after eating.

Understanding why your symptoms happen is an important step toward managing them more effectively.

Research:
Jansen RW. Postprandial hypotension: Simple treatment but difficult diagnosis. PMID: 10100189
Lipsitz LA. Orthostatic and postprandial hypotension in the elderly. PMID: 2648493

Have you ever stepped out of the shower feeling exhausted, dizzy, shaky, or like you need to sit down and recover?For so...
08/30/2026

Have you ever stepped out of the shower feeling exhausted, dizzy, shaky, or like you need to sit down and recover?

For some people with autonomic dysfunction, a shower is not just a daily task. It can place significant demands on the nervous system and circulation.

A shower combines:
• Standing upright
• Heat exposure
• Circulation shifts
• Energy demands

Heat can increase demands:
• Blood vessels dilate
• Blood shifts to skin
• Blood pressure challenged
• Cooling requires effort

The nervous system must adapt:
• Heart rate increases
• Blood vessels adjust
• Blood pressure maintained
• Brain blood flow supported

This may contribute to:
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Nausea
• Feeling faint

For some people, a shower becomes:
• Physically draining
• Symptom provoking
• Difficult to tolerate
• More than a daily task

Comment 'Nervous System' to receive a link to our complimentary consultation.

08/29/2026

Most people with POTS actually do not experience syncope (fainting). Instead, the majority of patients report feeling near fainting known as pre-syncope, but they recognize the signals quickly enough to sit or lie down and prevent a full fainting episode.

Many individuals diagnosed with POTS have experienced lightheadedness upon standing since a very young age, sometimes as early as their teenage years. Over time, this feeling can become so normalized that they think it is just a common occurrence. This can extend the amount of time it takes to get a proper diagnosis.

If you frequently feel lightheaded when standing up- even if you have never actually passed out, you can still absolutely have autonomic dysfunction. If you have been managing these symptoms for a long time, it is something well worth evaluating.

Have you ever noticed that standing in line feels harder than actually walking?For many people with autonomic dysfunctio...
08/28/2026

Have you ever noticed that standing in line feels harder than actually walking?

For many people with autonomic dysfunction, that's a very real physiologic phenomenon.

When we stand upright, gravity causes approximately 500–700 mL of blood to shift into the abdomen and lower extremities. Normally, the autonomic nervous system and blood vessels work together to maintain circulation and blood flow to the brain.
But standing still removes one important tool the body relies on, the skeletal muscle pump.

When the muscles in your legs contract during walking, they help push pooled blood back toward the heart. This improves venous return, cardiac output, and circulation.

When you're standing still:
• blood can pool in the legs and abdomen
• venous return may decrease
• heart rate may increase to compensate
• symptoms may become more noticeable

This may contribute to:
• dizziness
• lightheadedness
• brain fog
• fatigue
• nausea
• feeling faint

Research in POTS and orthostatic intolerance has demonstrated the importance of venous return and the skeletal muscle pump in maintaining upright tolerance.
If standing in line feels harder than taking a walk, you're not imagining it.

Research:
• Stewart JM, et al. Decreased Skeletal Muscle Pump Activity in Patients with Postural Tachycardia Syndrome and Low Peripheral Blood Flow. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2004. PMID: 14576081.
• Jimbo S, et al. Decreased Stroke Volume and Venous Return in School Children with Postural Tachycardia Syndrome. Tohoku J Exp Med. 2021. PMID: 33731495.
• Fu Q, Levine BD. Exercise and Non-Pharmacological Treatment of POTS. Prog Cardiovasc Dis. 2018.

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