melbourne neuro chiropractor for dysautonomia & nervous system regualtion
Feel Better Sooner with a Holistic Body Brain Approach
Is this you?
You may have dysautonomia if you experience:
✓ Dizziness when standing
✓ Heart rate fluctuations
✓ Blood pressure changes
✓ Fatigue that doesn't improve with rest
✓ Brain fog
✓ Poor concentration
✓ Exercise intolerance
✓ Poor temperature regulation
✓ Digestive problems
✓ Feeling overwhelmed by everyday activities
If several of these sound familiar, your autonomic nervous system may not be regulating as it should.
Dysautonomia is not just one condition.
Dysautonomia is an umbrella term for a group of conditions that affect your autonomic nervous system. These include Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), Neurocardiogenic Syncope, Orthostatic Hypotension, Vasovagal Syncope, Post Viral Dysautonomia and autonomic dysfunction following Concussion or Whiplash.
Although these conditions have different names, they all involve disruption of the same autonomic nervous system. When your nervous system loses its ability to regulate efficiently, your body can struggle to control heart rate, blood pressure, circulation, digestion, temperature and energy.
Your treatment focuses on restoring communication throughout your brain and nervous system so you can improve regulation, restore function and feel like yourself again.
Why choose Dr Tony for Dysautonomia treatment
- 37+ years Clinical Experience
- Holistic Chiropractor
- Functional Neuro Rehabilitation Chiropractor (FNOR)
- Certified Lifestyle Medicine Professional
- Critical Care Nurse
- Member of the Australian Chiropractic Association
Why My Approach Gets Lasting Results for Dysautonomia
To improve Dysautonomia, you need to address where the problem often begins, your brain stem, upper cervical spine, vestibular system and visual system. When communication between these areas is disrupted, your nervous system cannot regulate properly, contributing to many of the symptoms you experience.
My Balance Reset Method is designed to restore communication between these key areas of your brain and nervous system. As this communication improves, you can experience better balance, increased energy, improved circulation and greater day to day function.
Your treatment may include Neuro Chiropractic, Functional Neurology, Medical Laser, lifestyle modification and personalised home exercises to retrain your nervous system. If you follow your treatment plan, you can expect meaningful improvement over 6 to 8 sessions, with many people returning to the activities they enjoy.
No guessing. A real assessment. A clear plan.
How You Can Benefit from Neuro Chiropractic Care for Dysautonomia
When your brain and nervous system communicate more effectively, your body is better able to regulate heart rate, blood pressure, balance and energy. As your nervous system becomes more regulated, you may begin to notice meaningful improvements in how you feel and function every day.
With the right treatment, you may:
✓ Stand with less dizziness and light headedness
✓ Experience fewer heart rate and blood pressure fluctuations
✓ Improve your balance and confidence when walking
✓ Feel more energetic throughout the day
✓ Think more clearly with less brain fog
✓ Improve your concentration and memory
✓ Increase your exercise tolerance
✓ Sleep better and wake feeling more refreshed
✓ Feel calmer as your nervous system becomes more regulated
✓ Regain confidence in your body
✓ Return to work, study, exercise and the activities you enjoy
✓ Feel more like yourself again
My goal is not simply to help you manage your symptoms. My goal is to improve communication between your brain and nervous system so you can restore function, regain your independence and get back to living your life with confidence.
No guessing. A real assessment. A clear plan.
What to expect from your first Dysautonomia Neuro Chiropractic Session?
Your first appointment is designed to help me understand exactly what is contributing to your symptoms and whether Neuro Chiropractic is the right approach for you.
During your assessment I will take the time to listen to your health history, understand how Dysautonomia affects your daily life and perform a comprehensive neurological examination to identify where communication within your nervous system has become disrupted.
Your appointment may include:
A detailed health assessment
We'll discuss your symptoms, medical history, previous treatments and how Dysautonomia is affecting your work, exercise, sleep and daily life.
Neurological examination
I'll assess how well your brain and nervous system are communicating by examining your balance, coordination, eye movements, reflexes, posture and nervous system function.
Upper Cervical, Vestibular and visual assessment
These areas will be assessed to determine whether they may be contributing to altered communication between your brain stem and nervous system.
A clear explanation of my findings
I'll explain what I've found, why your symptoms may be occurring and how your nervous system may be contributing to your Dysautonomia.
Treatment on the day
You will receive Neuro focused hands on care to start your rehab and healing from day 1.
Your personalised treatment plan
I'll develop a personalised treatment plan outlining your recommended care, home exercises and what you can expect throughout your rehabilitation.
Your appointment is never rushed.
You'll have plenty of time to ask questions, understand your assessment and feel confident about your treatment plan before moving forward.
My goal is for you to leave your first appointment with a clear understanding of your condition, a personalised plan and confidence that you're taking the right steps towards feeling better.
Your Path Back to Feeling Normal —
from first appointment to lasting results
No GP referral required. Private health rebates available for all health funds.
01
Week 1
Care & Understanding
Your journey begins with a
comprehensive neurological assessment
to identify where communication within your brain and nervous system has become disrupted. I'll explain my findings, answer your questions and develop a personalised treatment plan tailored to your needs.
02
Week 2
Restoring Communication
Treatment begins by improving communication between your brain stem, upper cervical spine, vestibular system and visual system. You'll also begin simple home exercises designed to reinforce your progress between appointments.
03
Week 3
Improving Nervous System Regulation
As your nervous system becomes more regulated, you may begin to notice improvements in dizziness, balance, brain fog, energy or standing tolerance. Your treatment plan will continue to evolve based on how your body responds.
04
Week 4
Building Better Function
As communication between your brain and body improves, your nervous system can become more efficient. Daily activities often begin to feel easier, and you'll continue building confidence in your body's ability to regulate itself.
05
Week 5
Increasing Confidence
By now, many people feel more confident moving, exercising and participating in daily activities. Treatment continues to strengthen nervous system regulation while improving long term resilience.
06
Week 6 and Beyond
Returning to the Life You Enjoy
The focus now shifts to maintaining your progress and helping you return to work, study, exercise, hobbies and everyday activities with greater confidence. My goal is to help you restore function, regain your independence and feel more like yourself again.
Heal Faster & Recover Better with
Medical LASER Therapy
Medical LASER Therapy
may be used alongside Neurological Chiropractic Care to support tissue health, circulation, inflammation reduction and nervous system recovery. This can be particularly supportive for people with Dysautonomoa who experience pain, fatigue or slow recovery from activity.
Dysautonomia Symptoms
Because the autonomic nervous system regulates so many body systems, symptoms can be wide-ranging, fluctuating, and easily mistaken for other conditions
- Dizziness and light headedness, particularly on standing, with sudden movement or after prolonged sitting
- Rapid or irregular heartbeat, especially on standing
- Blood pressure fluctuations
- Persistent fatigue and post exertional exhaustion
- Brain fog, poor concentration and memory lapses
- Difficulty regulating body temperature, feeling excessively hot, cold or sweating inappropriately
- Digestive disturbances including nausea, bloating, early fullness and unpredictable bowel function
- Shortness of breath
- Anxiety and difficulty regulating stress
- Difficulty falling or staying asleep and waking unrefreshed
- Symptoms that worsen with stress, illness, heat, exertion and hormonal changes
Dysautonomia Causes
Dysautonomia rarely has a single cause. In most cases, several neurological and physical factors are contributing at once.
- Head or neck injury including concussion and whiplash disrupting brainstem and autonomic pathways
- Post viral illness including COVID-19 triggering autonomic nervous system dysfunction that persists beyond the acute illness
- Upper cervical spine dysfunction disrupting neurological input to the brainstem and undermining autonomic regulation
- Brainstem dysfunction reducing the accuracy of autonomic signalling throughout the body
- Vestibular system dysfunction contributing to postural instability and blood pressure dysregulation
- Chronic nervous system overload from sustained stress, illness or sensory overload
- Genetic predisposition including hereditary forms of dysautonomia such as POTS and familial dysautonomia
Visit Dr. Tony Briggs for Neuro Rehab Chiropractic Care
Clinic Hours
Tuesday: 8 AM - 7 PM
Friday: 8 AM - 7 PM
Saturday: 9 AM - 1 PM
5 Beaumaris Parada, Highett, VIC, AUS
Free parking on site
For inquiries, call: 1300 238 255
Dysautonomia Common Questions
What conditions fall under Dysautonomia?
Dysautonomia is an umbrella term covering a range of conditions involving autonomic nervous system dysfunction. Those seen and supported at this practice include:
- POTS — Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome
- Neurocardiogenic syncope (fainting driven by nervous system dysregulation)
- Orthostatic hypotension (blood pressure drops on standing)
- Autonomic dysfunction following concussion or whiplash
- Post-viral or post-illness autonomic dysregulation
- Chronic fatigue related autonomic imbalance
- Many patients arrive with a partial diagnosis or no diagnosis at all — having been told their tests are normal despite debilitating symptoms. A Functional Neurology assessment can identify autonomic dysregulation that standard testing does not capture.
Why do my test results come back normal when I feel so unwell?
This is one of the most distressing aspects of Dysautonomia for patients. Standard medical tests — blood work, ECGs, MRI scans — are designed to identify structural or biochemical pathology. They are not designed to assess how efficiently the brain and nervous system are regulating autonomic function in real time.
A Functional Neurology assessment evaluates the nervous system differently, looking at how the brainstem, vestibular system, visual pathways, upper cervical spine, and autonomic regulation are all functioning and communicating together. This reveals dysregulation that standard tests do not capture, and provides a clear picture of what is actually driving symptoms.
Can Chiropractic care help with Dysautonomia?
A Brain First Chiropractic Approach™ addresses the root cause. Care focuses on improving how the brain and nervous system regulate posture, balance, circulation and sensory input, which can support symptom stability and functional improvement.
How does a Neuro Rehabilitation Chiropractor approach Dysautonomia?
The Brain First Approach™ starts with a thorough Functional Neurology assessment covering brainstem integration, vestibular pathways, upper cervical spine mechanics, visual system function, and autonomic regulation — all evaluated together to identify where the dysregulation is originating.
Treatment then addresses those findings directly through:
- Brain-based Chiropractic care — restoring accurate mechanical and neurological input from the upper cervical spine to the brainstem
- Functional Neurology Rehabilitation — retraining brainstem integration, sensory processing, and autonomic regulation pathways
- Balance and sensory integration input — improving how the nervous system processes and responds to positional and movement information
- Nervous system regulation strategies — gentle, graded input designed to build regulatory capacity without triggering flare-ups
- Lifestyle medicine strategies — supporting autonomic stability through evidence-based lifestyle guidance
- Medical Laser Therapy — reducing inflammation and supporting neurological tissue recovery
- All care is adapted to your tolerance.
Dysautonomia does not require forcing the body to cope — it requires restoring regulation from within the nervous system.
When should I consider seeing a Chiropractor for Dysautonomia?
Consider a Functional Neurology assessment if your symptoms are persistent, fluctuate, or worsen with stress, illness, or physical exertion. Particularly if you experience:
- Dizziness or light-headedness, palpitations, or blood pressure changes
- Ongoing fatigue, post-exertional exhaustion, brain fog, or poor concentration
- Temperature intolerance, digestive disturbances, or shortness of breath
- Anxiety, feeling unsettled, or difficulty regulating stress responses
- Symptoms that began or worsened after a head or neck injury or viral illness
No GP referral is required. If you have an existing diagnosis from a specialist, that information is welcomed and factored into the assessment.
Why hasn't my Dysautonomia improved with other treatments?
Why hasn't my dysautonomia improved with other treatments?
Most standard dysautonomia management focuses on symptom control — medication to manage heart rate or blood pressure, compression garments, increased fluid and salt intake. These can provide partial relief but they do not address why the autonomic nervous system is dysregulating in the first place.
If the neurological drivers — disrupted brainstem input, vestibular dysfunction, poor upper cervical spine mechanics, inefficient sensory integration — are never identified and treated, the underlying dysregulation continues regardless of how well symptoms are managed day to day.
Addressing the cause rather than compensating for it is what produces genuine and sustainable improvement.
Why do my symptoms fluctuate so much from day to day?
Fluctuating symptoms are a hallmark of dysautonomia and reflect the nervous system's inconsistent ability to regulate. On days when additional demands are placed on the system — stress, illness, poor sleep, heat, physical exertion — the autonomic nervous system cannot compensate adequately, and symptoms worsen.
On better days, the system is just managing to cope. This variability is not imagined and it is not random — it directly reflects the state of autonomic regulation. Improving how the brain and nervous system regulate is what reduces both the frequency and severity of these fluctuations over time.
Can this help with post-viral Dysautonomia or long COVID?
Yes. Post-viral autonomic dysregulation, including that associated with long COVID, is one of the presentations seen at this practice. Viral illness can trigger or worsen autonomic nervous system dysfunction, leaving patients with persistent fatigue, brain fog, heart rate instability, dizziness, and post-exertional exhaustion long after the acute illness has resolved.
The Brain First Approach™ assesses where the neurological dysregulation is occurring and supports recovery by restoring regulation within the nervous system, addressing the underlying neurological disruption rather than managing individual symptoms in isolation.
Is this chiropractic approach suitable if I feel easily overwhelmed or fatigued?
Yes. Care is carefully paced and adapted to individual tolerance. Sessions are designed to support regulation without pushing the system into overload or symptom flares.
Do I need to stop exercising or weight training if I have Dysautonomia?
No, but it is strongly advised to moderate your activities depending upon your individual experience. Care does not require stopping exercise unless medically indicated. The focus is on improving nervous system regulation so tolerance to movement, posture and activity can gradually improve.
How long does it take for Dysautonomia to improve?
When we start using the Brain First Approach, your brain changes within seconds. The duration of these changes varies between individuals. Some people notice early changes in stability, clarity or tolerance, while others experience more gradual improvements as nervous system regulation and capacity build over time. You willrecieve specific and graduated take home movement patterns that will help you create positive change faster.
Is Chiropractic care safe for someone with Dysautonomia?
Yes. All care at this practice is carefully calibrated to your tolerance and adapted at every session based on how your nervous system is responding.
The goal is to introduce novel input that recalibrates your senses and builds regulatory capacity gradually and safely, without overwhelming a system that is already under stress. Avoiding symptom flare-ups is a core principle of the approach.
Can this treatment support chronic fatigue alongside Dysautonomia?
Yes. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome commonly overlaps with dysautonomia and balance disorders. A Brain First Approach™ is designed to support nervous system regulation across these interconnected conditions.
Do I need a formal Dysautonomia diagnosis to start care?
No. Care may be appropriate for people with a formal diagnosis or those experiencing symptoms consistent with autonomic nervous system dysregulation.
Can I claim back on private health?
Yes, chiropractic care is covered by most extras policies including Medibank, BUPA, HCF, NIB and AHM. I process health fund claims on the spot. Rebate amounts vary by policy — worth checking with your fund before booking.
Stop Letting Dysautonomia Control Your Life
Restore nervous system regulation, improve function and start feeling more like yourself again.
