Dizziness

What is dizziness?

Based on the medical definition, vertigo can be described as an impairment or disturbance of spatial orientation. Dizziness feels like the ground has moved under our feet and the room has turned around with us. We feel like we have to sit down before we fall. Dizziness can happen to anyone at any time, and in the majority of cases, you don’t even have to attach great importance to it, since it is an inherent part of life, a daily part of our body’s functioning. However, if any degree of dizziness or balance disorder is a frequent, almost daily occurrence or the dizziness itself is severe, it may mask pathological causes and affect your quality of life. People can experience vertigo in different ways:

• feeling faint,
• feeling nauseous,
• we stand unsteadily on our feet, lose our sense of balance,
• feeling disoriented or confused.

How is dizziness treated?

Treatment for vertigo depends on the cause. For example, if someone is dizzy because they have an inner ear infection, the doctor will treat the ear infection, i.e. the cause of the infection. If a person is taking medications that cause dizziness, the doctor will review the necessity and replaceability of the given medication or, if this is not possible, may recommend that the patient reduce movement and remain at rest until the body adapts to the medication. For some, a vestibular test can help determine whether the vertigo is the result of an inner ear problem, and if so, vestibular rehabilitation therapy can help treat the vertigo. Vestibular rehabilitation therapy involves exercises to treat the symptoms of vertigo.

Can I treat dizziness at home?

Not at the therapy level. If you feel dizzy, you can treat the symptoms by lying down and resting until the dizziness goes away. When you get up, make sure you move slowly and carefully.

What causes dizziness?

Dizziness can occur when something affects our sense of balance. A stable sense of balance requires a continuous flow of information from the ears, eyes, tissues and central nervous system. Our central nervous system uses this information to tell our bodies how to maintain balance.

If something disrupts the flow, the central nervous system can process information incorrectly, causing us to feel insecure and lose our balance. Disorders of the inner ear, inflammation, certain neurological conditions, certain medications, and even stress can cause vertigo.

Disorders of the inner ear:

• Benign paroxysmal vertigo. People with this type of vertigo feel a spinning sensation when they move their head.
• Labyrinthitis. This means inflammation in the inner ear system, which is responsible for hearing and balance.
• Vestibular neuritis. This disorder affects the vestibulocochlear nerve of the inner ear.
• Persistent postural perceptual vertigo. Dizziness, which is triggered by things or activities around us, for example in large crowds, its symptoms often appear and typically come and go.
• Inner ear infections. Otitis media caused by viral or bacterial ear infections can interfere with the inner ear’s messages to the brain.

Other medical conditions

• Anemia: due to anemia, there are not enough red blood cells in our blood. Dizziness is a common symptom of anemia.
• Acoustic neuroma: Non-cancerous tumors in the inner ear can affect balance and cause dizziness.
• Cardiovascular problems: Problems that affect blood flow to the brain, such as an irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation), low blood pressure (hypotension), or narrowed arteries (atherosclerosis), can cause dizziness.
• Concussion: This head injury damages the brain and causes dizziness, among other symptoms.
• Neurological diseases or disorder: Migraine headaches, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease are examples of neurological disorders that affect the sense of balance and cause dizziness.

Other common causes of dizziness include:

• Anxiety and stress. You may feel dizzy if you hyperventilate due to anxiety or stress.
• Carbon monoxide poisoning. Inhalation of carbon monoxide causes dizziness.
• Dehydration. Dizziness is a symptom of severe dehydration.
• Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Sudden dizziness is a symptom of hypoglycemia.
• Medicines. Antihypertensive drugs often cause dizziness.
• Motion sickness. Motion sickness can cause dizziness and affect your balance.

Source:  

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Dizziness and Balance. (https://www.asha.org/public/hearing/dizziness-and-balance)

Muncie H, Sirmans S, James E. Dizziness: Approach to Evaluation and Management. (https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2017/0201/p154.html) Am Fam Physician, 2017, 95(3): 154-162.

U.K. National Health Services. Dizziness. (https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dizziness/)

U.S. National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Balance Disorders. (https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2017/0201/p154.html) Multiple pages viewed.

Vestibular Disorders Association. Causes of Dizziness. (https://vestibular.org/article/what-is-vestibular/causes-of-dizziness/)