Dizziness: Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, Causes and Prevention

Dizziness is a highly prevalent problem that every person has likely experienced sometime in his or her life. It is the sensation of lightheadedness, wooziness, faintness, instability, or off-balance. Dizziness can also appear as a sense of the room rotating, as experienced by some people called vertigo. Dizziness is not a serious health condition and although most cases are normal, chronic or acute cases may be an indication of a serious health problem that requires medical care. This is an in-depth blog about dizziness, including its definition, the significant causes, symptoms, how to diagnose it, treatment and self-management tips that would help you to deal with the dizziness.

What Is Dizziness?

Dizziness is not a disease, it is a symptom of various medical diseases. It is caused when the brain gets the wrong signal sent by eyes, inner ears or nerves that aid in keeping balance.

Individuals can refer to dizziness as:

• Lightheaded or fainty.
• Floating sensation
• Spinning sensation (vertigo)
• Loss of balance
• Unsteadiness when walking

The occasional dizziness is normal. Nevertheless, frequent attacks, acute and acute dizziness is not to be overlooked and needs medical assessment.

Major Causes of Dizziness

Dizziness is caused by a myriad of factors such as dehydration and even neurological conditions. The key categories and reasons are described below.

1. Vertigo & Disequilibrium

Even though the term dizziness is used frequently, what these individuals experience can be classified under:

Vertigo

A feeling of spinning around – as though you or the room were spinning around.

Common causes:

• Benign Positional Vertigo (BPV) – Shows up when you suddenly change the position of your head or body.
• Meniere Disease – This is a disease that is brought about by the accumulation of fluid in the inner ear.
• Acoustic Neuroma – Benign tumor that affects the nerve of the vestibule.

Disequilibrium

Loss of balance or stepping. These are inner ear related problems that interfere with your balance system in the body hence causing dizziness.

2. Common Everyday Causes

• Dehydration: Fluid loss decreases blood volume, thus making one lightheaded.
• Migraine Attacks: they are usually accompanied bydizziness and sensitivity to light.
• Alcohol Intake: Can disrupt the balance in the brain.
• Issues with the Ear: Inner ear infections may compromise balance.

Medication side effects:

Drugs which are likely to cause the feeling of being dizzy include:

• Muscle relaxants
• Antihistamines
• Antiepileptic medicines
• Blood pressure medications

3. Cardiovascular Causes

Dizziness is commonly associated with heart related issues, which include:

• It tends to cause a sudden decrease in blood pressure (Orthostatic Hypotension).
• Occurs during quick stand ups.

Cardiomyopathy

When there is a weak heart muscle that pumps less blood, it will result in dizziness, fainting and fatigue.

Heart Attack

Chest pain is a serious manifestation but dizziness is also possible because blood supply to the brain is less.

Arrhythmia

An irregular heartbeat may cause faintness, palpitations and dizziness.

Circulation Problems

Low circulation of blood implies a lack of oxygen in the brain.

4. Lifestyle and Environmental etiology.

• Vast exercise – causes dehydration and low blood pressure.
• Heat exhaustion- excessive sweating heavily depletes the fluids and electrolytes.
• Low blood volume- bleeding, dehydration, or disease.

5. Metabolic Causes

Anemia

The decreased hemoglobin levels lower oxygen supply leading to dizziness and exhaustion.

Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Sugar)

The symptoms are sweating, hunger, shaking, dizziness and confusion.

6. Psychological Causes

Anxiety Disorders

The feeling of panic attacks and anxiety even without a physical reason can result in creating dizziness.

7. Toxic & Environmental Causes

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Very harmful; the symptoms are dizziness, vomiting, headache.

Read More About – 4 Stages of Appendicitis: Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment

8. Neurological Causes

• Multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Parkinson’s disease
• Stroke
• Brain tumors

These are conditions that directly impact the centers of the brain balance.

9. Infections

COVID-19

Dizziness and vertigo after COVID are getting more frequent.

Viral infections

Dizziness may be as a result of dehydration and inflammation.

Ear infections

Balance is impaired by inflammation of the inner ear.

Labyrinthitis/ Vestibular Neuritis

These are as a result of inner-ear nerve inflammation.

Symptoms of Dizziness

Patients with dizziness may suffer:

• Lightheadedness
• Feeling faint
• A sense of spinning
• Unsteadiness or wobbliness
• Floating sensation

Other symptoms may accompany this and include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Blurred vision
• Tinnitus
• Fainting

Emergency treatment should be sought in case of dizziness accompanied by:

• Severe headache
• Chest pain
• Slurred speech
• Numbness or tingling
• Eye or facial drooping
• Rapid heartbeat
• High fever
• Loss of consciousness

Diagnosis of Dizziness

A physician will assess your symptoms, health history and lifestyles. Diagnosis may involve:

1. Physical Examination

The doctor may check:

• Blood pressure
• Heart rate
• Eye movement
• Ear health
• Neurological function
• Balance and posture

2. Imaging Tests

Tests can be used depending on symptoms and they may include:

• MRI
• CT scan
• X-ray
• EEG

These assist in detecting stroke, tumors or brain disorders.

3. Balance Tests

To examine the functioning of the inner ear (vestibular):

Computerized Dynamic Posturography (CDP)

Balance test- Standing on a platform that is moving.

Romberg Test

Sitting and blinking to ensure stability.

ENG & VNG

Examinations checking eye movements and inner-ear problems.

Rotary Chair Test

Measures through eyes movements whilst sitting in a rotating chair.

4. Vertigo-Specific Tests

• Dix-Hallpike maneuver
• VEMP test
• Video head impulse test

5. Hearing Tests

• Tympanometry
• Otoacoustic emissions
• Electrocochleography

These assist in the diagnosis of Meniere’s disease or the inner-ear damage.

6. Cardiac Tests

To eliminate heart-related causes:

• Electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG)
• Echocardiogram
• Stress test

Medical Care of Dizziness

The treatment of dizziness lies on the cause. They include common treatment methods as discussed below.

1. Treating Vertigo & BPV

Epley Maneuver

A set of head movements, which reposition inner-ear crystals.

Vestibular Rehabilitation Exercises

Help strengthen balance.

Medications

Antivertigo medicines can be prescribed.

2. Treating Meniere’s Disease

• Low-salt diet
• Diuretics
• Injections of steroids or antibiotics.
• Ear surgery in severe cases

3. Treating Acoustic Neuroma

• Radiation
• Surgical removal
• Observation for slow-growing tumors

4. Replacement of Fluids and Electrolytes

Dizziness caused by:

• Heat exhaustion
• Exercise
• Dehydration

5. Migraine Treatment

Includes:

• Pain medications
• Lifestyle changes
• Determining the causes of migraine.

6. Adjusting Medications

In case prescription drugs cause dizziness, a physician can:

• Lower the dose
• Change the medication
• Substitute with a less harmful one.

7. Heart-Related Treatment

Depending on the cause:

• Medications
• Lifestyle modifications
• Serious condition surgery.
• Heart attack/stroke emergency treatment.

8. Management of Metabolic Conditions

Anemia

Iron pills, diet, or drugs.

Hypoglycemia

Juice of fruit or glucose pills.

Severe cases, injected with glucagon.

9. Treating Anxiety Disorders

• Therapy
• Relaxation techniques
• Anti-anxiety medications

10. Treating Infections

• Hydration
• Rest
• Antibiotics for Bacterial infections
• Antivirals for flu

Balance activities to prevent post-COVID dizziness.

How to Avoid Dizziness?

These are some of the useful self-care tips:

• Sit or lie down when dizzy.
• No sudden movements or rapid changes of positions.
• Use railings on stairs.
• Consume lots of water on a daily basis.
• Do not use caffeine, alcohol or tobacco.
• Lie down in a cool place when it is heat that makes them feel dizzy.

Talk to your physician whether medications can be the reason.

When Should You See a Doctor?

You are to see a doctor in case of:

• Several instances of dizziness.
• Dizziness which cannot be explained and which persist more than a few minutes.
• Other symptoms in combination with extreme dizziness.

If dizziness is associated with:

• Head injury
• Weakness or numbness
• Vision problems
• Slurred speech
• Chest pain
• Heart palpitations
• Vomiting
• Difficulty walking

Final Thoughts

Feeling dizzy is a symptom that has a lot of potential causes both in dehydration, stress, and severe neurological or cardiovascular ailments. Although some cases of dizziness are not serious, chronic and unsolvable cases are never to be overlooked. Dizziness can be treated through lifestyle modification, proper diagnosis, and treatment and most individuals can lead a normal life again.

In case you feel dizzy which is interfering with your normal activities, make a visit to a medical practitioner in order to get proper evaluation and treatment program.