Dizziness

What is Dizziness?

We have all been through that unexplainable feeling of not being able to correctly judge our immediate surroundings and feeling totally helpless, the usual term for that very uncomfortable state is dizziness. Dizziness is an umbrella term describing an impaired ability to stay in a stable position and have proper spatial awareness, it can be used to describe a number of conditions like disequilibrium, the feeling of not being able to sustain bodily balance and stability, vertigo, the sensation of having your surroundings whirling around you or your body spinning, this may have something to do with the cochlea of the inner ear, and pre-syncope or the period before actually fainting, or syncope. There are also kinds of dizziness that may not be specific to one condition, it is the result of a collection of symptoms that are too general to pertain to a single problem, this is why dizziness is too common of a symptom to point to a specific condition, the causes of dizziness can range from mild bodily disturbances or a potentially fatal condition.

Lightheadedness

Lightheadedness is the state in which there is a feeling of your head or body “floating” in midair, this term is also often used to describe a feeling of dizziness and the line of specific distinction between the two terms is somewhat blurred. As the term “lightheaded” implies, it is describing a condition in which you feel like your head is lighter than the rest of your body, or even weightless in a room fully influenced by gravity, this can give a very uncomfortable feeling that usually leads to vomiting.

Dizziness Causes

As what was mentioned before, the causes of dizziness can range from something very simple to something that is potentially life threatening, the range of conditions causing dizziness is quite large but here are some of the most common causes that warrant attention: suddenly sitting up or standing from a lower position or orthostatic hypotension, some medications that alter blood pressure or the function of the inner ear, drugs that cause dementia, alcohol intoxication, use of illegal drugs, extreme hunger, increased temperature, low oxygen content of the blood or hypoxia, dehydration, loss of electrolytes, low blood sugar or hypoglycemia, a tumor in the spine or brain, blood pressure extremes like very high blood pressure (hypertension) or very low blood pressure (hypotension), diabetic neuropathy, low red blood cells or anemia, losing too much blood or uncontrolled bleeding, bleeding disorders, irregular heart rate or arrhythmia, stroke, heart attack, weak heart muscles or cardiomyopathy, severe headache, conditions of the inner ear such as: Meniere’s disease, benign paroxysmal vertigo, labyrinthitis, otitis media, acoustic neuroma, vestibular neuritis, Ramsay Hunt syndrome,

Other causes include: allergic reactions, hyperventilation or breathing too fast, migraines, arteriosclerosis or stiffening of the blood vessels known as arteries, hormonal imbalance like in menopause, pregnancy, menstruation, infection, conditions affecting the endocrine system and hormone producing glands and organs. Causes of dizziness may also have a psychiatric origin such as: somatization, hyperventilation during an anxiety attack, depression, and panic attacks.

Dizziness Symptoms

Symptoms of dizziness are quite subjective and may vary from person to person but here are some of the most common symptoms of dizziness: spinning or whirling of the room or the person, weightlessness, feeling of nearing fainting, nausea, urge to vomit, not being able to sustain a stable standing position or not being able to “get your bearings”, feeling off balance, vision changes like seeing halos of light, twinkling lights, and blurring of vision, impaired hearing or hearing an imaginary ringing sound, slowed reflexes and clumsiness. Any of these symptoms may herald a much higher threat or condition so caution must be taken when experiencing them, and it is a good idea to have your self checked out by a doctor.

Dizziness and nausea

Nausea is a common effect of dizziness, as with most conditions involving dizziness, an episode of vomiting usually follows a dizzy spell. Nausea is the feeling of wanting to throw up or vomit. This in itself is not a disease but rather a symptom of one. Vomiting is sometimes confused as a disease but it is actually one of the body’s protective mechanisms and means of expelling or getting rid of toxins in the body. The danger with nausea and vomiting is the large amount of fluid lost in a bout of vomiting, which is why it is important to replace the lost fluid and electrolytes after every bout.

Morning dizziness

As the term implies, this kind of dizziness usually happens in the early morning or just after a person wakes up. Morning dizziness is generally associated with hormonal changes and imbalances as in pregnancy, menstruation, and menopause. It can also be caused by conditions affecting the inner ear, like inner ear infections and vertigo. Just like dizziness in general, morning dizziness is not really specific for one condition but it can be treated as a clue to a whole group of underlying conditions.

Dizziness during pregnancy

Feeling lightheaded during pregnancy is not an uncommon symptom associated with this condition, the maelstrom of hormonal changes can cause intermittent bouts of dizziness throughout pregnancy and especially during the first and second trimester. The physical changes of pregnancy can also cause a woman to get dizzy because of the vascular changes her body has to undergo in order to supply an ample amount of blood to the developing fetus, a woman’s circulatory system goes through radical changes during this time and some of them, like fluctuating blood pressures, might cause her to feel dizzy.

Sinus infection dizziness

The sinuses are paired hollow spaces that can be found among the facial bone structures, these are lined by mucus membranes that can get infected by bacteria. Sinus infection can be associated with dizziness because the membranes and spaces between the sinuses, your Eustachian tube, and the membranes of the inner ear are all interconnected, and when subsequent inflammation of these membranes happen, the balancing function of the inner ear can also get affected resulting in vertigo and dizziness

Chronic dizziness

Chronic means prolonged or extended, therefore, chronic dizziness is a condition in which there is a longer than normal duration of dizziness. Chronic dizziness can be caused by a number of conditions ranging from chronic infections to psychiatric disorders, this is one of those symptoms that should not be ignored and must be given immediate attention.

Sudden dizziness

Sudden dizziness can be caused a number of conditions, from a sudden drop in blood pressure, to low blood sugar, to conditions like Meniere’s disease. It may also be caused by a disturbance in the inner ear. A sudden feeling of dizziness usually means that the blood supply to the brain is abruptly blocked or interrupted. This can also signify a stroke, so it is best to see your doctor at once if you are experiencing this symptom.

Dizziness after eating

Feeling dizzy after taking in some food may be associated with the body’s defense mechanism of getting rid of unwanted substances through vomiting, it may also entail an underlying condition of the gastrointestinal system that causes a feeling of nausea stimulated by the intake of food.

Dizziness when standing up

This is a type of dizziness that is usually associated with sitting up or standing too fast, resulting in a state where there is a pooling of blood in the lower extremities. This induces a feeling of dizziness because of the sudden drop in blood pressure and the decreased blood supply to the upper areas of the body. It is also termed as orthostatic hypotension.

Dizziness Treatment

Treatments for dizziness depend on the underlying condition that caused it, because just like what was mentioned before, this is a symptom and not a disease in itself. Treatments can range from a number of medications, to relaxation techniques, to surgery for the more serious causes.

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthostatic_hypotension

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/dizziness/page3_em.htm

http://www.medicinenet.com/dizziness_dizzy/article.htm