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Why am I dizzy? -

Dizziness, or feeling lightheaded, has many possible causes. The way dizziness makes you feel and the triggers that induce the sensation provide clues for possible reasons as to why.

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Is it vertigo? -

Classic symptoms of vertigo include the sensation of spinning, or that the room is moving around you. It's a symptom of a range of conditions, notably issues with the inner ear or the part of the brain stem governing balance.

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Inner ear issues -

Vertigo is not an illness. Conditions that can lead to vertigo include labyrinthitis, an infection that causes inflammation of the inner ear labyrinth. Similarly, vestibular neuritis is inflammation of the vestibular nerve. Both conditions can induce an imbalance of the inner ear.

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Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo -

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, or BPPV, is another disorder arising from the inner ear. With BPPV, minute bits of calcium in part of your inner ear get loose and move to places they don't belong. These tiny calcium "crystals" help you keep your balance. Normally, when you move a certain way, such as when you stand up or turn your head, these crystals move around. However, if they end up in the semicircular canal, they can trigger sensors that cause a feeling of dizziness.

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Meniere's disease -

Meniere's disease causes a buildup of fluid in the inner ear, a condition that can induce intense periods of vertigo that can last for hours. Ringing in the ears and hearing loss can also be experienced. Meniere's disease can develop at any age, but it is more likely to happen to adults between 40 and 60 years of age.

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Is it your circulation? -

Dizziness can be a sign of a problem with your blood flow. Your brain requires a steady supply of oxygen-rich blood. If your brain doesn't receive enough blood, dizziness can occur. Interrupted blood flow can happen for a variety of reasons.

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Arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis -

Some causes of low blood flow to the brain include arteriosclerosis, a thickening of the blood vessels, and atherosclerosis, essentially a buildup of fats, cholesterol, and other substances in and on your artery walls. Both conditions can severely restrict blood flow.

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Other blood circulation disorders -

Other causes of dizziness resulting directly from blood circulation disorders include blood clots, an irregular heartbeat, and heart failure.

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Blood pressure -

Standing up suddenly can cause a sharp drop in blood pressure, and is a common cause of dizziness for many older people.

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Is it your medication? -

Feeling dizzy or lightheaded is one of the most common side effects of many prescription medications. Warnings about these secondary conditions should be heeded if you are prone to spells of dizziness.

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Meds that induce dizziness -

Antibiotics, anti-depressants, anti-seizure medications, blood pressure meds, and sedatives are all prone to induce dizziness or drowsiness as a side effect. Always check with your doctor before taking any of these meds, and heed the warnings listed on prescription labels.

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Dehydration is a cause -

When you're severely dehydrated, your blood pressure can dip dangerously. This impedes blood flow to the brain and causes dizziness. The body loses liquids when you sweat, breathe, and urinate. Drink plenty of water throughout the day, but go easy on coffee, tea, and soda.

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Drink lots of water -

In fact, a word about water. It's clean, refreshing, and calorie-free. The signs that you're not drinking enough, in other words symptoms of dehydration, are thirstiness, tiredness, and dark urine.

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Low blood sugar -

Feeling lightheaded can be an early warning sign of low blood sugar (glucose) levels, or hypoglycemia. People suffering from diabetes need to be especially aware of symptoms: a decrease in blood sugar levels can cause both short-term complications, like confusion and dizziness, as well as more serious, long-term complications.

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Hypoglycemia -

Other symptoms of hypoglycemia include hunger, shakiness, and sweating. A quick fix is to munch on something sweet like candy perhaps, or drink juice laden with honey.

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Excessive exercise -

It's one thing to keep fit, but excessive exercise can be counterproductive for mind and body. Overexertion can be detrimental to health when your workout causes your blood pressure to drop, or results in dehydration. This can leave you feeling lightheaded, dizzy, or faint.

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Multiple sclerosis -

Dizziness can be among many symptoms indicative of nervous-system problems like peripheral neuropathy and multiple sclerosis. However, in cases like these, correct diagnosis is essential in determining the exact cause of any wooziness or light-headedness.

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Is it something else? -

Experiencing a dizzy spell can be a sign of several other conditions. The onset of a migraine, for example, is often accompanied by a sensation of dizziness.

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Stress and anxiety -

Dizziness feeds off of stress and anxiety. On the other hand, dizziness can be anxiety producing.

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Iron deficiency anemia -

Symptoms of iron deficiency anemia can include dizziness. The condition is caused by lack of iron, often because of blood loss or pregnancy. In fact, nausea and dizziness are common problems during pregnancy, as any mom-to-be will testify.

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Dizziness and intoxication -

Drinking alcohol to excess leads to a lack of balance because it messes with your equilibrium. Alcohol thins the blood, which creates a difference in density between the fluids in the ear's semicircular canals and the cupula. Basically, booze distorts the cupula in ways not associated with the person's movement, orientation in space, or balance. In other words, your head spins, the room moves, and you're blind drunk.

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Dizziness and sunstroke -

Dehydration has already been highlighted as a cause of dizziness. But even if you're well watered up, too much sunshine can be a problem. Heatstroke is a serious condition and can be fatal. Warning signs include dizziness, confusion and disorientation, and nausea.

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Motion sickness -

Dizziness, together with an unpleasant feeling of nausea, characterize motion sickness. It's caused by repeated movements when traveling by car, boat, plane, or train. The inner ear sends different signals to your brain from those your eyes are seeing. These confusing messages cause you to feel unwell, which is no surprise, really, considering dizziness, vertigo, and motion sickness all relate to the sense of balance and equilibrium.

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Fainting -

People experiencing dizziness or light-headedness may be on the verge of fainting. If you feel yourself spinning or losing your balance, sit or lie down immediately to lessen the chances of a fall and possible injury.

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Avoid certain activities -

Regular episodes of dizziness could be a sign of something more serious. If you suspect a problem, book an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible. Meanwhile, avoid activities that may hasten the condition, things like climbing up a ladder.

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Head injury -

Experiencing nausea or dizziness after head trauma is a warning sign that should never be ignored. Contact your doctor immediately upon the onset of symptoms.

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Blurred vision -

For the same reasons, dizziness together with additional symptoms like blurred vision, difficulty speaking, numbness or tingling, and ongoing vomiting requires immediate referral to a health care provider.

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Self-induced dizziness -

It's fun and was probably a good idea at the time, but sitting on a revolving merry-go-round will undoubtedly induce an episode of dizziness, especially apparent as you try and walk away from the ride afterwards. But why does spinning make you dizzy? Because your inner ears abide by the laws of physics, meaning the canal fluid is still slopping around all over the place while you're trying to remain steady and upright.

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Treating dizziness -

Home remedies and medical treatments can control many causes of dizziness; medication and stress-reducing techniques can help with anxiety disorders. In some cases, surgery may be a last resort. But many find lifestyle changes are the best remedy.

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What can you do about dizziness? -

There are various tips you can follow if you have recurrent bouts of dizziness. Practicing yoga for example, or tai chi, improves your balance. Following a diet that consists of vegetables, fruits, and lean proteins helps prevent the condition. And drinking lots of water and getting enough rest also assists in preventing dizziness.

Sources: (Medical News Today) (National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) (Everyday Health) (NeuroPT) (That's Life Science) (NHS) (WebMD)

See also: Hear this! How to deal with earache

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