Dizziness
Also known as: Vertigo
What is it?
Dizziness is the false sensation of movement or
spinning. Dizziness is often
accompanied by a loss of balance or nauseated feeling.
Who gets it?
Most people feel dizzy at some point in their lives.
Dizziness can occur in children and adults, but is more
common in children during adolescence.
What causes it?
There are mechanisms in the inner ear that help the
body sense position and control balance. This state of
balance is called equilibrium. Dizziness occurs when the
body’s equilibrium is upset. Most often, dizziness passes
quickly and the cause is unknown. However, dizziness can
also be a symptom of a disorder, infection, or underlying
disease. These can include viral infections in the inner
ear; benign positional vertigo, caused by a change in head
position; Meniere's disease, which affects the volume of
fluid in the inner ear; fever; low blood sugar; or
neurologic brain disorders, such as tumors, infections, or
brain injury. Dizziness can also be caused by disorders of
the central nervous system, such as multiple sclerosis;
circulatory system diseases such as hardening of the
arteries (arteriosclerosis); motion sickness; insufficient
blood supply to the brain, as occurs with transient
ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke; exposure to toxic
substances; diet; and food allergies.
What are the symptoms?
People who are dizzy feel as though they are spinning,
or objects around them are moving or spinning. They may
feel as though they are losing their balance and about to
fall. If blood pressure has dropped too low, the person
may faint, a temporary loss of consciousness called
syncope. People with positional vertigo may experience
mild, passing feelings of dizziness just by changing the
position of their heads too quickly. Sometimes, however,
vertigo may be more severe and last anywhere from hours to
days. In these cases, the patient may also experience a
loss of hearing, vision problems, nausea and vomiting, and
ringing in the ears. People who commonly experience motion
sickness will feel dizzy when riding in a vehicle,
aircraft, or watercraft.
How is it diagnosed?
To diagnose true dizziness, your doctor will need to
take a complete medical history and have a thorough
understanding of your symptoms, when they occur, and how
long they last. Then, he or she will perform a physical
exam and some diagnostic tests to determine the cause of
your dizziness. Your doctor will examine your eyes,
checking for abnormal movements that could be a sign of
problems with the inner ear or the nerve connections to
the brain. You may be asked to recreate the types of
activities that result in dizziness. Your doctor may order
a tilt table test to determine what is causing the
temporary decrease in blood flow to the brain. Other
diagnostic tests include an electronystagmogram (ENG),
which is a test of the balance mechanism of the inner ear;
computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
scans of the brain, which can reveal tumor or signs of
stroke; hearing and blood tests; and an angiogram, which
reveals any blockages in the blood vessels. If infection
is suspected, your doctor will take a sample of fluid from
the ear or sinuses for further study.
What is the treatment?
If there is an underlying cause, such as brain tumor,
TIA or stroke, disease, or infection, your doctor will
provide treatment accordingly. For example, infection is
treated with bed rest and antibiotics. However, if no
cause is found for your dizziness, but it continues, your
doctor may prescribe medication that affects the balance
mechanism in your inner ear. These drugs can cause
drowsiness in some people. Your doctor may simply
recommend that you lie down for a few minutes until the
dizziness passes. People who are prone to dizziness
because they take medications for heart conditions or high
blood pressure should avoid sudden changes of position.
Sometimes surgery is recommended to relieve pressure in
the inner ear.
Self-care tips
In most cases, occasional feelings of mild dizziness
are no cause for alarm, but are related to a sudden change
in position. However, if you feel dizzy frequently, the
dizziness lasts for a long period of time, or you have
dizziness with other symptoms such as headache, visual
disturbances, or numbness on one side of the body, see
your doctor immediately.
This information has been designed as a comprehensive and quick reference
guide written by our health care reviewers. The health information written
by our authors is intended to be a supplement to the care provided by your
physician. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for
professional medical advice.
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