Dizziness is a feeling of rotary, oscillating or slip movement when in fact you are stationary. It may appear that the environment is moving around and the feeling can come and go and last a few seconds, hours or even days. It can sometimes worsen when moving the head, changing position, coughing or blowing the nose. Dizziness can range from fleeting faintness to a severe balance disorder that impairs the normal functions.
Dizziness is a symptom that causes light-headedness, loss of balance or unsteadiness, floating feeling or heavy-headedness. It may also be associated with nausea or vomiting, a headache and sensitivity to light and noise, double vision, trouble speaking or swallowing, increase in heart rate, shortness of breath, weakness and sweating.
Common causes for dizziness include inner ear problems (inflammations or accumulations of calcium), Meniere's disease, vestibular neuritis, head trauma, migraine, stroke, transient ischemic attack, cerebral haemorrhage and multiple sclerosis. Moreover, dizziness may also be a side effect of some medications.
Dizziness is often temporary and goes away without treatment. It is important to describe the specific symptoms of dizziness to a doctor as well as what triggers it and how long does the dizziness last. This may help in the diagnosis and treatment of the problem.
Diseases that may be associated with dizziness
The diseases that may be associated with dizziness include:
- Amyloidosis
- Anaphylaxis
- Atherosclerosis
- Multiple sclerosis
- Intermittent claudication
- Migraine
- Stroke
- Panic attack
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Anemia
- Hypertension
- Ventricular hypertrophy
- Polycythemia vera
- Labyrinthitis
- Paget's disease
- Botulism
- Otitis
- Ebola
- Syphilis
- Meniere's disease
- Varicose veins
It is important to note that this is not an exhaustive list and it would always be better to consult a doctor if symptoms persist.
What are the remedies for vertigo?
The best remedy for vertigo depends on its underlying cause. In cases where the problem is severe a doctor may recommend drugs such as antihistamines, medicines against nausea or sedatives. In other cases, it may be useful to perform specific movements of the head that can be learned from the doctor. The exercises can be performed independently at home to reabsorb possibly accumulated calcium (Epley maneuver). Finally, the patient may participate in rehabilitation therapy to recover the balance.
When to contact your doctor?
Seek immediate medical attention if there are symptoms such as an unusual headache, high fever, vision problems, shortness of breath, language or hearing, seizures, prior stroke, weakness in the arms or legs, numbness or tingling in the limbs or face, a very stiff neck, a head injury, inability to walk alone, fainting, chest pain, continuous vomiting, high cardiovascular risk, older age. Moreover, one should seek medical attention if the dizziness is recurrent, long lasting, sudden and severe.
