Dizziness is a common condition one feels at some or the other time in life. It is a light-headed feeling as if the head is reeling around which causes loss of balance and unsteadiness. It is often described as ‘Vertigo’, in medical terms referring to the sensation of spinning or whirling of a person and the surrounding. The state of dizziness is caused due to insufficient flow of blood in the brain. The initial symptoms may not be dangerous but in the long run it could become serious.
Types
The classification of dizziness is based upon minor or major complications of the body.
Vertigo: A feeling of the head reeling of the person and the surrounding. This may be caused due to inner ear infections and imbalance in the brain. It may be considered as the symptom of a tumor or stroke.
Syncope: A feeling of dizziness that arises because of standing up very quickly or taking deep breaths continuously.
Non-vertigo non-syncope: A condition of serious dizziness causing disequilibrium in the movement.
Symptoms
A person with dizziness might experience a lot of other symptoms apart from being tired and imbalanced. The following are some of the symptoms relating to light-headedness.
Excessive tiredness
Fainting
Nausea
Vomiting
State of confusion
Head reeling or vertigo
Weakness
Numbness on the face
Hearing deficiency
Blurred vision
Squeezing pain in the chest
Persistence of heart beat
Abdominal pain
Loss of balance
Speech impairment
Causes
People with high blood pressure or low blood pressure are affected by dizziness. A sudden downfall of blood pressure might not allow the brain to get enough blood. Dehydration in the body leads to vomiting and nausea resulting in the loss of water. One might feel dizzy even because of dehydration. Irregularity in heart rhythms, weak heart muscles, strokes or tumors might cause the sensation of light-headedness. Some medications or drugs and consumption of alcohol may also lead to the confused state of mind. Low blood oxygen (hypoxia), low blood sugar and dehydration might be the reasons for becoming dizzy. The condition might occur even if one suffers from flu, cold or allergies.
Aged people lacking the ability to perform exercises and poor circulation of the blood are prone to be the victims of dizziness. Depression, anxiety and other psychological disorders often result in developing panic attacks where breathing becomes fast because of too much of oxygen entering the brain. Certain medications used to control blood pressure turn out to make one dizzy.
Diagnosis
A thorough physical examination and careful analysis of the symptoms might signify the presence of dizziness in a patient. The disease can be diagnosed by checking the pulse rate and blood pressure. Heavy menstrual period in women would lead to a pelvic test. A close observation of heart and lungs might examine the problem of shortness in breath. Complete blood count and blood sugar levels can be tested with a series of blood tests. Kidney function tests and thyroid tests help the physician in the process of diagnosis. In some cases X-rays, CT Scans, ECG, hearing tests, balance testing (ENG) and MRI might become essential.
Treatment
Light-headedness is said to be a temporary state of sensation that disappears without any treatment. Quite often the treatment for dizziness is based upon the cause of its occurrence. Light-headedness caused due to dehydration and loss of fluids might be treated to control vomiting by giving IV fluids to the patient. Medications like antihistamines, sedatives and anti-nausea treatment might be provided in severe condition. In the case of heart problems, dizziness is treated with specialized medication and treatment. A heart stroke or attack may need emergency hospitalization. A surgery might become important for Meniere’s disease. Patients suffering from fever or infection might be given medicines to control it. Treatment for the increase of electrolyte levels is given if the blood count is observed to be low in a blood test.
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Complications
Dizziness results in complications like getting injured easily, sheer occurrence of an accident while driving a two-wheeler or a car and long term health hazards. The feeling of faintness and light-headedness might disturb the daily activity. The symptoms of the sensation might lead to other diseases. Unsteadiness or imbalance may be a sign of stroke, brain tumor, seizures, multiple sclerosis or bleeding in the brain. Sometimes it may lead to loss of consciousness, drooping of the face, unclear speech and extreme weakness. In cases of severity emergency observation might be necessary.
Prevention
To prevent light-headedness one need to be conscious about the posture of sitting and standing. Getting up slowly from a bed, sitting and standing slowly avoids sudden gush of blood from flowing into the brain. Standing up or walking with the help of a support would help older people. Exposure to bright lights, TV screen and sudden movements might worsen the situation. Dizziness, once identified, requires careful attention. It is better to avoid driving, operating heavy machines and walking without help at that stage. Some medications which cause a dizzy sensation may be identified. It is often suggested to stop such medications. Avoiding the consumption of caffeine and alcohol would help to a great extent. Prevention of salty items or sweet treats in the diet would be the best precautionary measure to escape dizziness.
Home remedies
A mixture of salt, vinegar, mustard, cheese, pepper and cayenne in equal proportions would help as the best home remedy for dizziness. Lemon juice with black pepper, salt and water serves as the best medicine for light-headedness. Yoghurt mixture with orange, lemon and tangerine also helps. Amla powder with coriander seeds soaked overnight and filtered would be the most effective natural remedy. Herbal oils can also be massaged on the head to relieve the sensation of light-headedness.
A few steps can also be followed while one is experiencing the feeling of dizziness. Concentrating on a static object at that stage would help the symptoms to disappear quickly. Sufficient intake of water would prevent dehydration. Slow and deep breathing helps in the restoration of carbon dioxide.
Though dizziness is harmless at any stage, it cannot be ignored out of its cure. Most of the times ignoring the sensation would lead to serious complications of a disease. Evaluation and treatment on time would relieve one from dizziness as it might be an outcome of a disease inwardly born.
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