Summary of headache and dizziness symptoms
People experiencing dizziness episodes may report symptoms such as:
- A sensation of motion or spinning, also called vertigo.
- Feeling lightheaded or faint.
- A feeling of losing balance or experiencing instability.
- A feeling of floating, dizziness, or heaviness.
These sensations can be triggered or worsened by walking, standing, or moving your head. You might also experience an upset stomach along with dizziness. In some cases, the dizziness may be so sudden or intense that you need to sit or lie down. The episodes can last from seconds to days and may recur.
What does dizziness mean?
Dizziness refers to sensations such as feeling faint, woozy, weak, or unsteady. The specific feeling that you or your surroundings are spinning or moving is more accurately called vertigo.
Dizziness is among the most common reasons why adults seek medical attention. While frequent dizziness can significantly impact your daily life, it rarely indicates a life-threatening issue.
Dizziness treatment varies based on its cause and your symptoms. While treatment often provides relief, symptoms may come back.
What are the common causes of headaches and dizziness?
Dizziness can stem from various causes, including inner ear problems, motion sickness, and medication side effects. In some cases, it may also result from issues like poor circulation, infection, or injury.
Inner ear disorders that lead to dizziness caused by vertigo:
Your sense of balance relies on input from different parts of your sensory system, which include:
- Eyes: assist in determining your body’s position in space and movement.
- Sensory nerves: transmit information to your brain regarding body movements and positions.
- The sensors inside the inner ear: detect gravity and linear movement.
- Vertigo: happens due to conflicting or abnormal signals from the vestibular system relative to visual and proprioceptive input.
- Viral infection: known as vestibular neuritis.
- Migraine: sufferers may also experience episodes of vertigo.
- Meniere’s disease: is a condition characterized by excess fluid accumulation in the inner ear.
Issues with circulation leading to dizziness
You might feel dizzy, faint, or unsteady if insufficient blood flows to your brain. Causes include:
- A decrease in blood pressure.
- Insufficient blood circulation.
Conditions affecting the nervous system.
- Medications
- Anxiety disorders.
- Anemia.
- Low blood sugar.
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Overheating or dehydration.
What factors increase the risk of dizziness?
Factors that may increase your risk of getting dizzy include:
- Age: Older adults are more prone to health issues that lead to dizziness, particularly a feeling of imbalance. Additionally, they are more likely to use medications that may cause dizziness.
- A previous episode: of dizziness increases the likelihood of experiencing dizziness again. If you’ve experienced dizziness before, you’re more prone to it recurring.
How is the cause of dizziness determined?
Diagnosis involves the steps your healthcare professional takes to identify the cause of your dizziness or vertigo. Immediate imaging tests like an MRI or CT scan may be necessary if your healthcare provider suspects you are having or have had a stroke. These tests might also be recommended if you are older or have a history of head injury.
Your healthcare provider will inquire about your symptoms and medications before conducting a physical exam. During this exam, they assess your gait and balance, and also evaluate the major nerves of your central nervous system to ensure proper functioning.
You might also require a hearing assessment and balance evaluations, such as:
- Eye movement: testing involves your healthcare professional observing how your eyes follow a moving object. Additionally, you might undergo an eye motion test where water or air is introduced into your ear canal.
- Head movement testing: involves a simple head movement test called the Dix-Hallpike manoeuvre, which your healthcare professional may perform to confirm whether vertigo is caused by benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).
- Post urography: is a test that helps your healthcare professional determine which parts of your balance system you depend on most and identify potential issues. During the test, you stand barefoot on a platform and attempt to maintain your balance under different conditions.
- Rotary chair testing: involves sitting in a computer-controlled chair that slowly completes a full circle. At increased speeds, the chair moves back and forth within a slight arc.
You might also undergo blood tests to detect infection. Additionally, you could require further tests to evaluate your heart and blood vessel health.
What is the treatment for it?
Dizziness often improves on its own as the body typically adjusts to the underlying cause within a few weeks, but it may require targeted therapy depending on the underlying cause.
Your treatment depends on the underlying cause of your condition and your symptoms. It may involve medications and balance exercises. Even if no specific cause is identified or your dizziness continues, prescription drugs and other therapies can still help alleviate your symptoms.
Medications
Medications that help reduce dizziness and upset stomach may be prescribed by your healthcare provider for quick relief from vertigo, dizziness, and stomach issues. These include prescription antihistamines and anticholinergics, which often cause drowsiness. These, however, are only used short-term (first 24-72 hours) for acute episodes of vertigo, as long-term use interferes with and delays vestibular recovery. Anti-anxiety drugs like diazepam (Valium) and alprazolam (Xanax) belong to benzodiazepines, a drug class that can lead to addiction and also cause drowsiness.
Therapy
Balance therapy involves exercises to decrease your balance system’s sensitivity to motion. This method, known as vestibular rehabilitation, is often used for individuals with dizziness due to inner-ear conditions such as vestibular neuritis. Talk therapy entails speaking with a psychologist, psychiatrist, or mental health professional. It can help those whose dizziness stems from anxiety.
Injections
If you have a severe case of Ménière’s disease and all other treatments have failed to alleviate your dizziness, your healthcare professional might inject gentamicin into your affected inner ear. This medication inhibits the balance function of that ear, allowing your healthy ear to compensate.
Living with headaches and dizziness
Everyone occasionally experiences dizziness, like sudden spells of wooziness that come and go. However, for some people, dizziness can be severe or frequent enough to disrupt daily life. If you often feel very dizzy, it’s essential to see a healthcare provider. This can help determine the cause and explore possible treatment options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it possible to manage dizziness at home?
This depends on the cause of dizziness. If your dizziness is due to a manageable cause, like dehydration, you can take steps at home to improve it. In some cases, when you can’t manage it at home, you can still handle dizziness. For instance, you can lie down until it subsides. When standing up, do so slowly and carefully.
What potential complications or risks could occur if dizziness is left untreated?
Dizziness might not seem serious, but it’s essential to consult a healthcare provider if you experience frequent episodes. It could indicate underlying medical issues that may worsen without treatment. Dizziness affects balance, increasing your risk of falls and injuries. It can also make driving unsafe. Additionally, dizziness might interfere with your ability to work or handle daily tasks and responsibilities.
How can you tell the difference between dizziness and vertigo?
Vertigo makes you feel like you are moving through space or that your environment is spinning. Dizziness, on the other hand, is a general sensation of imbalance.
When is it appropriate for a healthcare provider to treat dizziness?
Consult your provider if dizziness hampers your daily activities, persists, or recurs.
Why do I feel dizzy when I tilt my head to the left?
Feeling dizzy or lightheaded when tilting your head to one side, particularly to the left, is often caused by an inner ear issue, such as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). If dizziness occurs mainly when you tilt or turn your head to the left, it may suggest that the left inner ear is involved. These episodes are usually short and are triggered by changes in position, such as looking up, lying down, or turning over in bed. However, only a doctor can accurately diagnose and identify the underlying cause.
