What Causes Dizziness
Dizziness is a fairly common occurrence amongst people of all ages. Dizziness is a feeling of light-headedness or loss of balance. Some experience a short dizzy spell, whereas others lose their sense of equilibrium and may even fall over. The feeling of spinning or motion of yourself or objects around you is often referred to as vertigo. Dizziness can be caused by a number of different factors and usually has a non-serious cause, but can be a symptom of a more serious problem.
What is the cause of dizziness?
There are many medical reasons that can cause dizziness. Some of the most common causes of dizziness are a rise or drop in blood pressure. This can occur when you stand too quickly or have eaten a heavy meal. When a person is hyperventilating (breathing too quickly and shallowly) the body is saturated by oxygen making a person become dizzy.
Other common causes include having low blood sugar. This often happens if a person is experiencing a cold or flu which is depleting their energy levels or causing them to eat less than usual. Emotionally upsetting experiences may also cause a person to feel dizzy. Tiredness or experiencing motion sickness is also a common cause of dizziness. Some pregnant women experience dizzy spells during episodes of morning sickness.
Dizziness can also be caused by a disturbance in the inner ear. The body’s balance is regulated by the fluid that can be found in the inner ear. When an infection is present in this part of the ear it causes the body to misread the signals being sent by the ear. This causes people to feel dizzy and unbalanced.
Some more serious causes of dizziness include such conditions as severe drops or rises in blood pressure. Prolonged high blood pressure can cause damage to the brain resulting in dizziness. Very low blood pressure is often caused by massive blood loss, reactions to medication or heart conditions. One of the first symptoms in these cases is dizziness. Heart conditions such as heart attacks or arrhythmia can also cause dizziness. Some brain conditions can also cause dizziness such as stroke, tumors and migraines.
Other metabolic disorders can also be a cause of dizziness these include condition such as hypoxia (low blood oxygen), hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and dehydration.
If you have continual bouts of dizziness and are have other symptoms it is best to seek advice from a medical professional.
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