Dealing With The Effects Of Dizziness

Have you ever experienced that feeling that the room is spinning when you get up suddenly or when you sit down? Most people refer to this feeling of uneasiness as dizziness, and there can be many different causes for it.

If it happens occasionally, there is often no reason to be overly concerned, but only your doctor can make a precise diagnosis. Here are a few ways that you may be able to deal with the dizziness throughout the day.

Some Common Causes Of Dizziness

If you’ve been feeling a little woozy at different times throughout the day there could be a medical condition related to your dizzy spells. It’s important for your doctor to be informed about the symptoms that you’re having so he can take the necessary steps to help you feel better. Here are a few common causes of dizziness:

• Low blood pressure
• Low blood sugar
• Getting up or down out of a chair too fast
• Pregnancy
• Electrolyte imbalance
• Migraine onset
• An inner ear condition such as vertigo or Meniere’s disease
• After-effects of alcohol

A general feeling of unsteadiness can also trigger a dizzy spell. It’s important that when you start to feel dizzy you find a safe and comfortable place to rest. Some people prefer to lie down flat while others prefer to remain in a sitting position to help gain control of their balance. Your doctor may wish to run a series of blood tests on you to see if anything shows up that could be an underlying trigger or he may wish to adjust your medications. If you drink a lot of alcohol, this can cause feelings of unsteadiness and dizziness. Overworking yourself and not replenishing fluids is another way that dizziness can occur.

Tools Around The House To Help

If your dizziness is becoming more than just an isolated event, you may want to incorporate some tools around the house to assist. One would be a recliner lift chair. A lift chair helps to slowly re-position you so you can get in and out of it. If you need the assistance of a walker or wheelchair, it can become especially helpful for transitioning. Because it slowly moves you in an upward or downward motion, it can reduce the likelihood that you’ll feel dizzy upon standing. Having handles in your shower and around your toilet can also help you cope with dizzy spells. Being able to grab a handle for support can reduce your fall risk and give you a little more balance.

When To Be Concerned About Lightheadedness

Most of the time feeling a little lightheaded is nothing to worry about. It can be as simple as a temporary fluctuation in your blood pressure or not getting enough nutrition. It may be time to show concern when you actually pass out from it, this is referred to as syncope. This means you completely lose consciousness. Even if it’s for a few seconds, it can be due to the cause of an underlying medical event that needs attention. If you fall when you pass out, you’ll need to see a doctor right away.

Experiencing any sort of slurred speech or cognitive issues could be the sign of a stroke, so call 911 right away. If you’ve noticed that you’re dizzy when you get up in the morning, be sure to rise out of bed slowly and not shift your head too fast from one side to the other. A sudden movement of your head can change the pressure in your inner ear and cause you to feel dizzy when you rise out of bed.

Controlling The Symptoms

Occasional dizziness often passes on its own without having to do anything but sit or lie down and rest for a while. If you do have dizziness frequently, you’ll need to find ways to control the symptoms. This starts with staying hydrated and taking all of your medications as prescribed by your doctor correctly. Avoiding any changes in your eating habits can also help. Try not to keep your eyes open during a dizzy spell, close them and try to relax. If you know what the triggers are for your dizziness, try to avoid them or take the steps to take precautions from having a severe dizzy spell spiral out of control.

Dizziness doesn’t have to be debilitating. Finding ways to cope will help you avoid panic and discomfort when an episode occurs.

This is a blog post by Nancy Evans.