Comment
Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
Dizziness is a non-specific term used to express a variety of sensations like lightheadedness, imbalance, or like the room is spinning. Its causes range from standing up too quickly to more serious conditions—like vertigo—that merit medical treatment. Most of the time, dizziness is an acute symptom that resolves quickly and on its own, but sometimes it may signal a more serious problem. This article discusses the symptoms and potential causes of dizziness and covers the risk factors and when to seek tests or treatment for your symptoms. FG Trade / Getty Images Symptoms of Dizziness Dizzy is a subjective feeling that differs from person to person. Dizziness is most commonly described as one of the following sensations: LightheadednessWoozyFeeling like your spinning or disorientedUnsteady (like you are going to lose your balance)A swimming feeling like you need to hold onto something or concentrate while walking Sometimes dizziness is also accompanied by: ClamminessNauseaVomitingPalenessLoss of consciousness Types of Dizziness The various types of dizziness are outlined below. Vertigo Vertigo is a subtype of dizziness characterized by a sensation of motion either of the body or the surrounding environment due to dysfunction of the vestibular system, which helps maintain balance. Vertigo is most commonly described as the feeling of the room spinning while you’re still. There are many different subtypes of vertigo, such as: Vestibular neuritisBenign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)Vestibular migraine (the most common type) The cause of your dizziness may differ depending on the subtype, but they all show some level of discord in how the brain interprets visual information about one’s position in space. Of note, vertigo can be a medical condition in and of itself—oftentimes of unknown origin—or a symptom of an underlying medical condition such as a metabolic disorder like kidney failure, multiple sclerosis, or stroke. Presyncope Presyncope is that faint feeling you feel when you get up too quickly. More commonly known as lightheadedness, presyncope occurs when blood is restricted to the brain. Disequilibrium Disequilibrium is the feeling of unsteadiness or imbalance often associated with inner ear dysfunction, ear infections, and neuro-degenerative conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease. Causes of Dizziness The foremost common causes of dizziness are:Ear infections Inner ear disorders (such as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo [BPPV] and Meniere's syndrome)Motion sicknessSide effects from medication It’s also important to note that sometimes the cause of your dizziness simply cannot be explained. What Medications Can Cause Dizziness Any medication that is toxic to the inner ear (ototoxic) or can precipitate an electrolyte imbalance in the body has the potential to cause dizziness. The following medications (and their drug classes) most commonly trigger medication-induced vertigo-like symptoms: Analgesics (codeine)Antibiotics (aminoglycosides, macrolides, minocycline, nitrofurantoin, sulfamethoxazole)Anticonvulsants (levetiracetam, phenytoin, pregabalin)Anti-inflammatories (celecoxib, parecoxib, naproxen, prednisone)Antimalarials (mefloquine, quinine, hydroxychloroquine)Antivirals (oseltamivir, raltegravir)Anti-Parkinson’s drugs (lisuride)Cardiovascular drugs (nifedipine, furosemide, indapamide, prazosin, terazosin, glyceryl trinitrate, isosorbide mononitrate, sotalol, timolol)Gastroenterology drugs (omeprazole, lansoprazole, sucralfate)Rheumatology drugs (zolendronic acid, alendronate)Phosphodiesterase type-5 inhibitors (sildenafil, vardenafil)Other medicines (lithium, haloperidol, benzodiazepines, desmopressin, melatonin) How to Treat Dizziness Finding the root cause of your dizziness will determine the
Add Comment