About this topic
Dizziness is a feeling of being lightheaded. You may also feel like you are about to faint or pass out. It may be hard to walk straight. Dizziness most often happens when a person does not get enough blood to the brain. You may not have had enough water to drink, so your body fluid level is too low. Dizziness can happen when you get up too quickly from lying down or sitting to standing. You can get these feelings when your blood sugar is too low. You may have had a reaction to stress, fear, or pain. The sight of blood or other thoughts can cause a drop in your blood pressure and make you feel dizzy. Certain drugs can lower blood pressure and cause this problem. Some illnesses may make you feel dizzy, like: ‚
- Heart problems
- Stroke
- Head injury
- Anxiety
- Alcohol or drug use
You may feel dizzy for a short time and then it may go away. It may also last for a long time and disrupt your daily activities. Treatment for dizziness depends on the cause. ‚
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What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Your doctor will give you tips to help avoid dizzy spells.
- Avoid changing your position too quickly. Take care when moving from lying down or sitting to standing.
- Avoid climbing ladders. Try not to do work in high places such as trees or the roof of your house.
- Sit or lie down and rest when you are feeling dizzy.
- Take your drugs as ordered by your doctor.
- Use a walking device such as a cane, crutches, or walker for balance.
- Turn on the lights at night when you get out of bed to go to the toilet.
- Do not drink beer, wine, and mixed drinks (alcohol).
- Avoid being in situations that might cause dizziness and passing out.
What follow-up care is needed?
- Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits.
- Your doctor may send you to a brain doctor to figure out the cause of your dizziness.
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Treat the condition that causes dizziness
Will physical activity be limited?
- Avoid activities that may cause dizzy spells.
- Do not drive if you are feeling dizzy.
- Do not use running machines if you are feeling dizzy.
What problems could happen?
- Fall and hurt yourself
- Get in a car accident
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
- Drink lots of fluids each day.
- Have your doctor review your drugs and try to decrease drugs that cause dizziness.
- Use a blood pressure monitor.
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Trouble moving an arm or leg
- Trouble speaking or confusion
- Weakness
- If you have fallen or loss of balance
- Severe headache
- You are not feeling better in 2 to 3 days or you are feeling worse
Helpful tips
If you are having dizzy spells: ‚
- Sit down in a chair and put your head between your knees.
- Breathe deeply and slowly.
- Stand up slowly.
- Get some fresh air.
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my condition.
- I can tell you what I will do to help me stay safe when moving about.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have problems talking or moving.
Where can I learn more?
American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery ‚
http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/dizzinessMotionSickness.cfm ‚
Ministry of Health ‚
http://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/conditions-and-treatments/diseases-and-illnesses/dizziness ‚
NHS Choices ‚
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dizziness/pages/introduction.aspx ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚