Dizziness is a symptom where your spatial perception becomes disoriented, causing you to lose stability. Temporary dizziness can occur through simple acts such as rapidly spinning in place or even riding a roller coaster. Other times though, it can be a frequent sensation that causes individuals to feel unsteady, weak, woozy, disoriented, and/or faint.
The good news is, dizziness rarely indicates a life-threatening issue. It is treatable through methods that vary by person to person. And by evaluating what causes dizziness and studying your symptoms, your doctor will be able to create a treatment plan.
But if you’re curious to know what causes dizziness, continue reading below for seven possible underlying issues.
What Causes Dizziness?
Have you ever felt:
- A loss of balance or unsteadiness?
- A false sense of spinning or motion?
- A sense of floating or even feeling woozy?
- Lightheadedness?
If you are among the unfortunate few, the aforementioned sensations can be triggered when you walk, stand up, or even move your head.
Sometimes, dizziness is accompanied by nausea, and the symptom may last anywhere from seconds to days.
So what causes dizziness exactly? Let’s take a look:
Blood Circulation Problems
If your heart is not pumping enough blood to your brain, that can cause dizziness.
If your heart isn’t pumping enough blood, it could be because your systolic blood pressure dropped to a dramatically low degree. It could also be due to heart conditions such as:
- transient ischemic attack
- heart arrhythmia
- heart attack
- cardiomyopathy
Inner Ear Disturbance
Your sense of balance depends on the combined input from your inner ear, sensory nerves, and eyes. When there is a disturbance or disorder in the inner ear, your brain receives false signals – signals that are not consistent with what your sensory nerves and eyes are observing.
When an inner ear disturbance occurs, your brain gets confused and you experience vertigo.
Inner ear disturbance can occur due to a variety of medical conditions, such as:
Certain Medications
Certain medications can cause dizziness. Some of which include:
- Antidepressants
- anti-seizure drugs
- Tranquilizers
- sedatives
If you are taking a medication for lowering your blood pressure, you can feel dizzy if your blood pressure drops too much.
Hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia refers to low blood sugar levels and it usually occurs in people who have diabetes and are using insulin. In these cases, dizziness can be accompanied by anxiety and sweating.
Anemia
If you have low levels of iron caused by anemia, you can experience dizziness along with weakness and fatigue.
Dehydration
Dizziness can be caused when your body overheats from being active in hot weather or not drinking enough fluids.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
If you have been exposed to carbon monoxide, you may experience flu-like symptoms. One of which happens to be dizziness.
Dizziness And Other Symptoms
It is recommended you speak with a doctor if you feel sudden, recurrent, and/or prolonged episodes of dizziness. You should also see a doctor right away if your dizziness is accompanied with the following symptoms:
- Chest pain
- Double vision
- Numbness in arms or legs
- Difficulty breathing
- Headache
- Vomiting
- Confusion
- Seizures
Don’t Delay in Talking To A Doctor. Contact 24 Hour Docs
If left untreated, dizziness can result in long-term consequences that can’t be easily resolved. If you live in California, schedule a video consultation with one of our board-certified doctors to discuss your symptoms and receive effective treatment. If you want to know more about what causes dizziness, don’t hesitate to call 24 Hour Docs at 877-244-6876 or contact us online.