Dizziness : Causes, Types, Treatment and Symptoms

It is used to describe the feeling of being off balance or woozy, which can range from a harmless occurrence to a serious underlying symptom, and is commonly seen as a symptom of an underlying condition that arises from the body’s balancing systems, including the inner ears, eyes, and sensory nerves.

Most common dizziness symptoms:

• Sensation of the spinning of the surrounding space (vertigo)
• Presyncope or lightheadedness
• Dysequilibrium, imbalance, or being wobbly
• A vague feeling of being disoriented, a.k.a “spaced-out” or “swimmy-headed”
• Accompanying symptoms, like difficulty focusing or confusion, or blurred vision.

Causes of Dizziness

Dizziness can be attributed to various factors, including issues with the inner ear, specific medications, infections, carbon monoxide poisoning, hypoglycemia, and dehydration. The specialist may also identify other causes, such as vascular and haematological abnormalities, lifestyle and environmental influences, and mental health conditions.

• Anemia
• Migraine
• Labyrinthitis
• Hypoglycemia
• Motion sickness
• Meniere’s disease
• Orthostatic hypotension
• Anxiety or panic attacks
• Carbon monoxide poisoning
• Dehydration and overheating
• Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)
• Inner ear problems like infections or inflammation
• Medications: Anti-seizure drugs and blood pressure medications

When to Seek a Specialist for Your Dizziness?

When dizziness occurs, without a proper explanation, and is persistent, recurring, and radiates mildly, it is advised to refer to your general physician. And if accompanied by other symptoms, like chest pain, numbness, or severe headache, seek medical emergency care from a specialist, such as neurology, ENT, or cardiology, immediately.

• Numbness or weakness in your face, arms and legs.
• Difficulty speaking or swallowing.
• Double vision
• Fainting or loss of consciousness.
• Shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing.
• Chest pain with slight pressure or lightness.

Don’t wait for signs to grow severe. Consult our ENT Specialists today

Diagnostic Approach for Dizziness

Dizziness requires a systematic diagnostic approach, involving detailed medical history, conducting a physical examination with specific maneuvers, and several diagnostic tests to identify the underlying cause.

• Knowing when the dizziness occurs and what provokes it.
• Prioritizing the timing and triggers over the quality of the symptoms.
• Discussion of the associated symptoms.
• Head Impulse – Assessment of how well the eyes fixate on the target when the head turns.
• Nystagmus – Check and track any involuntary eye movement
• Test of Skew – Checks for any misalignment of the eye.
• Dix-Hallpike Maneuver – Performed to diagnose BPPV by noting a specific type of nystagmus
• Measuring vital signs for orthostatic hypertension
• Determine if the cause is peripheral or central
• MRI imaging test

Types of Dizziness

Understanding the type and nature of the dizziness is crucial, as it can help narrow down the potential causes, ranging from minor inner ear conditions to severe neurological and cardiovascular conditions. This could help specialists in formulating an appropriate and personalized treatment plan.

Dizziness is an umbrella term that defines several multitude of sensations, and here are the types of Dizziness:

• Vertigo – illusion of movement like the room is spinning, tilting, or swaying, caused by inner ear problems or impairment of the vestibular nerve.
• Presyncope or Lightheadedness – feeling of fainting associated with weakness, sensation of floating, or blurred vision, caused by the temporary drop in the blood to the brain.
• Non-specific dizziness – often associated with a mental health condition, where the patient may experience an unsettling, vague sensation that can be described as “woozy” or “disconnected”.
• Disequilibrium (steadiness) – sense of unsteadiness or loss of balance without the spinning sensation, often caused by problems affecting the sensory input used for balancing.

How to treat the dizziness symptoms?

Dizziness symptoms have multiple causes that directly depend on the multiple causes. Treatment for dizziness may include medications, lifestyle adjustments, dietary changes, and at-home strategies, such as limitations on alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine; maintaining body hydration; and walking slowly.

For any known underlying causes, the treatments performed are as follows:

1. For Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)

• Epley Maneuver – repeated head and body movements using gravity to propel the crystals back to their proper place.
• Brandt-Daroff Exercises – a type of home exercises that involve repeated movements from a seated to a side-lying position and helps reposition the crystals.

2. For Chronic Balance Issues

• Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT) – a form of physical therapy that trains the brain and nervous system to compensate for problems within the inner ear, by improving the stability during head movements, and decreasing sensitivity towards motion.

3. For Meniere’s Disease

• Middle-ear Injections – To reduce the inflammation and the imbalance functioning of the affected ear.

What if Dizziness is Left Untreated?

Untreated dizziness can result in severe complications, including physical dangers, such as falls, psychological distress, social impact, and several underlying conditions, where treatment becomes crucial not only to alleviate symptoms but also to address the root cause, prevent complications, and restore the quality of life.

• Increases the risk of falls
• It can result in head or hip injuries.
• Long-term balancing problems.
• Permanent loss of hearing due to certain vestibular disorders.
• It can be a symptom of underlying health problems like stroke or heart issues.
• Anxiety or depression
• Social isolation by distance themselves from social situations.
• Risk of accidents
• Lifestyle degradation

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