Dizziness is a sensation like floating, spinning, spinning, or feeling like you might pass out. Anyone can experience dizziness and the sensations they feel can differ from one person to another.
Actually, dizziness is not a disease, but a symptom of certain conditions or diseases. Dizziness is common, but rarely a sign of a dangerous condition. However, these symptoms still require a doctor's examination, especially if they occur continuously and are prolonged.
Causes of Dizziness
Dizziness is rarely caused by dangerous conditions. Sometimes, dizziness occurs due to changes in complex body systems, for example during pregnancy, when you wake up , after exercising, or during menstruation. The origin of dizziness in this condition is difficult to trace.
Here are some conditions that are known to cause dizziness:
Disturbance in the ear
Disturbances that occur in the ear can cause dizziness or vertigo , which is a dizzy sensation like feeling the environment around it spinning or moving.
There are several disorders in the ear that can cause vertigo, including benign paroxysmal positional vertigo ( BPPV ), vestibular neuritis, acoustic neuroma , and Meniere's disease .
Motion sickness is also associated with disturbances in the balance system in the ear. As a result, people who experience this condition will often feel dizzy.
Blood circulation disorders
Dizziness can appear when blood circulation is disturbed, for example when suffering from low blood pressure , stroke, or heart disease .
Other causes
Dizziness can also be caused by other factors, such as:
- Nervous disorders, including Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis
- Effects of drugs, such as anti-seizure drugs, antidepressants , sedatives, sedatives, and blood pressure lowering drugs
- Iron deficiency (anemia)
- Anxiety disorders
- Hypoglycemia (lack of sugar in the blood)
- The weather is too hot and dehydrated
- Short term effects of drinking alcohol
Symptoms of Dizziness
Dizziness can be described by the following sensations:
- Feeling like you are floating or out of balance
- Kliyengan or feeling faint
- Head feels heavy
- The surroundings felt like they were spinning
This dizzy sensation can come suddenly (suddenly) or slowly, and only briefly or continuously and for a long time. Dizziness that is felt can also get worse when the sufferer walks, stands, sits, lies down, or moves his head.
Apart from the sensation of dizziness itself, other symptoms that can accompany it are weakness, nausea , vomiting, and cold sweats . However, the complaints that everyone feels when they are dizzy can vary, depending on the cause.
When to see a doctor
Generally, dizziness is not a condition to worry about. However, dizziness can also be a symptom of a dangerous disease. Therefore, check with your doctor if you experience prolonged dizziness, frequent relapses, or sudden onset.
An examination to the doctor must also be done immediately if you experience dizziness accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Unbearable headache
- Double vision
- Neck feels stiff
- Numbness or numbness in the face
- Hearing impairment
- Confused or difficulty speaking
- Continuous vomiting
- Numbness or paralysis in the arms or legs
- Hard to walk
- Chest pain
- Heart pounding
- Hard to breathe
- Lost consciousness
- seizures
Dizziness accompanied by the above symptoms can be a sign of a more serious condition.
Diagnosis of Dizziness
To diagnose dizziness, the doctor will start the examination by asking about the symptoms experienced and the treatment that the patient may be currently undergoing. After that, the doctor can carry out further examinations, such as:
- Balance test, to see the brain that is still functioning from the way the patient walks
- MRI or CT scan, to visually see any disturbances in the head or brain
- Blood test, to see blood sugar or iron levels
Dizziness Treatment and Prevention
Usually, dizziness can heal without special treatment, because sufferers will adapt to changes in the body's systems that cause dizziness. However, to help relieve dizziness, there are several efforts that can be done independently, including:
- Sit or lie down when you feel dizzy to relieve the sensation.
- Lie down and close your eyes in a dark room to relieve the spinning sensation of vertigo
- Rest in a cool room
- Avoid consuming caffeinated drinks (coffee or tea) and alcohol, as well as cigarette smoke, because they can worsen the sensation you feel
- Perform maneuvers for vertigo
Meanwhile, some things that can be done to prevent dizziness are:
- Exercise regularly
- Consume enough water
- Ensure sufficient sleep time
- Healthy diet low in salt (for Meniere's disease )
- Do not consume caffeine or alcohol in excess
Treatment to the doctor must be done if worrying symptoms appear, as previously described. The doctor will determine treatment based on the cause of the condition and symptoms experienced.
If your dizziness doesn't improve, your doctor will give you the following medicines to relieve your symptoms:
- Diuretics to treat Meniere's disease
- Medicines to treat vertigo and nausea, such as antihistamines and anticholinergics
- Anti-anxiety medication
In addition to the drugs above, there are therapies that can be done to help with symptoms of dizziness, such as head position change therapy (Epley therapy) for dizziness due to vertigo, balance therapy, and psychotherapy .
Several other procedures, such as removal of parts of the hearing organ, can also be performed if the above methods cannot treat the dizziness you are experiencing.
Dizziness Complications
Although generally harmless, dizziness can cause complications in sufferers. People who experience dizziness have a higher risk of falling and sustaining injury, because it is difficult for the body to move in balance when dizziness occurs.
Therefore, dizziness sufferers are advised not to walk too fast or walk with a stick if the dizziness they feel is severe enough.
Dizziness can also increase the likelihood of an accident when sufferers drive their own vehicles. In addition, dizziness that is not treated can cause the underlying conditions to go undetected. As a result, the conditions experienced can get worse.