Dizziness is one of the common complaints heard by doctors; this is because dizziness can be a symptom of many, many physical illnesses and experiences (like aging). If you're feeling dizzy, it's important that you take careful stock of simultaneous symptoms, your surroundings and circumstances (are you moving quickly? drinking a lot of alcohol?), and possible causes (are taking a lot of medication or eating poorly?). This will help you get rid of your dizziness faster, and, if necessary, help a doctor diagnose the root cause of your dizziness.
Here we've explained simple steps you can take to stop feeling dizzy as soon as possible, as well as outlined common symptoms and causes of dizziness, to help you better undertand why you're feeling dizzy. Dizziness is not a pleasant sensation, and can do much disrupt your daily life, so we hope this information helps you get rid of dizziness as quickly as you can.
Getting Rid of Dizziness
Move slowly and find a focal point as soon as you start to feel dizzy. If you're feeling dizzy, sit down, lie down, or stand still and focus on an inanimate object like a wall or a piece of furniture. Not moving will help your body regain equilibrium, and forcing yourself to focus on something still can counteract other symptoms of dizziness like blurred vision and nausea. Rapid motion can cause a drop in blood pressure that causes dizziness, so after an episode of dizziness continue to move slowly until you feel steady on your feet.
Take a look at your medications if you're feeling dizzy every day or almost every day. Dizziness can be a side-effect of certain medications, including anti-seizure drugs, sedatives, tranquilizers, antihistamines, and blood-pressure medication. If you think your feelings of dizziness are caused by your medication, talk to your doctor about side-effects, alternative medications, and the possibility of changing your dosage.
Modifying your diet can reduce dizziness. Caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco can all contribute to feelings of dizziness, or even cause dizziness in people prone to vertigo, problems balancing, and light-headedness. Artificial sweeteners and highly sweet or salty foods can also affect your body's ability to balance if you're prone to dizziness (aspartame can inhibit the central nervous system, and sweet/salty snacks can affect your inner ear fluid). Eliminating or reducing these elements in your diet can also reduce your dizziness, and certainly won't hurt your overall health.
Stay hydrated to keep from feeling dizzy. Dehydration is a very common cause of dizziness, especially during exercise and hot weather. Make an effort to drink the recommended 8 glasses (64 ounces) of water a day or more -- more especially if you're working outside and/or athletically active. Be aware of situations where you may become dehydrated quickly (sweating, consuming alcohol, losing bodily fluids from illness) and try to keep a bottle of water with you at all times.
See a doctor as soon as possible if you experience frequent or long-term dizziness, or if you experience dizziness along with any of the following symptoms: loss of consciousness, difficulty walking, weakness in your legs or arms, difficulty speaking, difficulty hearing, difficulty seeing, numbness, severe headache, dehydration, severe ear pain, high fever (100.5 degrees Farenheit or higher), slowed heart rate, or chest pain. See the information below, for more information on possible medical treatments of dizziness.
Medical Treatment for Dizziness
If you're experiecing severe or chronic dizziness, especially dizziness accompanied by any of the above-mentioned symptoms, it's time to see your doctor for medical treatment. Because dizziness is a common medical complaint that can be symptomatic of a myriad of medical conditions (see the information on causes to the left), your doctor will base your treatment on your accompanying symptoms.
If your doctor diagnoses vertigo (officially known as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, or BPPV) as the cause of your dizziness, you will likely undergo simple physical therapy to move particles of calcium carbonate crystals loose within your inner ear. When these particles break loose and fall into the wrong parts of the ear canal, you experience vertigo; by manuevering your head in a delibarate manner, you may be able to move the offending particles to a different location, where they can be reabsorbed into the inner ear fluid. BPPV is a common result of aging, or trauma to the head.
Your doctor will likely treat dizziness caused by other inner ear conditions, vestibular migraines, and anxiety by treating the source of these conditions; diet modification, counseling, and coaching to avoid triggers are common approaches. Other physical ailments, such as ear infection or heart problems, can cause dizziness and will need to be treated on an individual basis.
Medications specifically designed to combat symptoms of dizziness are another treatment option. These medications include Meclizine (Antivert), Dimenhydrinate (Dramamine), a Scopolamine patch, Prochlorperazine (Compazine), and Promethazine (Phenergan). Be sure to talk to your doctor about all your treatment option before beginning medical regimine to get rid of your dizziness.
