What Causes Dizziness and Nausea?

Dizziness and nausea is a common condition. There is hardly a person nowadays who hasn’t experienced it. The feeling is quite uneasy because it makes you lose your balance and feel unstable. There could be various causes for dizziness and most of them are not life threatening. However, sometimes the matter is more serious and should not be overlooked. The question is how to identify the worrying cases and handle them in time. The term “dizziness” is used to describe several conditions.  To help the doctor determine how serious the problem is, we have to explain the symptoms as clearly as possible.

Other Symptoms Accompanied Dizziness and Nausea

Here are some typical symptoms when you feel dizzy or nauseous:

Symptoms

Description

Light Headedness

You feel weak as though you are going to faint. It could be accompanied by sweating, nausea and blurred vision. These symptoms are usually supposed to pass in a short time.

Rush of Dizziness

This is a condition typically associated with dehydration or bleeding. The symptoms worsen when you stand up and subside when you lie down. The condition is also known as hypostatic hypotension.

Uneven Heart Rhythm

Heart beat disturbances sometimes occur suddenly and may be short lived, but may also last longer. The heart may start beating faster-often described as pounding, slower or have a regular rhythm.

Vertigo

This is a feeling of head spinning. It happens suddenly and may be accompanied by nausea or vomiting. People with inner ear conditions may feel a rush of weakness or even temporary inability to move.

Coordination Problems

These symptoms are typical if vertigo is caused by cerebellar disorders such as stroke or tumor. The patient may also experience walking difficulties.

Causes of Dizziness and Nausea

Dizziness and nausea can be caused by different factors or conditions, and you can find the common and less common causes below to help you understand why you feel dizzy and nauseous.

1. Typical Causes of Dizziness and Nausea

  • A viral disease which has damaged the ear. It can cause violent dizziness, known as vertigo.
  • Migraine. Dizziness may sometimes occur on its own, unaccompanied by headache.
  • Stress or anxiety. This condition is often associated with heavy breathing.
  • Low levels of blood sugar, typically associated with diabetes.
  • A sharp fall of blood pressure when you suddenly sit or stand up and it’s likely to pass when you lie down. The condition is known as postural hypotension and is often seen with older people.
  • Dehydration. It happens if you do not drink enough liquids during hard physical activity. It may also be caused by a disease provoking vomiting such as diarrhea or fever.
  • Vertebrobasilar inefficiency &atherosclerosis. Vertebrobasilar inefficiency means insufficient blood flow in the back side of the brain. The condition which is called atherosclerosis means the blood vessels leading from the heart to the brain may get clogged.

2. Rare Causes of Dizziness and Nausea

  • Any violent disease which damages the whole body
  • Recreational drugs or misuse of alcohol (either occasional or regular)
  • Certain kinds of medicines such as antidepressants or blood pressure medicines
  • A heart rhythm condition like atrial fibrillation (accelerated heart beating)
  • Poisoning with carbon monoxide

How to Treat Dizziness and Nausea

Dizziness and nausea are rather unpleasant and can disrupt everyday activities. Most often, you can handle it by yourselves, but if the case is more serious, you should seek a professional treatment.

1. Home Remedies for Dizzness and Nausea

Home Remedies

Description

Sit or lie down

When you feel dizzy and nuseous, quickly sit or lie down.Remain seated or lying for a few minutes until the dizziness and nausea pass.

Drink liquids

Dizziness and nusea are often due to dehydration. If you cannot drink much water, try other beverages such as energy drinks, tea with little sugar, soup or broth, or fruit juices dashed with water.

Eat something

Dizziness and nusea can be due to low blood sugar levels. When you feel lightheaded, have a quick snack, preferably high in sugar or carbohydrates which will burn easily. A piece of chocolate or a banana is a good choice too.

Focus on a particular point

This trick is used by dancers to prevent dizziness or nausea while spinning. Focusing on some point such as a spot on the wall or a small object in the room keeps you aware that you have your feet firmly on the floor, despite the feeling of spinning.

Breathe deeply

Dizziness and nausea can be a result of stress or a panic attack. In such cases you tend to breathe faster. Try to breathe slowly and deeply. This will help you to calm down and the feeling will go away.

Stay in the dark

If you feel dizzy or nauseous, avoid bright light, including such from TV or computer screen. Bright light will make you feel disoriented and will worsen you condition. You’d better lie down in a dark room until the dizziness or nausea passes.

Try Epley maneuver

The Epley maneuver is an exercise for the head and neck, which is used to remove symptoms of dizziness and vertigo. Lie down, keeping your body in a horizontal position and your head turned at 45 degrees aside. Hold like this for 1-2 minutes. Then turn your head at 90 degrees to the other side–you should be looking at the floor now. Hold like this for a while. Your dizziness and nausea may suddenly worsen, but will subside shortly. Slowly sit back again.

2. Medical Treatment for Different Conditions

If you cannot handle dizziness and nausea on your own, consult a doctor. The specialist will examine your symptoms and prescribe a treatment accordingly.

Conditions

How to Treat

BBPV

This condition is commonly treated by a simple physiotherapeutic procedure–the doctor adjusts the position of your head. It usually takes two or three sessions to feel the effect of the treatment.

Inner ear ailments

Exercises for balance, known also as vestibular rehabilitation, are a common treatment for vestibular dysfunctions such as vestibular neuronitis or labyrinthitis. These are exercises that your therapist teaches you to practice at home. For an immediate alleviation of dizziness and nausea your doctor may prescribe some medication. To restore vestibular functions you may be given a brief course of corticosteroids.

Meniere’s disease

Meniere’s disease is another inner ear illness which affects balance. Its treatment is based on reducing the quantity of fluids in your body. This is commonly done by diuretics or a low-salt diet. Sometimes the specialist may prescribe injections or surgical intervention.

Vestibular migraine

Essential for the treatment of this condition is to establish the cause of vestibular migraine attacks. Then your doctor may recommend changes in your diet or everyday routine in order to block these attacks. Certain medicines may prevent them or alleviate them by removing the unpleasant symptoms like nausea or vomiting. Balance exercises will also help relieve your condition.

Anxiety disorders

These are treated by medication or psychological therapy, or both in combination. They will help you overcome your anxiety and will make your dizziness and nausea go away.

Want to know how to treat dizziness and nausea from a professional? Check this video out:

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