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Dizziness

Dizziness Overview

Dizziness is a common description for many different feelings. The feeling of dizziness may be very familiar to you, yet difficult to describe.

Vertigo is a medical term to describe the feeling of spinning, whirling, or motion either of yourself or your surroundings. This is the same feeling you might have after getting off a merry-go-round or spinning in place. Several diseases of the balance organs of the inner ear can cause vertigo, or it may be a symptom of a tumor or stroke.

  • Dizziness may be just mildly annoying or caused by something possibly life threatening.

  • When you might feel dizziness

    • Fainting or near fainting such as "at the sight of blood" or with emotional upset

    • Fainting or near fainting from standing up too quickly or standing still too long

    • Weakness during a flu, cold, or other illness

    • Seasickness or motion sickness

    • Queasiness, nausea, or vomiting

    • Confused thinking

    • Fatigue, tiredness, or daytime sleepiness

    • Clumsy hands or stumbling walking


Next: Dizziness Causes »

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Dizziness - Describe Your Diagnosis

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Dizziness

Fatigue »

Fatigue Overview

Fatigue is a common health complaint. It is, however, one of the hardest terms to define, and a symptom of many different conditions.

Fatigue, also known as weariness, tiredness, exhaustion, or lethargy, is generally defined as a feeling of lack of energy. Fatigue is not the same as drowsiness, but the desire to sleep may accompany fatigue. Apathy is a feeling of indifference that may accompany fatigue or exist independently.

Fatigue is common. Around 20% of Americans claim to have fatigue intense enough to interfere with their having a normal life. Physical causes are estimated at 20-60%, and emotional causes are the other 40-80%. The challenge is how to tell what is causing your fatigue and whether it is serious enough to see your doctor.

Fatigue Causes

  • Sleep disturbances
    • Not enough sleep

    • Too much sleep

    • Sleep apnea
      ...

Read the Fatigue article »



Read What Your Physician is Reading on eMedicine

Dizziness, Vertigo, and Imbalance »

Dizziness and vertigo are among the most common symptoms causing patients to visit a physician (as common as back pain and headaches).

Read More on eMedicine »

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