Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor
Medically Reviewed on 3/11/2019
Doctor's Notes on Dizziness
Dizziness is a very nonspecific symptom with a number of causes. Medically, dizziness can refer to vertigo, lightheadedness, feeling faint, or unsteadiness. Some of the multiple conditions that may cause lightheadedness include hypotension (low blood pressure), hypertension (high blood pressure), dehydration, endocrine disorders, heart conditions, and orthostatic hypotension.
Dizziness can be a temporary symptom that goes away on its own. It may be accompanied by a sense of spinning or that one’s surroundings are spinning (known as vertigo). Vertigo is often a result of disturbances in the inner ear or the balance-regulating areas of the brain. Lightheadedness can result from altered blood flow to the brain due to any cause. Depending on the cause, dizziness may have other associated symptoms like chest pain, sweating, weakness, nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath, or fever.
Vertigo and Balance Disorders : Test Your Medical IQ Quiz
QuestionWhat is vertigo?
See AnswerMust Read Articles:
-
Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety as a medical condition is characterized by worry, fear, nervousness, shortness of breath, sleep problems and other symptoms. Diarrhea, tremors, and rapid heart rate are some physical symptoms of severe anxiety, which may arise from a mental or physical condition, drug use, or some combination of these causes. Treatment can include medication and psychotherapy. -
Atrial Fibrillation vs. Ventricular Fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation or Afib and ventricular fibrillation or Vfib are both a type of abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia). Atrial fibrillation is caused by irregular electrical impulses in the atria and ventricular fibrillation is caused by irregular electrical impulses in the ventricles. Symptoms of both Afib and Vfib are shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea, and chest pain. -
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is a common cause of vertigo. Causes of BPPV include infections, nerve inflammation, ear surgery complications, medication side effects, and more. Treatment may be with medication or therapy with health care professionals specializing in BPPV disorders. -
Cluster Headache FAQs
Cluster headaches are uncommon, but they come in groups and are characterized by intense pain, usually focused around one or both eyes. The cause of cluster headaches is unknown, but they can be treated with a variety of medications. -
Cluster Headaches
Cluster headaches are different that typical headaches or migraines in that they begin intensely and last from 5 minutes to an hour. They may come several times during the day, punctuated by painless periods. The cause is unclear, but competing theories trace this type of headache to either a malfunctioning vascular system in the brain, or a malfunctioning neurological symptom in the brain. A variety of drugs is used to treat cluster headaches. -
Fainting
Fainting or syncope, is a temporary loss of consciousness. Causes of fainting include vasovagal, situational, postural, cardiac, neurologic, and psychogenic. Treatment of fainting depends on the cause. -
Head Injury (Traumatic Brain Injury)
Head injury is a general term used to describe any trauma to the head, and most specifically to the brain itself. Several types of head injuries may occur such as skull fractures, intracranial hemorrhage (bleeding) such as subdural or epidural hematoma. Treatment of a head or brain injury depends on the cause and severity of the injury. Skull fracture: A skull fracture is a break in ... -
Migraine and Cluster Headache Medications
Migraines and cluster headaches are severe recurrent headaches. Medications to treat them fall under a number of different categories. These include triptans and ergot alkaloids for abortive therapy. For preventative therapy, a number of different drug classes are available, including beta blockers, predisone, antidepressants, lithium, antiseizure medications and others. -
Migraine Headache
Migraine headaches are one of the most common problems seen by doctors, Urgent Care Centers, and Emergency Departments. While the exact cause of this type of headache is not clearly understood, researchers and doctors believe they are due to changes in the brain and surrounding blood vessels.Triggers for migraine headache are certain foods (chocolate, cheese, alcohol, msg, etc.), stress, birth control pills, and smoking.Signs and symptoms of a migraine include a variety of warning signs (referred to as “prodome”), for example, feeling "high," irritable, or depressed, migraine aura, headache pain, and migraine pain that resolves. Other migraine symptoms, for example, problems eating, concentrating, and fatigue may linger after the pain is gone. -
Migraine Headache FAQs
The difference between headache and migraine often includes intense pain, sensitivity to light, sound and smells, and nausea and vomiting for migraine headache. Migraines last from 4 hours to 3 days and may be preceded by pre-migraine symptoms like auras. The exact cause of migraines is unclear, but numerous triggers can precipitate a migraine attack. Migraines may be managed and/or prevented by a combination of medication and avoiding triggers. -
Migraine Headache in Children
Migraine is a headache condition that comes back again and again. Ten percent of children get migraines, and an even higher percentage of teenagers have them. Migraines can be managed with a number of different varieties of medications. -
Migraine Headaches, Vision Effects
Migraines are severe, recurrent headaches that usually affect one side of the head. Many times, symptoms include visual affects like auras or scotomas (a blank patch in the field of vision). Treatment for visual effects of migraines includes a number of drugs used to treat a migraine as a whole, as well as adequate sleep and exercise. -
Sinus Headache
Sinus headache is caused by inflammation or infection of the sinuses. Inflammation may be caused by sinus infection, hay fever, allergic rhinitis, or irritation. Treatment may be with OTC pain medication such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Children's Advil, and many others) or aspirin, decongestant medications. If sinus infection is present antibiotic treatment may be necessary. -
Sinus Infection (Sinusitis)
Chronic and acute sinus infections and sinusitis is a condition in which the sinuses become inflamed and/or infected. Sinus infection symptoms and signs include bad breath, runny or stuffy nose, or nasal congestion, facial pain and swelling, tooth pain, ringing in the ears, sinus headache, fever, sore throat, and cough. -
Tension Headache
Headaches are among the most common complaints worldwide. Though headaches are common symptoms of many diseases, tension-type headaches have specific characteristics, such as a tightening feeling on both sides of the head; sensitivity to light or sound; and other hallmarks. Treatment typically includes nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs). -
Vertigo
Vertigo, a feeling or perception that the environment around you is moving or spinning can be caused by inner ear inflammation, Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, Meniere's disease, migraine, tumor, head trauma, or multiple sclerosis. Typical symptoms of true vertigo include nausea, sweating, vomiting, and abnormal eye movements. Treatment depends upon the cause of vertigo. -
Vomiting and Nausea
Vomiting and nausea are common complaints that accompany many conditions and diseases. A few common causes of vomiting and nausea include food poisoning, viruses, vertigo, head injuries, gallbladder disease, appendicitis, migraine, brain tumors, and infections. Treatment of vomiting and nausea depend on the cause of the symptoms. -
What Not to Eat When You Have Meniere's
Ménière’s disease (also called idiopathic endolymphatic hydrops) is an inner ear disorder that causes problems with hearing and balance. Caffeine, chocolate, alcohol, fatty foods, starchy foods and sugar may all exacerbate symptoms. -
Worst Headache of Your Life
The worst headache of your life may be a life-threatening emergency. Symptoms such as a headache with fever and a stiff neck, a headache that starts with a thunderclap, a headache following a head injury, a headache with loss of vision or numbness of the arms or legs, or a headache with a fever (not caused by the flu) are emergent medical conditions. Treatment of the worst headache of your life depends on the cause of the headache.
REFERENCE:
Kasper, D.L., et al., eds. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 19th Ed. United States: McGraw-Hill Education, 2015.