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How to Deal With Dizziness
We rely on our senses for everything we do. Our senses work together to understand the surrounding area and help us decide how to move and accomplish tasks. But what happens if there is interference within this complex system?
The human body uses input from the eyes, ears, and sensory nerves to create a sense of balance. If one or more of these send conflicting signals to the brain, we feel dizzy.
While the condition itself is not life-threatening, dealing with dizziness can have a significant effect on quality of life. Dizziness can be so severe that patients cannot perform their daily routines. Hence, treating dizziness has become a common challenge for doctors.
Identifying the Symptoms of Dizziness
Common symptoms include feeling that the room is moving, lightheadedness, loss of balance, and wooziness. The feeling is exacerbated when standing up, walking, or simply moving your head around. It can be accompanied by nausea. Some people experience an urge to stay sitting or lying down.
An episode for a person can last anywhere between a few minutes to several days. For some people, it is a recurring problem.
What Causes Dizziness?
Most of the time, dizziness is associated with another condition or outside factor. Looking at the other symptoms can help find the root cause of the problem. Medical professionals work to understand the symptoms and identify the triggers.
Conditions like infection, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, migraine, or Ménière’s disease can cause dizziness.
In addition, poor circulation can reduce the blood to the brain leading to dizziness. Conditions like heart arrhythmia, cardiomyopathy, and a sudden drop in blood pressure can cause this. It is up to the doctor to identify the cause.
Other potential causes of dizziness include:
- Anxiety attacks or disorders
- Medications with side effects
- Neurological conditions like multiple sclerosis
- Anemia (low levels of iron)
- Dehydration
- Overheating
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Low blood sugar
Complications Associated With Dizziness
Dealing with dizziness is riskier for older adults. They risk losing their balance, falling, and injuring themselves. People should not operate heavy machinery and vehicles when feeling dizzy.
Other more severe complications may arise if the source of dizziness is not treated. For example, if someone is feeling dizzy because of problems with blood pressure, it can eventually lead to hypertension and heart problems.
When to Visit ShorePoint Health Emergency & Urgent Care – Cape Coral for Dizziness
People who suffer from recurring dizziness are advised to seek medical attention so their doctor can find the cause. However, there are instances when emergency medical attention is required. That is when the dizziness is accompanied by:
- A severe headache
- Difficulty breathing
- Chest pains
- Paralysis or numbing of the limbs
- Double vision
- Fainting
- Slurred speech
- Seizures
- Irregular heartbeat
- Weakness
- Facial numbing
- Ongoing vomiting
- Sudden change in hearing
As one of the only health systems in Cape Coral with ER and urgent care services under one roof, ShorePoint Health Emergency & Urgent Care offers affordable pricing, quality care, and trained staff. Patients are only billed based on the level of care received, and there are no appointments needed for in-person visits. The ER is available 24 hours a day, every day, and the urgent care walk-in clinic hours of operation are from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
ShorePoint Health Emergency & Urgent Care – Cape Coral, a department of ShorePoint Health Punta Gorda, is located at 2521 Del Prado Blvd. N. in Cape Coral and may be reached at 239-356-0740.