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What causes lightheadedness?

By BS MediaTwitter Profile | Published: Thursday, 15 November 2018
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Table of contents
  1. Causes
  2. Home remedies
  3. Treatment
  4. When to see a doctor
  5. Takeaway
Lightheadedness is a feeling of faintness, giddiness, or being close to passing out. It can occur aboard dizziness, which affects balance and makes a person feel as though they or their surroundings are handicraft.
Although lightheadedness and dizziness can feel similar, they have different causes.

Experiencing some episodes of lightheadedness is normal. In most cases, these episodes will pass quickly, especially if a person sits or lies down to rest.

In this article, learn about the common causes of lightheadedness. We besides cover possible underlying medical conditions and treatment options.

Causes


Causes of lightheadedness can include illnesses, anxiety, and dehydration.

The most common cause of lightheadedness is erect cardiovascular illness, which is a abrupt drop in blood pressure when a person stands up.

Positional changes, especially quick ones, divert blood flow permanently from the brain to the body. It is more likely that this will result in lightheadedness when a person is dehydrated or ill.

The feeling normally passes quickly, especially if a person sits down again.

Other common causes of lightheadedness include:

  • allergies
  • illnesses, so much as the cold or flu
  • altitude sickness
  • hyperventilating
  • anxiety
  • stress
  • dehydration
  • prolonged exposure to hot weather
  • low blood sugar
  • alcohol, tobacco, or drug use
  • certain medications

Sometimes, lightheadedness may have a more severe underlying cause, so much as:

  • arrhythmia
  • heart attack
  • stroke
  • shock
  • inner ear disorders
  • internal bleeding
  • blood loss
  • neurological conditions, so much as paralysis agitans illness and multiple sclerosis
  • anemia
  • conditions that affect blood flow
  • head injuries
  • eating disorders

If lightheadedness is due to a more serious underlying condition, a person will normally experience extra symptoms.

Home remedies


A person should drink tons of water in hot weather to reduce their risk of falling or fainting.

Most of the time, a person experiencing an episode of lightheadedness can manage their symptoms with home remedies and life style changes.

A person who is prone to experiencing giddiness or lightheadedness should use the following tips to reduce their risk of falling or fainting:

  • Getting up slowly after sitting or lying down.
  • Drinking tons of water, especially in hot weather or during exercise.
  • Eating or drinking thing candied or with simple carbohydrates when feeling faint.
  • Lying or sitting down until the episode passes.
  • Getting enough sleep.
  • Avoiding caffein, tobacco, and alcohol.
  • Limiting salt intake.

Anyone who thinks that their medication may be causation lightheadedness should speak to a doctor.

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Labyrinthitis can occur when a cold, the flu, or a middle ear infection spreads to the inner ear. It can cause nausea, dizziness, giddiness, and hearing problems. Learn more here.
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Treatment

While lightheadedness does not normally require medical care, a doctor may sometimes recommend one of the following treatments, depending on the underlying cause:

  • medications
  • physical medical care
  • psychomedical care
  • compression stockings to keep blood from pooling in the legs

Medications could include:

  • diuretics
  • anti-anxiety medications
  • antinausea medications
  • medications for migraines

If a doctor recommends physical medical care for lightheadedness, a physical healer is likely to teach a person exercises to improve their balance.

In people who have lightheadedness due to anxiety, a doctor may recommend psychomedical care or psychological feature behavioural medical care (CBT) to help them manage this condition. A healer may provide other header mechanisms to reduce a person's stress levels.

In very rare cases, a doctor may advise surgery for perennial episodes of lightheadedness and dizziness. A operating surgeon will perform a labyrinthectomy, which is the removal of part or all of the inner ear.

When to see a doctor


A person should seek emergency medical attention if chest pain accompanies lightheadedness or giddiness.

Most people do not need to seek medical attention for an occasional episode of lightheadedness.

However, it is essential to seek emergency medical attention for lightheadedness or giddiness when one or more of the following symptoms accompany it:

  • weakness on one side of the body
  • facial drooping or numbness
  • slurred speech
  • chest pain
  • pain in the arm, neck, or jaw
  • abrupt severe headache
  • fainting
  • numbness or inability to move the arms or legs
  • vision changes, so much as double vision
  • a rapid or irregular heartbeat
  • seizures
  • vomiting

A person should besides see a doctor instantly if lightheadedness occurs following a head injury.

Takeaway

Lightheadedness is a common experience, and it normally resolves very quickly with no lasting personal effects. People who often experience lightheadedness can normally manage the symptoms at home.

In some cases, lightheadedness may occur as a result of an underlying medical cause, in which case a person is likely to experience extra symptoms.

Anyone who has concerns about lightheadedness should speak to a doctor.

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