Dizziness -causes, Symptoms, Treatment

What is Dizziness
Many different terms are often used to describe what is collectively known as dizziness. Common descriptions include words such as lightheaded, floating, woozy, giddy, confused, helpless or fuzzy. Vertigo, disequilibrium and pre-syncope are the terms in use by most doctors. Dizziness is sometimes a symptom of a balance disorder.

Dizziness: Painless head discomfort with many possible causes including disturbances of vision, the brain, balance (vestibular) system of the inner ear, and gastrointestinal system. Dizziness is a medically indistinct term which laypersons use to describe a variety of conditions ranging from lightheadedness, unsteadiness to vertigo.

Dizziness is one area where doctors and patients fail to see eye to eye. People are seen by multiple specialists and end up with different opinions. You may have the impression that no one is listening to or cares about your problem. After a while you wonder if you're imagining things. Characteristically there is great relief once a diagnosis is firmly in place. Dizziness is not different from any other problem.

Causes of Dizziness
Lightheadedness happens when there is not enough blood getting to the brain. This can happen if there is a sudden drop in your blood pressure or you are dehydrated from vomiting, diarrhea, fever, or other causes. Many people, especially as they get older, experience lightheadedness if they get up too quickly from a lying or seated position. Lightheadedness often accompanies the flu, hypoglycemia, common cold, or allergies.
Sensory nerves. These are in your skin, muscles and joints. Sensory nerves send messages to your brain about body movements and positions.

Low blood pressure, which can have multiple causes ranging from diseases of the heart to bleeding disorders that cause anemia to adverse reactions to medications
Ménière disease (fluctuating pressure of inner ear fluid [endolymph]; results in severe vertigo, ringing in the ears [tinnitus], and progressive hearing loss)

Symptoms of Dizziness
Some people may be describing a sense of light-headedness, while others simply mean they feel wobbly on their feet. They may have a feeling that the room is whirling around, although this is more properly called vertigo, especially if accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

Treatment of Dizziness
Specific treatment depends on the cause identified. Getting sufficient fluids often improves orthostatic hypotension resulting from dehydration. Drugs (such as mineralocorticoids and midodrineSome Trade Names

Inner ear conditions. Balance retraining exercises (vestibular rehabilitation) are used to treat acute vestibular neuronitis or labyrinthitis. These are exercises you learn from a physical therapist or occupational therapist and then do at home. This rehabilitation involves movements of your head and body to correct loss of balance.

Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy
Vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT) is a type of physical therapy used to treat vertigo. The goal of treatment is to minimize dizziness, improve balance, and prevent falls by restoring normal function of the vestibular systemIn most cases, balance improves if the exercises are correctly and faithfully performed. Muscle tension, headaches, and fatigue will diminish, and symptoms of dizziness, vertigo, and nausea will decrease or disappear. Many times, vestibular VRT is so successful that no other treatment is required.