Have you been experiencing sudden dizzy spells? Dizziness is defined as a feeling of lightheadedness. You may also feel a little off-balance or woozy.  Rather than being a condition on its own, dizziness is a symptom of various underlying syndromes and diseases. What are some of the causes of dizziness? What dizziness symptoms can help to identify the underlying problem? Here are some of the things you need to know about dizziness in order to get an accurate diagnosis.

Causes of Dizziness

According to the medical site HealthLine, there are 84 possible conditions that can be causes of dizziness. Obviously, we don’t have time to consider them all here. Dizzy spells could be serious as they can be a sign of a heart attack or stroke. However, dizziness is more often a symptom of less serious conditions. For example, if a person skips a meal, low blood sugar can cause dizziness. Also, if a person recently had a cold or the flu, inflammation of the labyrinth can lead to dizziness.

When sudden dizzy spells become a frequent and long-term occurrence, there may be other more chronic conditions at work. For example, dizziness has been associated with:

• Meniere’s disease – This is a rare condition that presents with vertigo, a false sensation of spinning.
• Multiple sclerosis – Vertigo is a very common indicator of this neurological condition.
• Migraines – You may see the trend that dizziness is common in neurological conditions. Many of these conditions, including migraines, often begin following some type of head or neck trauma (examples include car accidents, slip and fall accidents, and sports injuries).

Again, this is not an exhaustive list of the causes of dizziness by any means, but it does give you an example of the range of conditions that can lead to this very common symptom.

Dizziness Symptoms

What are some of the other symptoms that may accompany sudden dizzy spells? There are many, but here are a few that can help to identify the causes of dizziness:

• Tinnitus – This is a ringing in the ears that frequently accompanies dizziness. It can signal that a vestibular problem (involving the inner ear and vestibular nerve) is at the root of the sudden dizzy spells.
• Hearing loss – This is another indicator of a vestibular condition. Hearing loss is often temporary during a flare-up of the condition, but it can become permanent with long-term conditions or due to complications of certain surgeries that are sometimes suggested for patients with severe vertigo.
• Pressure in the ear – When a vestibular problem is affecting just one ear, a feeling of fullness or pressure in the ear can help to identify which side the problem is on.
• Headaches – This is common when dizziness has its root in the central nervous system. It is also common following head or neck trauma.
• Nausea and vomiting – When sudden dizzy spells are particularly bad and continue for a while, it can lead to nausea or vomiting.
• Congestion – If a person is congested, this could point toward a cold or flu being responsible for the dizziness, although congestion can also be a symptom of a migraine.

These are just some of the symptoms that may be able to help you get a more accurate dizziness diagnosis. As a result, it is important to let your healthcare practitioner know about all of your symptoms, even if dizziness is the only one that is bothering you at the time of your consultation.

Finding Natural Relief

There are very few medications that are used in connection with dizziness, and they are rarely preventative. For example, anti-nausea medications may be prescribed if you are having a problem with vomiting due to the sudden dizzy spells. When a person has Meniere’s disease, a diuretic (water pill) may be prescribed to reduce the amount of fluid in the ear (and, in turn, in the entire body).  Since many of these drugs have limitations when it comes to effectiveness and may come with unwanted side effects, more and more people are looking for natural relief from dizziness. Does it exist?  

There are some things you may be able to do at home to reduce the frequency of dizzy spells. For example, reducing salt intake is effective for many Meniere’s patients. Eating on a regular schedule can help if you have blood sugar problems. Drinking plenty of water is also important because an early dehydration symptom is dizziness. However, if you are looking for a long-term solution to dizziness, we'd like to introduce you to upper cervical chiropractic care.

Upper cervical chiropractic is a precise form of care that focuses on misalignments of the top two bones in the neck. A misalignment in this area of the body can affect brainstem function, blood flow to the brain, and even proper drainage of the ears. Correcting the misalignment has been effective for many dizziness patients, especially those with a history of head or neck trauma.  

If you'd like to know more about this natural form of care, schedule a consultation with a practitioner in your area. You may be a few gentle adjustments away from better overall health and well-being.  

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