Giddiness or dizziness is the feeling of being unbalanced and lightheaded. One might also feel faint or like one is about to faint. Giddiness is sometimes accompanied by nausea or vomiting. It is not a medical condition but a common symptom of any medical health issue. These medical issues can vary from acute to chronic.
Symptoms
- Fainting like feeling
- Lightheaded feeling
- It feels as if the surroundings are moving or spinning
- Not able to stand on one foot
- Unable to balance
- Unstable mind
Causes of dizziness
- Hypotension – It can be because of low blood pressure. A sudden fall or continuous blood pressure can sometimes trigger episodes of giddiness.
- Hypoglycemia – Low blood sugar can cause dizziness or lightheadedness. High blood sugar which is diabetes is a silent killer but low blood sugar is also a potentially very serious condition.
- Inner ear problems - Irritation or inflammation of the inner ear can cause balance problems and giddiness. Rarely, a viral or bacterial infection of the inner ear could occur that could also be a cause of giddiness.
- Anemia – It is low levels of hemoglobin in the body. When the RBC count is too low it reduces the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood thus decreasing the amount of oxygen that is being supplied to the rest of the body causing dizziness.
- Motion sickness - Motion sickness occurs in some people when they travel either by boat, car, air, or train. It makes a person feel woozy, nauseous, and giddy.
- Migraines – Dizziness or lightheadedness is very common in migraine, however, symptoms may vary from person to person.
- Dehydration – Inadequate water intake causes dehydration of the body. When there is too much water loss the body finds itself unable to function normally and giddiness is one of the symptoms.
- Heat stroke - Exposure to excessive heat or physical exertion in high temperatures causes the body to overheat. This can cause a serious condition of heatstroke when the body temperature goes above 104 F (40 C) or higher. This is most likely to occur in summer and starts with symptoms of giddiness.
- Brain disorders – Giddiness is a common symptom of brain disorders. One should not take this lightly and should seek the help of a medical professional immediately.
What to do when feeling dizzy?
- Lie down and seek help
- Take complete rest until you feel better
- Drink enough water
- Avoid caffeinated products
- Avoid operating any machine or driving
- Use stairs
- Can do stress relieving or relaxation exercises once get better