Why Am I Feeling Dizzy?
High school nostalgia
Did you ever have a secondary school teacher who, when asked how long you were meant to make an essay or homework project, responded with a patronising “How long’s a piece of string”? Well, I have now come full circle to become the patroniser as I can confidently tell you that the causes of dizziness can be a list as long as… a piece of string. For your sake and mine, let’s keep this string short today and look at just the top three causes. (If you have trouble falling asleep and like to read long lists of medical problems to help, then comment below and maybe I can write a nice long list of all of the other causes one day…)
But first!
Dizziness MAY be a sign of something more seriously wrong.
If your dizziness has just come on, or you are also feeling unwell, or you have another symptom such as fever, chest, leg or abdominal pain, palpitations, confusion, shortness of breath, or you can tell something is really wrong, save this article for a rainy day and get some urgent medical attention now. You can do this by ringing 111 if you’re newly unwell (or attend A&E if severely unwell), or booking an appointment with us if your symptoms have already been assessed by a clinician in person and haven’t worsened.
Disclaimer done, the rest of you can read on!
Under (blood) Pressure
If you notice that your dizziness tends to happen when you get up too quickly, or when you get up after being crouched down, it may be caused by a drop in your blood pressure. A low blood pressure in itself can have multiple causes such as not drinking enough, losing fluids in a tummy bug or bleeding, heart issues, medication, or simply being ‘normal for you’.
A good way to see if this might be an issue for you is to check your ‘sitting and standing’ blood pressure. To do this, first ensure your blood pressure machine is reliable (in short, not too old and ideally on the BIHS list of approved devices1). Then, check your blood pressure after you have been sat still for a few minutes. Stand up and check it again. If your blood pressure is dropping when you stand up, or is low both times, this suggests that a blood pressure issue may be contributing to your dizziness.
In this case, it is worth speaking to your NHS GP or to one of our private GPs for further assessment and advice. Depending on the cause, there are various treatment options available to improve this. Bonus points for having your readings to hand when you speak to a doctor.
My head is Spinnin’
Vertigo is another common cause of dizziness, but it gives a unique sensation. Unlike the general light-headedness associated with a low blood pressure, vertigo gives a feeling of movement around you. For some, it may truly feel as though the room is spinning. For others, it may feel a bit like being drunk, or being on a rocky boat.
Many causes of vertigo stem from an inner ear issue. There are important exceptions of course – for example, severe vertigo that came on suddenly and is completely unrelenting may be due to a more serious cause such as a stroke in the part of the brain responsible for balance.
One particular cause of vertigo is BPPV, or Benign Paroxysmal (coming and going) Positional Vertigo. As the name suggests, this is when the vertigo only appears when the head moves in certain positions. As the inner ear tells us which direction our head is moving, if there is an imbalance here, it can make it seem as though our head is moving when it isn’t. This typically only on certain movements, e.g., turning to look over one shoulder but not the other. This page2 has more info on BPPV.
Also, click here3 to read more about other causes of vertigo and treatment options.
Ah, Sugar, Sugar
If your dizziness is more noticeable on days where you’ve eaten less, or had a meal delayed, it could be linked to low blood sugar, or hypoglycaemia (hypo = low, glyc = sugar, aemia = in the blood). This is particularly true for people with diabetes who take medication to lower their blood sugars. For this group of people, if you haven’t eaten enough, or your medication dose is too high, or you’ve used more sugar than normal eg through exercise, this may cause your blood sugar levels to drop.
If this is the case, eating and/or drinking something sugary quickly is a good first step, along with following any other instructions in your diabetes action plan. And of course, if you do feel very unwell despite doing these things, please seek prompt medical attention. If you have diabetes and get frequent hypo’s, this is something to discuss further with a doctor. Having tight control of blood sugars only gives benefit up to a point; too tight control that includes frequent hypo’s may actually cause more harm than good4.
The Cure For Dizziness
Of course, this depends on what the cause is! If you would like further information or advice, then download the CheckUp Health app now and book a video or audio call with a private GP, daytime or evening, 7 days/week.
References
- https://bihsoc.org/bp-monitors/
- https://patient.info/signs-symptoms/dizziness/benign-paroxysmal-positional-vertigo
- https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vertigo/
- Hypoglycemia and Cardiovascular Risks; Brian M. Frier, Guntram Schernthaner, Simon R. Heller; Diabetes Care May 2011, 34 (Supplement 2) S132-S137; DOI: 10.2337/dc11-s220 https://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/34/Supplement_2/S132 Accessed 12/10/21