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.

Causes of Dizziness

Eyes. No matter what your position, visual signals help you determine where your body is in space and how it's moving.

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.

Ménière disease (fluctuating pressure of inner ear fluid [endolymph]; results in severe vertigo, ringing in the ears [tinnitus], and progressive hearing loss)

Ototoxicity (i.e., ear poisoning)

Dizziness Symptoms

Nearly any symptom or group of symptoms may accompany dizziness. These depend on the ultimate cause.

Faintness ("light-headedness") or actual fainting

Diagnosis of Dizziness

Before dizziness can be treated, doctors must determine its nature and its cause. Doctors ask the person to describe in detail the sensations felt: whether the feeling during the episode was faintness, light-headedness, loss of balance, spinning or movement of self or the surroundings (vertigo), or another sensation. The person is asked when the dizziness began, how long it lasted, what triggered or relieved it, and what other symptoms—headaches, deafness, noise in the ears (tinnitus), impaired vision, weakness, or difficulty walking—were present.

Treatment of Dizziness

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 system.

Medical Treatment

Treatment depends on the cause of the patient's dizziness.

Doctors may start emergency treatment, perhaps for heart attack or stroke, an emergency blood transfusion, or surgery.

Often, IV fluids are given to treat dehydration.

If the child loses consciousness and doesn't come round within a couple of minutes, if their breathing seems slow or irregular, or if dizziness leads to a seizure (with twitching of the limbs or incontinence) get urgent medical help.

Do not get dehydrated, which can cause or increase lightheadedness, when you have an illness that causes diarrhea, vomiting, or a fever. Drink more fluids, especially water. Other fluids are also helpful, such as fruit juice mixed to half-strength with water, rehydration drinks, weak tea with sugar, clear broth, and gelatin dessert. If you have another medical condition, such as kidney disease or heart disease, that limits the amount of fluids you are allowed to have, do not drink more than this amount without first talking to your doctor.