Sudden dizziness what is it

According to research from , vestibular neuritis may last from a few days to several weeks or months. The doctor may treat the immediate symptoms with a 3-day course of antinausea medication, an antihistamine, or a benzodiazepine. This progressive inner ear condition can cause hearing loss. Treatments may involve medications, changes to the diet, and if possible, a reduction in levels of stress and anxiety. Learn more about the treatment options here. Sudden dizziness can result from low blood pressure.

A person may have postprandial hypotension — when blood pressure drops after a meal. This is prominent among older adults. Or, a person may have postural hypotension. This involves feeling dizzy after standing up quickly. It occurs due to a sudden drop in blood pressure because of the change in position.

The symptoms may occur or be more prominent in the morning, when blood pressure is naturally lower, during exercise, after a large meal, or during periods of significant stress or anxiety. Dietary changes can also help with low blood pressure — learn more here. A person with panic disorder experiences sudden, repeated episodes of intense fear.

These are called panic attacks and can last for several minutes. Learn more about treating panic attacks and panic disorder here. Also, a person can find mental health resources here. Changing the problematic medication or treating the underlying health issue will resolve the dizziness, in these cases. Not all episodes of dizziness have a known cause. When a doctor can identify the underlying issue, it can cause further complications.

The primary complication of dizziness itself involves becoming unsteady and falling. Anyone who may become dizzy should use a walking stick and avoid standing up or changing positions too quickly. Sometimes, the balance problems that result from inner ear conditions, such as labyrinthitis or vestibular neuritis, can last for a long time, even years.

Sudden dizziness may stem from issues involving the inner ear, blood pressure, or mental health, but it can result from a range of other causes. Sudden dizziness or vertigo can indicate that a person needs emergency medical care, particularly if it occurs with difficulty walking, speaking, seeing, or hearing, numbness, or a severe headache.

Do you have other symptoms with it, such as being sick, hearing problems, a ringing in the ear dizziness , headaches, palpitations, etc? Does it come on in certain situations - for example, when you move your head from one side to the other? Are you taking any medicines? The doctor will then need to examine you. What this involves will depend on the information gleaned from the answers above, but might include:. Depending on what has been established from the above, further tests might be relevant.

These will differ depending on which diagnosis is suspected, but might include:. The treatment depends on the cause. Your doctor will be able to advise you regarding this. It will entirely depend on the type of dizziness and what has caused it. Sometimes you need a medicine for the symptom of dizziness.

This might be while you wait for it to get better for example, labyrinthitis or while you are waiting for tests to find out the cause, or because you have a condition which can't easily be cured. For the vertigo type of dizziness, tablets called prochlorperazine or cinnarizine are often prescribed.

These do not cure the underlying problem but they help you feel better until it goes away. J Clin Neurol. Epub Oct Am Fam Physician.

Neurol Clin Pract. I'm a 28 year old female living in the UK. I had an emergency c-section almost 10 weeks ago and 5 days later noticed a feeling as though somebody was pushing me backwards whilst sat on the edge of Disclaimer: This article is for information only and should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of medical conditions.

Egton Medical Information Systems Limited has used all reasonable care in compiling the information but make no warranty as to its accuracy. Consult a doctor or other health care professional for diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions. For details see our conditions. In this series. In this article What is dizziness?

Why do I feel dizzy? What causes dizziness? Should I worry about dizziness? When do I need to see a doctor for dizziness? What can cause loss of balance?

What tests are done for dizziness? Dizziness treatment. Dizziness In this article What is dizziness? What is dizziness? Dizziness due to a temporary infection is usually not harmful. See your doctor if you have: Tinnitus ringing or pulsing in ears. Hearing or visual loss. Loss of consciousness or memory. Headache, worsening or worse when lying down. Headache, worse when coughing. Numbness, movement or speech problems.

Irregular, slow or fast pulse. It may only take a drink of juice to relieve your symptoms, but it's best to get your blood sugar levels checked, especially if you need more glucose sugar in intravenous or pill form. At its most serious, lightheadedness may be a sign of a heart attack or stroke.

Other symptoms of a heart attack often accompanying lightheadedness are chest pain , shortness of breath, nausea, arm pain, back pain , or jaw pain. Symptoms suggesting a stroke are the sudden onset of headache, numbness, weakness, visual changes, trouble walking, or slurred speech. In that case, every second counts, so get to an emergency room for treatment. Although it is often hard to tell the difference, your answer may have a big impact on how the doctor moves forward with diagnosis.

Lightheadedness is not the same as dizziness, also known as vertigo , which refers to feeling like your surroundings are spinning. Treating the underlying condition can relieve dizziness. But don't ignore bouts of dizziness, warns Dr. It's a real problem, particularly in the elderly, and in many cases, it can be prevented," he says. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.

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