Why do some patients experience severe dizziness? The causes of this pathological condition will be listed below. You will also learn how to diagnose and get rid of this unpleasant phenomenon.
basic information
What is severe dizziness (the causes of this condition can be associated with various factors)? In medical practice, this term is used to denote an illusory sensation of the movement of oneself or surrounding things. Today, a huge number of people complain about this condition. Experts say that completely different diseases can be the cause of this phenomenon. Although in most cases it is impossible to determine why a person is dizzy.
Violation mechanism
Why does severe dizziness, weakness develop? The causes of this condition should be identified only by an experienced doctor.
A healthy person maintains balance thanks to a combination of signals from proprioceptive, visual and vestibular systems to the cerebral cortex. After that, the impulses reach the eye and skeletal muscles, as a result of which the eyeballs take the right position, and the patient's posture becomes stable.
If, for one reason or another, the influx of impulses from the vestibular section into the cortex of the parietal and temporal lobe is disturbed, an illusory perception of the movement of your body or surrounding objects arises.
Very often, the concept of "dizziness" is interpreted by patients incorrectly. A state of lightheadedness, a feeling of emptiness, the approach of loss of consciousness, and also a special lightness in the head are perceived by some people as dizziness. However, the listed signs of impending syncope, which are combined with such autonomic disorders as a strong heartbeat, pallor of the skin, nausea, hyperhidrosis and blurred eyes, often indicate cardiovascular pathologies, hypoglycemia, orthostatic hypotension, high degree anemia or myopia.
Also, some people under the concept of "dizziness" mean an imbalance, that is, staggering when walking or instability. Such disorders are very often observed after organic damage to the NS and are not dizziness.
Who to contact
Which specialist should be consulted if the patient periodically experiences severe dizziness? The causes of this pathological condition may be associated with the development of various diseases. Therefore, with such a symptom, you should contact the following doctors: neurologist, otolaryngologist or therapist.
Main reasons
Why does severe dizziness occur? The reasons for men and women almost always coincide.
Experts say that most often dizziness occurs due to damage to the inner ear or any disturbances in the vestibular apparatus. In this case, they talk about peripheral pathology. Usually it develops against the background of infectious or viral diseases, brain injury, nerve tumor, autoimmune diseases.
If the symptom in question was provoked by a pathology in the brain, then in this case they talk about a central form of dizziness. Such symptoms may occur due to the following diseases: traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, migraine, circulatory problems in the brain, encephalitis.
So why does severe dizziness develop ? The causes in women and men are most often associated with the problems of one of the three main systems of the human body:
- visual;
- vestibular;
- muscle.
They are responsible for the movement of the body in space. If such a symptom is accompanied by nausea or weakness, then this indicates a brain disease or problems with the optic nerve.
Dizziness-causing diseases
Why does severe dizziness develop? The causes of this condition are very often associated with the presence of certain diseases. Only a qualified specialist should identify them. To do this, the doctor should carefully examine and question the patient, as well as appoint him a series of tests.
So what can be the causes of severe dizziness and loss of consciousness? The main diseases that cause this condition will be considered right now.
Inflammation in the inner ear
The dizziness provoked by such a disease is accompanied by discharge from the ears of a bloody and purulent nature. Also, a person is very hard of hearing.
In the event that tinnitus appears only on one side and the patient is concerned about vomiting, drowsiness and nausea, this indicates the presence of perilymphatic fistula. With this diagnosis, you should undergo a full examination, and also make sure that there is no brain tumor.
Meniere's Syndrome
Why does severe dizziness, vomiting occur? The causes of this condition can be hidden in various diseases. Often this symptom occurs with Meniere's syndrome. It is also accompanied by nausea and hearing problems. Very often, this disease develops in adolescence. It is dangerous in that it can lead to the formation of neuritis. By the way, vestibular neuritis also causes severe dizziness, especially after lifting a person from the bed and while moving the head. With this pathology, vomiting often occurs, which can disturb the patient for up to two days.
Stroke
What can be associated with a combination of such unpleasant symptoms as severe dizziness and nausea? The causes of this phenomenon can be hidden in serious pathological conditions like a stroke. Such a violation causes a person to be dizzy and headache, which is wave-like in nature. The patient may also be disturbed by severe vomiting, after which a state of drowsiness and weakness occurs. Often with a stroke, a person is poorly oriented in space. This condition can last for several days.
Pinched nerve
A pinched nerve in the cervical spine causes not only dizziness, but also severe headache. In this case, the pain begins to disturb the patient when he moves his head. Stiffness also appears in the neck.
Other reasons
In addition to all of these diseases, dizziness can occur due to traumatic brain injury, a cold, and after a concussion. Also, the head can hurt and spin with migraines of a vestibular nature. This condition usually does not last long (from one minute to several hours). In this case, other neurological symptoms may occur.
Dizziness very often occurs in women and men who have problems with the vestibular apparatus. At the same time, they are often worried about drowsiness and nausea. As a rule, it is very difficult for such people to ride in transport.
The symptom in question may appear as a result of taking certain medications, including antibiotic drugs. In this regard, it is very important to pay attention to the dose being taken or to completely discontinue the drug.
Representatives of the weaker sex of dizziness are often psychogenic in nature. At the same time, they constantly feel drowsiness and experience panic fear. The latter is unexpected, especially if a person is in a public place or confined space.
Reasons for Men
Dizziness in men can occur due to:
- Drinking or drinking a lot of alcohol.
- Intoxication or poisoning with various substances.
- The sharp jumps in blood pressure.
- Brain tumors.
- Due to diseases of the vegetative-vascular system, heart attack or stroke.
- Severe fatigue, lack of sleep and stress.
- Flight, relocation, increased physical exertion, climate change.
- Fear of heights.
Dizziness when standing up abruptly: causes
Many people complain of dizziness that occurs when they suddenly change their body position or get out of bed. If this condition rarely occurs, then do not worry. But when this happens every day, urgent measures should be taken. After all, such a phenomenon may indicate a disease such as orthostatic collapse.
What causes dizziness upon rising
The reason for dizziness with sudden movements and rising is due to the fact that the brain lacks O 2 . If a person continues to continue to move rhythmically, then he may lose consciousness.
Experts call this state of vertigo. It occurs due to various reasons, including due to disturbances in the functioning of the vestibular apparatus, neuritis, inflammatory processes in the ears, neuronitis, stroke and injuries. Also, people who have heart and vascular diseases often suffer from dizziness when standing up.
In adolescence, this phenomenon occurs due to puberty.
It is impossible not to say that such a state as vertigo is characteristic of sedentary people leading a sedentary lifestyle. That is why patients with a similar symptom are advised to move more, as well as perform special gymnastics, which has a positive effect on the vestibular apparatus.
Diagnosis, treatment
Undoubtedly, dizziness brings great discomfort to the patient. Therefore, when observing such a symptom, you should definitely contact an experienced specialist. The latter will identify the cause of the development of this phenomenon and prescribe appropriate treatment.
It should be noted that dizziness in itself is not a disease. This is just a secondary symptom of a disease. To identify it, patients can be sent for MRI, ultrasound of the vessels of the brain, computed tomography and more. Also, the patient is sent for general and special tests.
As mentioned above, in a condition such as dizziness, the patient very often goes to a neurologist. However, with the same problem, it can be observed by an endocrinologist or cardiologist.
Attacks of dizziness, vomiting, weakness, or nausea may go away on their own. If such conditions are associated with the presence of serious diseases, then their intensity is reduced by the course of taking certain medications.