Lightheadedness
Encyclopedia
Light-headedness is a common and often unpleasant sensation of dizziness
and/or feeling that one may be about to faint, which may be transient, recurrent, or occasionally chronic
. In some cases, the individual may feel as though his or her head is weightless. The individual may also feel as though the room is "spinning" or moving (vertigo
). Most causes of dizziness are not serious and either cure themselves quickly or are easily treated.
Keeping a sense of balance requires the brain
to process a variety of information from the eyes, the nervous system
, and the inner ears. However, if the brain can't process signals from all of these locations, if the messages are contradictory, or if the sensory systems aren't functioning properly, an individual may experience dizziness and loss of balance.
or oxygen
to the brain due to a drop in blood pressure
, rapid dehydration
from vomiting
, diarrhea
, or fever
, or from playing a wind instrument
. Other causes are low blood sugar
, hyperventilation
, panic attacks, and anaemia. It can also be a symptom of many other conditions, some of them serious, such as heart problems (including abnormal heart rhythm
or heart attack) and also stroke
, bleeding, and shock. If any of these serious disorders is present, the individual will usually have additional symptoms such as chest pain
, a feeling of a racing heart, loss of speech or change in vision.
Many people, especially as they age, experience light-headedness if they arise too quickly from a lying or seated position. Light-headedness often accompanies the flu, hypoglycaemia, common cold
, or allergies.
Dizziness could be provoked by the use of antihistamine
drugs, like Xyzal (Levocetirizine
) or by some antibiotics or SSRIs.
in which case drinking water is quite dangerous). If a sufferer is unable to keep fluids down from nausea or vomiting, they may need intravenous fluid. Sufferers should try eating something sugary and lying down or sitting and reducing the elevation of the head relative to the body (for example, by positioning the head between the knees).
Other simple remedies include avoiding sudden changes in posture when sitting or lying and avoiding bright lights.
Many essential minerals are excreted when the body is sweating. When it is unusually hot for a long time sweating can cause a lack of some of these minerals which in turn can cause lightheadedness. Mineral tablets can be bought in any drugstore which will refill all of the minerals a body needs within a short time.
Dizziness
Dizziness refers to an impairment in spatial perception and stability. The term is somewhat imprecise. It can be used to mean vertigo, presyncope, disequilibrium, or a non-specific feeling such as giddiness or foolishness....
and/or feeling that one may be about to faint, which may be transient, recurrent, or occasionally chronic
Chronic (medicine)
A chronic disease is a disease or other human health condition that is persistent or long-lasting in nature. The term chronic is usually applied when the course of the disease lasts for more than three months. Common chronic diseases include asthma, cancer, diabetes and HIV/AIDS.In medicine, the...
. In some cases, the individual may feel as though his or her head is weightless. The individual may also feel as though the room is "spinning" or moving (vertigo
Vertigo (medical)
Vertigo is a type of dizziness, where there is a feeling of motion when one is stationary. The symptoms are due to a dysfunction of the vestibular system in the inner ear...
). Most causes of dizziness are not serious and either cure themselves quickly or are easily treated.
Keeping a sense of balance requires the brain
Human brain
The human brain has the same general structure as the brains of other mammals, but is over three times larger than the brain of a typical mammal with an equivalent body size. Estimates for the number of neurons in the human brain range from 80 to 120 billion...
to process a variety of information from the eyes, the nervous system
Nervous system
The nervous system is an organ system containing a network of specialized cells called neurons that coordinate the actions of an animal and transmit signals between different parts of its body. In most animals the nervous system consists of two parts, central and peripheral. The central nervous...
, and the inner ears. However, if the brain can't process signals from all of these locations, if the messages are contradictory, or if the sensory systems aren't functioning properly, an individual may experience dizziness and loss of balance.
Causes
Light-headedness can be simply an indication of a temporary shortage of bloodBlood
Blood is a specialized bodily fluid in animals that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells....
or oxygen
Oxygen
Oxygen is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς and -γενής , because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition...
to the brain due to a drop in blood pressure
Blood pressure
Blood pressure is the pressure exerted by circulating blood upon the walls of blood vessels, and is one of the principal vital signs. When used without further specification, "blood pressure" usually refers to the arterial pressure of the systemic circulation. During each heartbeat, BP varies...
, rapid dehydration
Dehydration
In physiology and medicine, dehydration is defined as the excessive loss of body fluid. It is literally the removal of water from an object; however, in physiological terms, it entails a deficiency of fluid within an organism...
from vomiting
Vomiting
Vomiting is the forceful expulsion of the contents of one's stomach through the mouth and sometimes the nose...
, diarrhea
Diarrhea
Diarrhea , also spelled diarrhoea, is the condition of having three or more loose or liquid bowel movements per day. It is a common cause of death in developing countries and the second most common cause of infant deaths worldwide. The loss of fluids through diarrhea can cause dehydration and...
, or fever
Fever
Fever is a common medical sign characterized by an elevation of temperature above the normal range of due to an increase in the body temperature regulatory set-point. This increase in set-point triggers increased muscle tone and shivering.As a person's temperature increases, there is, in...
, or from playing a wind instrument
Wind instrument
A wind instrument is a musical instrument that contains some type of resonator , in which a column of air is set into vibration by the player blowing into a mouthpiece set at the end of the resonator. The pitch of the vibration is determined by the length of the tube and by manual modifications of...
. Other causes are low blood sugar
Blood sugar
The blood sugar concentration or blood glucose level is the amount of glucose present in the blood of a human or animal. Normally in mammals, the body maintains the blood glucose level at a reference range between about 3.6 and 5.8 mM , or 64.8 and 104.4 mg/dL...
, hyperventilation
Hyperventilation
Hyperventilation or overbreathing is the state of breathing faster or deeper than normal, causing excessive expulsion of circulating carbon dioxide. It can result from a psychological state such as a panic attack, from a physiological condition such as metabolic acidosis, can be brought about by...
, panic attacks, and anaemia. It can also be a symptom of many other conditions, some of them serious, such as heart problems (including abnormal heart rhythm
Heart Rhythm
Heart Rhythm is a peer-reviewed medical journal that covers the study and management of cardiac arrhythmia. It is the official journal of the Heart Rhythm Society and the Cardiac Electrophysiology Society...
or heart attack) and also stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
, bleeding, and shock. If any of these serious disorders is present, the individual will usually have additional symptoms such as chest pain
Chest pain
Chest pain may be a symptom of a number of serious conditions and is generally considered a medical emergency. Even though it may be determined that the pain is non-cardiac in origin, this is often a diagnosis of exclusion made after ruling out more serious causes of the pain.-Differential...
, a feeling of a racing heart, loss of speech or change in vision.
Many people, especially as they age, experience light-headedness if they arise too quickly from a lying or seated position. Light-headedness often accompanies the flu, hypoglycaemia, common cold
Common cold
The common cold is a viral infectious disease of the upper respiratory system, caused primarily by rhinoviruses and coronaviruses. Common symptoms include a cough, sore throat, runny nose, and fever...
, or allergies.
Dizziness could be provoked by the use of antihistamine
Antihistamine
An H1 antagonist is a histamine antagonist of the H1 receptor that serves to reduce or eliminate effects mediated by histamine, an endogenous chemical mediator released during allergic reactions...
drugs, like Xyzal (Levocetirizine
Levocetirizine
Levocetirizine is a third-generation non-sedative antihistamine, developed from the second-generation antihistamine cetirizine. Chemically, levocetirizine is the active enantiomer of cetirizine. It is the L-enantiomer of the cetirizine racemate. Levocetirizine works by blocking histamine receptors...
) or by some antibiotics or SSRIs.
Treatment
Treatment for light-headedness depends on the cause or underlying problem. Treatment may include drinking plenty of water or other fluids (unless the light-headedness is the result of water intoxicationWater intoxication
Water intoxication, also known as water poisoning, is a potentially fatal disturbance in brain functions that results when the normal balance of electrolytes in the body is pushed outside of safe limits by over-consumption of water....
in which case drinking water is quite dangerous). If a sufferer is unable to keep fluids down from nausea or vomiting, they may need intravenous fluid. Sufferers should try eating something sugary and lying down or sitting and reducing the elevation of the head relative to the body (for example, by positioning the head between the knees).
Other simple remedies include avoiding sudden changes in posture when sitting or lying and avoiding bright lights.
Many essential minerals are excreted when the body is sweating. When it is unusually hot for a long time sweating can cause a lack of some of these minerals which in turn can cause lightheadedness. Mineral tablets can be bought in any drugstore which will refill all of the minerals a body needs within a short time.