How to Deal With Dizziness

When dizziness strikes, you can feel as if someone has pulled the rug out from under you, leaving you unable to get your balance. Your sense of balance comes from signals that the inner ear, eyes and sensory nerves send to the brain. If one of these systems doesn't work correctly, you feel dizzy. Follow these steps to deal with dizziness.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

1. Move slower. Sudden changes in posture can result in hypotension or your blood pressure dropping too quickly, leaving you feeling dizzy.

2. Drink fluids. Dizziness can be a symptom of dehydration. If the weather is warm or you've been ill, your chances of suffering from dehydration increase.

3. Look at your use of caffeine, alcohol and tobacco. Overuse of any of these substances restricts blood vessels, which can make you feel dizzy.

4. Visit a medical professional for ongoing episodes of dizziness. Dizziness is a symptom, not a condition. You must find out what dizziness is a symptom of: inner eat disorders, arrhythmias, peripheral neuropathy and hypoglycemia are a few of the possibilities.

5. Question whether any new medication may be related to your feeling dizzy. Medications include side effects, which can include dizziness. Ask your doctor or pharmacist before stopping medication. An abrupt halt to medication can be dangerous.

6. Make your home safer if you suffer from chronic dizziness. Use safety bars or a cane to stabilize you and secure rugs so that you don't trip over them.

Tips & Warnings

• Many conditions associated with aging include dizziness as a symptom.

• Seek emergency treatment for someone with who feels dizzy and suffers from a head injury, high fever, stiff neck, convulsions, chest pain or change in vision or speech.