Dizziness is a health problem that can occur at any age, is rare in children, and is more common in middle and advanced age groups.
What is Dizziness?
This disorder, which is common in society, can occur due to many different systems in the body. This situation, which causes the person to think that he or the objects around him are spinning, occurs with the deterioration of spatial orientation. dizziness; causes symptoms such as shaking, drowsiness; The person may have complaints such as the slipping of the floor under their feet or feeling themselves in motion.
Complaints related to vertigo may be instantaneous or may develop more than once during the day or depending on the movements of the person. Dizziness, which can also be defined as imbalance or being unbalanced, often develops momentarily. A momentary lightheadedness is usually nothing to worry about. However, the cause of long-standing vertigo cases should be investigated and treated. Dizziness is a complaint that is present in 25% of patients presenting to the emergency department.
Dizziness, which can occur for many different reasons, causes a significant decrease in the quality of life of the person. In cases of recurrent, prolonged, sudden and severe dizziness, a physician should be consulted. Frequently asked questions "What causes dizziness?" before answering the question "What is dizziness?" It is necessary to answer the question. The balance organs consisting of the ocular system, proprioceptive system, vestibular system and the central nervous system provide balance by processing information from different senses in the balance center and giving a motor response in order to maintain balance. This happens thanks to sensory data from head position, brain, spinal cord, inner ear (labyrinth), muscles, joints and internal organs. Thanks to the motor response, the person maintains his balance by making different body movements without realizing it.
Diseases in one or more of these systems cause the person to feel dizzy. Dizziness, which can also be defined as a kind of illusion of movement, can cause a person to feel a movement that does not exist. It makes him think that he or the objects around him are moving. Dizziness, which is characterized by the inability of the person to balance his/her environment, is one of the most common complaints. Patients with dizziness often describe their complaints in different ways.
Most common complaints include turning from all sides, slipping of the floor under the feet, darkening of the eyes, emptying of the head or slipping to one side. Dizziness, which can affect a person's daily life and sometimes even bring his life to a standstill, can be caused by many different reasons.
What are the Causes of Dizziness?
Dizziness is different from brain, ear, heart problems. It can be caused by neurological problems. In addition, exposure to intense stress, drugs and alcohol use may play a role in the formation of dizziness complaints. Causes such as sudden blood pressure changes, anemia, ear infections, prolonged dehydration (dehydration), heat, motion sickness and excessive exercise can also cause dizziness. Common causes of dizziness can be listed as follows:
- Peripheral Vertigo: In the presence of peripheral vertigo, dizziness occurs due to extra-cerebral causes or, in other words, the balance center in the inner and / or middle ear is affected. . In the presence of peripheral vertigo, which causes severe dizziness when the head position is changed, the person may experience additional complaints such as nausea and vomiting. as it develops. In addition to all these, diseases such as perilymphatic fistula, Meniere's and neuritis that develop after upper respiratory tract infections can also cause peripheral vertigo. The most common type is Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), also known as crystal play among the people. In the presence of BPPV, the person complains of dizziness when lying on his back, turning left and right in a lying position, leaning forward, lifting his head up or suddenly moving it. When a physician is consulted with such complaints, the physician applies the Dix-Hallpike (DH) test and side lying test to the person for diagnosis. During these tests, the physician
- Central Vertigo: Central vertigo seen in the presence of disorders originating from the brain is caused by more serious health problems than peripheral vertigo. Central vertigo, which accounts for approximately 25% of all vertigo types, is characterized by severe dizziness. In addition, it can cause complaints such as headache, double vision, drowsiness, speech and swallowing disorders. Structural defects in brain vessels, aneurysm, epileptic seizures, encephalitis, cerebral hemorrhage, brain tumor, brain stem infarction, head trauma or drug use are among the common causes of central vertigo.
- Metabolic Diseases: In addition to heart, liver and thyroid diseases, dizziness may occur due to the use of certain drugs. Heart failure, heart valve diseases, rhythm disorders, diabetes, blood pressure and blood sugar irregularities, as well as inability to maintain fluid and electrolyte balance can cause dizziness. Treatment of dizziness due to metabolic diseases is improved by treating the underlying focal disease.
- Infection: Infections such as the common cold or flu can cause dizziness. The severity of dizziness may vary depending on the type of infection.
- Brain Tumors: A brain tumor that can be seen at almost any age can cause dizziness. Benign or malignant tumors, especially in the cerebellum, where the balance center is located, can cause dizziness.
- Neurological Diseases: Some neurological disorders such as Parkinson's, MS and myelin diseases can cause dizziness. Depending on the nature of the neurological disease, many different symptoms can be seen in addition to dizziness.
- Traumas: A hard blow or injury to the head can cause dizziness. Dizziness can occur immediately after traumas or after a long time.
- Psychological Disorders: Many different psychological disorders such as intense stress, panic attacks, anxiety disorder and depression,
How is Dizziness Diagnosed?
Dizziness is a symptom, not a disease. That's why the doctor � performs a physical examination after listening to the history of the patient who comes with the complaint of vertigo. He/she evaluates the findings and may request additional laboratory tests and radiological tests when deemed necessary. The brain, cerebellum, ear and inner ear structures are examined. Presence of infection and hormonal regulation are investigated. In the light of all the data, the diagnosis of the disease that causes dizziness is made.
What are the Treatment Methods for Dizziness?
Although some types of dizziness go away on their own, treatment is mostly aimed at curing the focal disease that causes the dizziness. is applied. Dizziness, which can be caused by different health problems, is actually a symptomatic finding caused by the focal disease.
Therefore, it is extremely important to determine the underlying disease. If the dizziness is caused by a serious health problem, such as a heart attack or stroke, emergency treatment may be needed. If it is due to a reason such as thirst, treatment with IV fluids can be arranged. In the presence of additional symptoms such as shortness of breath, the person can be given oxygen. If it is caused by BPPV, dizziness can be relieved with head maneuvers.Read: 0
