Dizziness (lightheadedness)
Dizziness (lightheadedness)
Dizziness (lightheadedness) is a very common symptom. It's usually nothing serious, but it's still worth getting checked by a doctor.
Different people mean different things when they say "dizziness." Some use it to describe feeling lightheaded or unsteady on their feet. Others use it to describe a sensation that everything around them is spinning.
Many different things can cause dizziness, and it isn't always easy to pin down the exact reason behind it.
Common Symptoms
Symptom information is not available for this condition yet.
⚠️ This symptom list is for educational purposes. Having these symptoms does not mean you have this condition. See a doctor for proper diagnosis.
Medicines Commonly Used
⚠️ These medicines are commonly used for confirmed diagnoses of this condition. This is NOT a recommendation or prescription. Treatment must be determined by your doctor.
No medicines have been linked to this condition yet.
When to See a Doctor
Contact your GP practice if you feel dizzy and any of the following apply to you.
You are worried about your dizziness or vertigo. It is not going away, or it keeps coming back. You are finding it harder to hear or speak. There is ringing or other sounds in your ears, known as tinnitus. You notice double vision, blurred vision or other changes in your eyesight. Your face, arms or legs feel numb or weak. You have other symptoms, such as changes to your pulse, fainting or collapsing, headaches, or feeling or being sick.
At your GP appointment, your doctor will ask about your symptoms and may check whether you have vertigo. They will also want to know whether your dizziness started for no clear reason or followed an illness, whether you have repeated episodes of dizziness and, if so, when these tend to happen, and how long each episode of dizziness lasts.
If you feel dizzy while lying down, this is usually caused by a viral ear infection, and antibiotics will not treat it. If you feel dizzy while you are upright, it is probably not related to your ears.
Causes
Common causes of dizziness include:
- an inner ear infection affecting hearing and balance, called labyrinthitis
- migraine
- stress or anxiety
- low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia), which usually happens in people with diabetes
- a sudden drop in blood pressure on standing or sitting up quickly (postural hypotension)
- dehydration or heat exhaustion
- reduced blood flow to the back of the brain, often from blocked blood vessels (vertebrobasilar insufficiency)
Less often, dizziness can be caused by:
- a serious illness affecting the whole body
- using recreational drugs
- drinking too much alcohol, whether from binge drinking or long-term heavy use
- certain prescription medicines, such as antidepressants or blood pressure drugs
- a heart rhythm problem, such as atrial fibrillation (a fast, irregular heartbeat)
- carbon monoxide poisoning
Treatment
Dizziness almost always settles on its own, but you don't have to just sit through it. There are a few simple things you can do while it lasts to feel steadier and more comfortable.