So for the past few days, I've been feeling very ... dizzy. I guess that's the best way to describe it. I've only had motion sickness once, quite a while ago, but it sort of feels like that. It's like, when I look at something, it shakes. And it makes my tummy go all jiggly. Its hard to describe, but it's very annoying. I was talking to someone about it today, and they mentioned vertigo. As I don't think I've ever had vertigo before, I don't know what to compare it to. I tried reading up on it but I can't understand all that medical mumbo jumbo. I was wondering if anyone on the indefatigable Hatrack can enlighten me on vertigo, or maybe tell me what the dealio is.
Posted by Gecko (Member # 8160) on :
Vertigo is when you are standing still but feels like your enviorment is moving. For instance, you are standing in the kitchen, but if feels like your sink, dishwasher and stove are all waving from side-to-side, the floor is moving, the walls are circling. It's something along those lines.
Dizzyness could have a lot of causes. Evaluation by a doctor is a must if it persists.
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
Is vertigo a constant thing or is it just kinda ... sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't?
Posted by Nighthawk (Member # 4176) on :
Ah! Something I know about first hand!
There are two reasons for dizzyness:
- Problems with the inner ear. These could be legacy issues (such as my case: a recurring problem since childhood), fluid or other material build-up, or an ear infection (such as Otitis Media)
- Vision. This usually causes dizzyness and headaches, but seldom vertigo unless your vision is really bad. This is also more prevalent with people who already have corrective lenses/glasses, but their vision might have improved over time (as is my case as well), and the dizzyness is caused by the glasses making things worse in the opposite direction.
For example, if you're nearsighted, get glasses, and your vision improves, your now the opposite (effectively, farsighted), and the brain has difficulty dealing with that change. It's like having perfect vision and putting on someone's glasses; it's more disorienting than just having bad vision to begin with.
I had a major ear infection when I was an infant, and that has affected me throughout my entire life. Every now and then I lose all sense of equilibrium and fall over; I'm otherwise conscious and fully aware, but I'll be unable to lift my head from a prone position. Something as simple as a fever, allergies or other factors could trigger it.
And since it's in my deep inner ear, there's not a whole hell of a lot I can do about it.
Posted by James Tiberius Kirk (Member # 2832) on :
quote:- Problems with the inner ear. These could be legacy issues (such as my case: a recurring problem since childhood), fluid or other material build-up, or an ear infection (such as Otitis Media)
- Vision. This usually causes dizzyness and headaches, but seldom vertigo unless your vision is really bad. This is also more prevalent with people who already have corrective lenses/glasses, but their vision might have improved over time (as is my case as well), and the dizzyness is caused by the glasses making things worse in the opposite direction.
Also,
quote:The jungle is your head Can't rule your heart
--j_k
Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
There are many other possible reasons for a feeling of dizziness, most particularly being dehydrated.
If you are worried about this, you should be examined by a medical professional.
Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :
Low blood pressure can cause it too. If the dizziness often gets worse when you stand up from a seated position, for instance, it could be low blood pressure.
Allergies irritating the inner ear seem to cause a lot of my dizziness. I take mucinex and it makes it much better. Also I take Meclizine which is over the counter now. But do what CT said and go see a doctor about it. There are a whole lot of different things that dizziness could be, and what works for me probably won't for you.
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
I've been feeling incredibly light-headed lately, and I'm pretty sure it's because of all the pollen in the air (my black car is right now a bright yellow-green). Take Benadryl/Mucinex/Zyrtec or something and see if it helps.
-pH
Posted by BlueWizard (Member # 9389) on :
This can also be Heart or neurological problems. If you can't find any other obvious explanation, you should definitely go to your doctor.