Dizziness

For some people, having dizzy spells is normal. They mention that they’ve had that issue all their lives: a mild loss of balance now and then. It’s true: In a number of cases, that odd sensation of intoxication or of walking on clouds is benign, with no serious consequences.

Some causes of dizziness:

• A drop in blood pressure due to a rapid change of position;
• Infection: weakness, lack of energy;
• A side effect of allergies;
• Stress or anxiety;
• Side effects of alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and even certain medications;
• Pregnancy;
• Blood glucose disorder – hypoglycemia;
• Fatigue – physical or mental overexertion.

However, if none of the changes mentioned above is relevant, it is important to explore the current and past situation to discover the cause. The appearance of dizzy spells may be sudden or gradual, with or without any particular precipitating event. That’s when you have to look into the following issues:

• The intensity of the dizzy spells: on a scale of 1 to 10, variable or constant;
• Presence or absence of headaches;
• Related presence of vertigo, a sense that the room is spinning;
• Neck pain or stiffness;
• Change in work or athletic pursuits affecting the neck and head, change in posture or mattress;
• A seemingly harmless event: surgery, dental work, or significant change in personal situation (relationship, family, work, friends, leisure activities).

Why ask all these questions? Because dizzy spells can be related to a physical component of the neck and eyes (muscles, vertebrae, and nerves), or a direct result of declining vision.

Often, one of the reasons for dizzy spells is asymmetrical information: a gap between perceived and real information. This discord then leads to a discrepancy that can be felt in the form of dizziness.

What treatments are possible?

In physical therapy, it is possible to work specifically on neck mobility and on muscle tension in the head and neck. The use of taping can be helpful for partial neck support, but a combination of exercises is always more advantageous in the middle and long term. Sometimes it is necessary to retrain our vestibulo-ocular reflex, with the assistance of certain exercises. In addition, a referral to an optometrist is recommended in order to correct the vision itself.

It is worth noting here that dizzy spells are no small matter and that they are multifactorial. Specific evaluation makes it possible to target the cause and provide appropriate treatment.