5 Reasons You May Be Experiencing Dizziness

Children, and even some adults, may appreciate how they feel after spinning around long enough to induce dizziness. It’s also a common effect of many screamworthy carnival rides. Most people, however, prefer to avoid unexplained dizzy spells whenever possible. MyDoc Urgent Care is a full-service immediate care practice with locations in Bronx, Brooklyn, Forest Hills, and East Meadow, New York. Their board-certified providers, led by emergency medicine physician Dr. Nabil Salib, are committed to serving these New York communities with outstanding medical services that are tailored to meet your needs. Here’s what they say about what causes dizziness and when to seek medical care.

Five common causes of dizziness

1. Dehydration

Your body relies on fluids, namely water, to perform a variety of vital functions, including:

• Temperature regulation
• Protecting your spinal cord and joints
• Aiding your kidneys in flushing toxins from your bloodstream
• Circulating oxygen-rich blood to all your cells and organs

Dehydration, which can quickly become life-threatening, occurs when you lose more water than you take in. This may be a result of overheating, excessive sweating during exercise, illness, or certain medications such as diuretics for hypertension. Along with dizziness, signs of dehydration include:

• Decreased urination
• Darkly colored urine
• Confusion
• Extreme fatigue or lethargy

Come in for a visit at MyDoc Urgent Care if you or a loved one is experiencing any of these symptoms or can’t keep fluids down because of illness.

2. Cardiac issues

Problems related to the heart’s ability to pump blood efficiently reduce blood flow to your brain, which causes varying levels of dizziness. These issues include:

• Heart failure
• Cardiomyopathy
• Abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia)
• Coronary artery disease (atherosclerosis)
• Narrowing of the carotid arteries, which carry blood to your brain

Note that a significant drop in your blood pressure (orthostatic hypotension) that occurs when you stand from a sitting or reclined position can also cause lightheadedness or dizziness. This may be related to certain medications, dehydration, or a circulatory issue. Your MyDoc Urgent Care provider may suggest various diagnostic labs or other studies to identify whether your dizziness may be because of your heart health.

3. Inner ear problem

Infection and other issues that affect the inner ear can cause vertigo. This debilitating version of dizziness makes you feel as if you or the environment around you is literally moving, tilting, or spinning. Meniere’s disease, which causes fluid buildup in the inner ear and is often accompanied by ringing in the ears (tinnitus), frequently causes vertigo. Episodes of vertigo can occur suddenly and are particularly worrisome because they greatly increase your risk of falling and sustaining a serious injury. It may be triggered by moving your head from side-to-side or tilting it upward. Protect yourself from injury by sitting down until the vertigo passes. Then travel safely to the nearest MyDoc Urgent Care location for an evaluation.

4. Medication effects

Antidepressants, sedatives, anti-seizure medicines, and some blood pressure medications that may lower your blood pressure more than necessary can also cause dizziness, lightheadedness, or the sense that you’re going to faint. Don’t stop taking them as prescribed, but do come in for a visit if you suspect one of your medications is causing dizziness.

5. Chronic and acute illnesses

Various conditions can cause dizziness that may interfere with your quality of life, including:

• Low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia) related to poorly controlled diabetes
• Neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis
• Anemia (low iron levels)
• Middle ear infection, particularly in children
• Carbon monoxide poisoning
• Anxiety disorder
• Migraines

At MyDoc Urgent Care, we’re happy to see you any time you’re concerned about your health. In the case of dizziness, we encourage you to come in for an evaluation whenever you experience new, persistent, or significant dizziness. Take advantage of our convenient walk-in services, or schedule a same-day doctor visit by calling the office or requesting an appointment online.