Do you suffer from dizzy spells, suddenly finding that you feel lightheaded, off-balance or even fainting?
It’s surprisingly common to sometimes feel dizzy and it’s not usually serious in itself, although it can have serious consequences if it causes you to fall, especially for older people.
Symptoms of dizziness include feeling off-balance, giddy, suddenly woozy or lightheaded. You might also feel like you’re spinning or that things around you are spinning, which is usually classed as vertigo with attacks lasting from just a few seconds to several hours.
Several conditions can cause dizziness of brief dizzy spells. Common examples include ear infections, migraine, dehydration, low blood sugar, low blood pressure, iron deficiency anaemia and motion sickness. High levels of stress or anxiety can also manifest themselves in feeling dizzy or lightheaded. Sometimes you might experience dizziness for no obvious reason, when you’re not aware of any other illness that might be causing it. If you feel dizzy when you stand up, it is probably due to a sudden drop in blood pressure called postural hypotension.
Types of dizziness where you feel off-balance are often connected to inner ear problems, including a type of inner ear infection called labyrinthitis, which sometimes occurs after a cold or flu. If dizziness is accompanied by other symptoms, such as hearing loss, blurred vision, double vision or numbness in the face, arms or legs, it could indicate a decreased blood flow to the brain, possibly from clogged arteries.
If you have any kind of dizziness or vertigo which causes you worry, you should seek medical advice especially if you don’t know what’s causing it. This is especially true if your dizziness won’t go away or keeps coming back, or if it is linked to other symptoms such as hearing loss, ringing in your ears, impaired vision, nausea or numbness.
In most cases, dizziness is not serious and will go away, but it’s always best to be sure. If you already know what causes your dizziness and it isn’t getting worse or causing you particular concern, there are several things you can do to treat it yourself:
- Get plenty of rest
- Drink lots of fluids, especially water
- Move slowly
- Avoid drinking coffee, smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol. These tighten your lightheadedness which are stimulants you want to avoid
- Lay down until it passes but get up slowly
- Prop your head if things are spinning and you’re lying down
Things to avoid if you suffer from dizzy spells include: getting up suddenly after sitting or lying down, bending down suddenly, or anything that could prove hazardous, such as driving, using heavy machinery or climbing a stepladder.
And of course, you should be very careful using the stairs if you suffer from dizzy spells, especially if they are brought on by physical exertion. If your dizziness is likely to be long-term, perhaps linked to an underlying health condition, then installing an Acorn Stairlift in your home is an investment in your continued safety and independence.
Suffering a fall on the stairs can have long-lasting and life-changing consequences, especially for older people. If you suffer from dizziness which makes you prone to such an accident, then it’s wise to take positive steps to prevent it. An Acorn Stairlift enables you to go upstairs and downstairs in comfort and safety whenever you like, eliminating the worry of falling, not just for you but also those who care about your wellbeing.
For more information about how an Acorn Stairlift can help, call 1-866-873-6574 to speak to one of our friendly Stairlift Specialists to see how an Acorn Stairlift can help you and book your free, no-obligation consultation.
