A fuzzy, off-balance feeling in your head, known as dizziness or vertigo, often stems from inner ear issues (like BPPV or infections), circulation problems (low blood pressure, dehydration, anemia), migraines, anxiety, or as a side effect of medications, with causes ranging from temporary imbalances to underlying conditions like neurological disorders or head injuries. It's important to see a doctor for proper diagnosis, especially if symptoms are severe, persistent, or accompanied by other concerning signs.
Dizziness has many possible causes. These include conditions that affect the inner ear, motion sickness and medicine side effects. Very rarely, dizziness may be caused by a condition such as poor circulation, infection or injury.
Treatment may include:
If you feel dizzy:
Symptoms that often happen with vertigo are nausea, vomiting and sweating. The most common cause of vertigo is benign positional paroxysmal vertigo (BPPV), which is caused by crystals in the balance centre of your inner ear moving out of place.
Some people confuse vertigo with dizziness, but there is a difference. Dizziness typically is a feeling of being lightheaded, or it may be a loss of balance that makes you unsteady on your feet. Dizziness usually does not involve the feeling that either you or something in your environment is moving.
These causes can include:
Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) is the medical term for severe nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. HG begins between the 4th and 6th week of pregnancy. It usually improves by the 15th to 20th week, although for some women it may continue on and off throughout pregnancy.
Signs and symptoms during pregnancy – when to get help
Dizziness is when you feel light-headed, weak, unsteady or as if you might faint. Many pregnant women feel dizzy at times. It is sometimes the first sign that you are pregnant. Dizziness is common in weeks 0 to 13 of pregnancy.
The Dix-Hallpike maneuver is a test that healthcare providers use to diagnose BPPV — a common type of vertigo. During the test, your provider will guide you from sitting to lying down while positioning your head to the left or right. Then, they'll look for involuntary movements of your eyes called nystagmus.
Your prolonged use of gadgets sends mismatched signals to your brain leading to dizziness and other symptoms. If you're prone to motion sickness, you are at a higher risk of experiencing digital vertigo or cybersickness.
Increased Risk of Falls and Injuries
One of the most immediate dangers of untreated vertigo is the increased risk of falls and injuries. Vertigo affects a person's balance and coordination, making it difficult to walk or even stand still without feeling unsteady.
Constantly low blood pressure can be dangerous if it causes signs and symptoms such as:
Certain conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, or problems with your vision, thyroid, nerves, or blood vessels can cause dizziness and other balance problems.
Characteristics of an Anxiety Headache
It feels as if a tight band is wrapped around the head, exerting pressure. This sensation can be uncomfortable and distracting, making it challenging to focus on daily tasks. Unlike migraines, anxiety headaches typically do not worsen with physical activity.
If you are a first time parent, you can follow the 3-2-1 rule = consistent contractions every 3-5 minutes, for 2 hours, lasting 1 minute or more. If this is a subsequent pregnancy, you can follow the 5-1-1 rule = consistent contractions every 5 minutes or less, for 1 hour, lasting 1 minute.
Most pregnancy symptoms don't start until four to six weeks after conception. While many of the symptoms are common, it's possible to experience no symptoms during the first trimester of pregnancy. The most common early symptoms include a missed period, light bleeding, breast changes or tenderness, and fatigue.
Main symptoms
You may feel sick or be sick. Although commonly known as "morning sickness", vomiting and morning sickness can happen at any time of the day or night. Symptoms usually start when you're around 4 to 6 weeks pregnant.
The most common early signs and symptoms of pregnancy might include:
hCG is the hormone which is responsible for most early pregnancy symptoms. Those signs and symptoms which make women question if perhaps they are pregnant. Breast tenderness, feeling a little emotional, nausea and fatigue – they're all due to hCG levels.
Vertigo is one of the main symptoms of Ménière disease. It can cause falls or trouble driving, or prevent other normal activities of daily living. Lasting (permanent) hearing loss may also happen. These problems can cause depression and anxiety.
During pregnancy, physical, hormonal, and psychological changes may occur from conception to labor. Balance is also impacted throughout this time, leading to symptoms such as vertigo and unsteadiness. These symptoms may appear at any time and can cause disability and physical impairment.
Inner ear problems, which affect balance, are the most common causes of vertigo. These include: benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) – where specific head movements cause vertigo. labyrinthitis – an inner ear infection caused by a cold or flu virus.