Lightheadedness is a common and typically unpleasant sensation of

dizziness Dizziness is an imprecise term that can refer to a sense of disorientation in space, vertigo, or lightheadedness. It can also refer to disequilibrium or a non-specific feeling, such as giddiness or foolishness. Dizziness is a common medical c ...

or a feeling that one may faint. The sensation of lightheadedness can be short-lived, prolonged, or, rarely,

recurring Recurring means occurring repeatedly and can refer to several different things: Mathematics and finance *Recurring expense, an ongoing (continual) expenditure *Repeating decimal, or recurring decimal, a real number in the decimal numeral syste ...

. In addition to dizziness, the individual may feel as though their head is weightless. The individual may also feel as though the room is "spinning" or moving ( vertigo). Most causes of lightheadedness are not serious and either cure themselves quickly, or are easily treated. Keeping a sense of balance requires the

brain A brain is an organ (biology), organ that serves as the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals. It is located in the head, usually close to the sensory organs for senses such as Visual perception, vision. I ...

to process a variety of information received from the eyes, the

nervous system In biology, the nervous system is the highly complex part of an animal that coordinates its actions and sensory information by transmitting signals to and from different parts of its body. The nervous system detects environmental changes ...

, and the inner ears. If the brain is unable to process these signals, such as when the messages are contradictory, or if the sensory systems are improperly functioning, an individual may experience lightheadedness or dizziness. Lightheadedness is very similar to pre-syncope. Pre-syncope is the immediate stage before syncope (fainting), particularly in cases of temporary

visual field The visual field is the "spatial array of visual sensations available to observation in introspectionist psychological experiments". Or simply, visual field can be defined as the entire area that can be seen when an eye is fixed straight at a poin ...

loss (i.e. vision getting "dark" or "closing in").

Causes

Lightheadedness can be simply (and most commonly) an indication of a temporary shortage of

blood Blood is a body fluid in the circulatory system of humans and other vertebrates that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells, and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells. Blood in the cir ...

oxygen Oxygen is the chemical element with the symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group in the periodic table, a highly reactive nonmetal, and an oxidizing agent that readily forms oxides with most elements ...

to the brain due to a drop in blood pressure, rapid dehydration from vomiting, diarrhea, or

fever Fever, also referred to as pyrexia, is defined as having a temperature above the normal range due to an increase in the body's temperature set point. There is not a single agreed-upon upper limit for normal temperature with sources using val ...

. Other causes are: altitude sickness, low blood sugar, hyperventilation, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, panic attacks, and anemia. It can also be a symptom of many other conditions, some of them serious, such as heart problems (including abnormal heart rhythm or

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which ma ...

), respiratory problems such as pulmonary hypertension or pulmonary embolism, and also

stroke A stroke is a disease, medical condition in which poor cerebral circulation, blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: brain ischemia, ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and intracranial hemorrhage, hemorr ...

, bleeding, and

shock Shock may refer to: Common uses Collective noun *Shock, a historic commercial term for a group of 60, see English numerals#Special names * Stook, or shock of grain, stacked sheaves Healthcare * Shock (circulatory), circulatory medical emerge ...

. If any of these serious disorders is present, the individual will usually have additional symptoms such as chest pain, a feeling of a racing heart, loss of speech or change in vision. Many people, especially as they age, experience lightheadedness if they arise too quickly from a lying or seated position. Lightheadedness often accompanies the flu,

hypoglycaemia Hypoglycemia, also called low blood sugar, is a fall in blood sugar to levels below normal, typically below 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L). Whipple's triad is used to properly identify hypoglycemic episodes. It is defined as blood glucose bel ...

, common cold, or allergies. Dizziness could be provoked by the use of

antihistamine Antihistamines are drugs which treat allergic rhinitis, common cold, influenza, and other allergies. Typically, people take antihistamines as an inexpensive, generic (not patented) drug that can be bought without a prescription and provide ...

drugs, like

levocetirizine Levocetirizine, sold under the brand name Xyzal among others, is a second-generation antihistamine used for the treatment of allergic rhinitis (hay fever) and long term hives of unclear cause. It is less sedating than older antihistamines. It is ...

, or by some antibiotics or SSRIs.

Nicotine Nicotine is a naturally produced alkaloid in the nightshade family of plants (most predominantly in tobacco and '' Duboisia hopwoodii'') and is widely used recreationally as a stimulant and anxiolytic. As a pharmaceutical drug, it is use ...

or tobacco products can cause lightheadedness for inexperienced users. Narcotic drugs, such as codeine, can also cause lightheadedness.

Treatment

Treatment for lightheadedness depends on the cause or underlying problem. Treatment may include drinking plenty of water or other fluids (unless the lightheadedness is the result of

water intoxication Water intoxication, also known as water poisoning, hyperhydration, overhydration, or water toxemia, is a potentially fatal disturbance in brain functions that results when the normal balance of electrolytes in the body is pushed outside safe l ...

in which case drinking water is quite dangerous). If a patient is unable to keep fluids down from nausea or vomiting, they may need intravenous fluids such as Ringer's Lactate. They should try eating something sugary and lying down or sitting and reducing the elevation of the head relative to the body (for example, by positioning the head between the knees). Other simple remedies include avoiding sudden changes in posture when sitting or lying and avoiding bright lights. Several essential electrolytes are excreted when the body perspires. When people experience unusual or extreme heat for a long time, sweating excessively can cause a lack of some electrolytes, which in turn can cause lightheadedness.

References

External links

The MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia
{{Cognition, perception, emotional state and behaviour symptoms and signs Symptoms and signs of mental disorders

Causes

Treatment

See also

References

External links