Article: Dizziness

Neurological dizziness is not due to spinning around, standing upside-down or motion sickness. It is a light-headed sensation in which there is a head-ache and reduced consciousness. This can be accompanied by seeing stars, blacking out, convulsions, fainting, paralysis and other neurological symptoms. Take note that the dizziness caused by fainting is different from that of dizziness caused by spinning too fast. It is a different sensation. The stars (white spots that appear to move infront of the eyes), convulsions and confusion are often the result of excessive neuronal discharges often caused by the chemical glutamate. Oxygen deprivation can result in excessive neurological discharge leading to brain damage or/and convulsions due to glutamate after prolonged periods or about minute.

Causes

Inner ear

• benign paroxysmal postural vertigo
• labyrinthitis
• Ménière's disease
• perilymphatic fistula
• neurinoma of the acoustic nerve
• vestibular neuronitis

Eye

• new glasses
• optical illusions

Neck

• arthritis
• cervical vertigo
• Whiplash and other strains

Central nervous system

• arteria basilaris syndrome
• concussion
• migraine
• multiple sclerosis
• orthostatic hypotension
• stroke
• peripheral neuropathy

Breathing

• Extreme intake of helium
• Hyperventilation

Other causes

• AIDS
• Low blood pressure and /or hyperventilation (often situational), such as emotionally-induced "fainting". Some persons may have deliberately or subconsciously "learnt" to induce such "dizziness" symptoms or complaints. Further medical tests may be needed to determine whether there is indeed a true medical cause. If the "dizziness" is psychosomatically linked, then cognitive and "play" therapies may introduce other ways of coping with strange, stressful and unusual situations.

See also

• motion sickness
• balance disorder