What Makes You Feel Dizzy? Dizziness most commonly occurs when a person who has been moving around with speed stops suddenly. The sensitive liquid in the inner ear, which mainly controls balance, continues to move around for a time after the body has stopped. So the surroundings appear to be still in motion.
However, it takes only a few seconds, for the fluid, and balance, to settle. This sensation, which is also called vertigo, may also occur to someone looking down from a height or on board ship. Here the cause is probably not so much physical as a nervous reaction which affects the fluid in the inner ear.
Dizziness is impairment in spatial perception and stability. Because the term dizziness is imprecise, it can refer to vertigo, presyncope, disequilibrium, or a non-specific feeling such as giddiness or foolishness.
One can induce dizziness by engaging in disorientating activities such as spinning.
- Vertigo is the sensation of spinning or having one’s surroundings spin about them. Many people find vertigo very disturbing and often report associated nausea and vomiting. It represents about 25% of cases of occurrences of dizziness.
- Disequilibrium is the sensation of being off balance, and is most often characterized by frequent falls in a specific direction. This condition is not often associated with nausea or vomiting.
- Presyncope is lightheadedness, muscular weakness and feeling faint as opposed to a syncope, which is actually fainting.
- Non-specific dizziness is often psychiatric in origin. It is a diagnosis of exclusion and can sometimes be brought about by hyperventilation.
A stroke is the cause of isolated dizziness in 0.7% of people who present to the emergency room.
Dizziness is a word that is often used to describe two different feelings. It is important to know exactly what you mean when you say “I feel dizzy,” because it can help you and your doctor narrow down the list of possible problems.
Although dizziness can occur in people of any age, it is more common among older adults. A fear of dizziness can cause older adults to limit their physical and social activities. Dizziness can also lead to falls and other injuries.