15 Ways To Treat And Prevent Dizziness

Feeling dizzy can mean different things, depending on who you ask. Some may describe it as losing balance, while others may feel it as light-headedness or faintness. A common term often mistakenly used to describe dizziness is vertigo. It is feeling like you or your surroundings are moving, even though everything is completely stationary (via Merck Manual). Vertigo is a specific type of dizziness, while dizziness is an umbrella term for various (but similar) sensations. 

Many things can cause dizziness, most of which are related to your diet, environment, or underlying medical conditions. According to Healthline, these include dehydration, low blood sugar, anxiety, motion sickness, medications, and alcohol. Vertigo, on the other hand, is often caused by damage to your vestibular system or central nervous system. The vestibular system is a network of various structures that functions to maintain your balance and orient you to your surroundings. Conditions that can cause vertigo include benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), Meniere's disease, vestibular neuritis, Parkinson's disease, tumors, and stroke. 

As a child, you may remember spinning around really fast until the world around you started to blur. You may have even enjoyed that funny feeling and thought of it as a game. But it is different when dizziness comes on unexpectedly. It can get very uncomfortable and sometimes even debilitating. Fortunately, it does not always have to feel that way. There are many things you can do to relieve your dizziness or prevent it from happening in the first place.

Salt plays a big role in regulating our body's fluid balance. The National Kidney Foundation states that you should not consume more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium (less than 1 teaspoon of table salt) a day. Salt does not just come in table salt form, though: It is also a component of certain seasonings, processed foods, and many more.

It may sound confusing, but both too much and too little salt can cause dizziness. When there is not enough salt, the body is unable to hold water because water usually follows wherever salt is. This leads to dehydration and, in effect, causes dizziness (via University of Connecticut). On the other hand, when there is too much salt, the body retains excess water and causes increased pressure in many areas, including the blood vessels and inner ear (per Harvard Health). According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), too much inner ear pressure causes Meniere's disease. People with this condition often have severe vertigo, ringing in their ear, hearing loss, and feeling of fullness in their ear. Reducing salt intake can help relieve symptoms.

The Vestibular Disorder Association (VeDA) adds that other dietary changes that can help treat or prevent dizziness include limiting your caffeine and alcohol intake. Coffee and other caffeine-containing foods (e.g., chocolate, tea, soda) can cause dehydration, while alcohol can cause changes in your inner ear fluid. You can also have dizziness caused by migraines, so avoid foods that can trigger them.

Various types of medications can be used to treat dizziness effectively, depending on the underlying cause (via Medical News Today).

Per the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), dizziness can be peripheral (coming from the vestibular system) or central (from the central nervous system). Peripheral causes of dizziness (e.g., BPPV, Meniere's disease, vestibular neuritis) can be treated with vestibular suppressants. These include antiemetics like metoclopramide and prochlorperazine, antihistamines like meclizine and promethazine, and benzodiazepines like diazepam and lorazepam (per VeDA). For central causes of dizziness such as migraine and stroke, medical management may vary. For example, dizziness caused by migraines can mostly be avoided by preventing migraine attacks via various medications like vestibular suppressants, anticonvulsants, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, tricyclic antidepressants, and magnesium. On the other hand, a stroke is a medical emergency that often requires in-hospital management and long-term antiplatelet (e.g., aspirin, clopidogrel) and anticoagulant (e.g., warfarin, heparin) therapy.

Additionally, the AAFP warns that certain medications can also cause dizziness as a side effect. The list is long and includes drugs used in the treatment of heart rhythm irregularities, dementias, seizures, hypertension, infections, ADHD, heart failure, diabetes, bladder problems, irritable bowel syndrome, rheumatic conditions, and thyroid disease. Because of this, you should always consult with your doctor before taking any type of medication. Many drugs can interact with one another and cause various side effects, but this can easily be prevented if we are more aware of the risks.

Physical therapy is not just for athletes or people with disabilities. It is a complex practice that involves managing pain, improving mobility, and maximizing functional ability. Physical therapy may even eliminate the need for surgery in some people, and may also prevent some from becoming dependent on prescription medications (per Samford University).

Vestibular rehabilitation is a specific type of physical therapy used in people who have balance problems and dizziness. According to Cleveland Clinic, it involves learning several types of exercises you can do at home that target proper eye movement, balancing, strengthening, and stretching. Depending on your symptoms, triggers, physical limitations, and several other factors, your physical therapist will work with your primary care doctor to provide you with a regimen that will be specifically created based on your needs. Vestibular rehabilitation does not work for everyone, and the duration of how long a person needs to do it can vary. Similar to medications, people can also respond very differently from one another. But there is solid evidence that proves its benefits. These include reducing your risk of falls, improving your balance, relieving your symptoms, and increasing your strength.

The American Hearing Research Foundation explains that vestibular therapy does not aim to correct the underlying problem. Rather, it focuses more on teaching your body how to correctly compensate for the symptoms you are experiencing.

According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), acupuncture involves inserting needles superficially to the skin of various areas in the body (i.e., acupoints). Sometimes, the needles are manipulated, or a mild electrical shock is administered through them. Evidence shows that it may be a combination of actual effects on the nervous system and other tissues, as well as placebo effects. Per the Healthcare Medicine Institute, acupuncture can also be used to relieve vertigo and dizziness. 

If the thought of having needles hanging through your skin terrifies you, you may benefit from acupressure instead. Acupressure is another form of traditional Chinese medicine, targeting specific points in the body to help restore internal balance and possibly trigger the release of substances that can help ease pain, stress, anxiety, and more (via Forbes Health). Unlike acupuncture, acupressure does not involve needles.

Modern Reflexology points out six different acupoints that can help relieve vertigo and dizziness. The first is on your inner forearm, approximately 6 centimeters below the wrist, between the tendons. The second is right in the center of the top of your head, in line with your ears. The third point is at the back of your neck, below the skull where the neck muscles are attached. The fourth is on both shoulders, in line with the nipples. The fifth is located behind the earlobe, where an indentation can be felt. Lastly, the sixth can be found in front of the ear, where a hollow depression can be felt when the mouth is opened.

Whenever you are stressed, your body responds by releasing hormones that cause physical changes to help you adapt to the situation you are in (via Mayo Clinic). These changes may be beneficial initially, but in the long run, they can cause adverse outcomes. The changes that occur during stress include increased blood pressure and sugar levels in the blood, altered immune system function, and suppressed digestive, reproductive, and growth functions. Because of this, stress can eventually lead to many health issues like anxiety, depression, headaches, muscle tension, digestive problems, heart disease, and many more.

According to Associates in Neurology (AIN), vertigo can be triggered by stress, and stress can be felt by someone experiencing vertigo. Because of this, stress and vertigo form an endless loop that can progressively worsen over time if it is not addressed properly. In addition, anxiety can also cause dizziness, felt either as lightheadedness, fainting, or emotional unsteadiness. It may also happen during a panic attack, where breathing too fast interferes with the brain's oxygen supply. To avoid this, Medical News Today suggests going to therapy, establishing a good support system, and changing your lifestyle habits. Depending on what is causing your anxiety, a healthcare professional may prescribe medication on top of talk therapy, if that is what is best for your specific situation. Other things you can do on your own include stretching, taking breaks, going for a walk, listening to calming music, practicing positive self-talk, and exercising (via Harvard Health).

Dizziness can also be a symptom of heart disease. Specifically, low blood pressure, heart attack, cardiomyopathies (diseases that cause heart muscles to become weak and rigid), and arrhythmias (heart rhythm irregularities) can all cause dizziness because of poor circulation throughout the body, especially towards the brain (per Healthline). Other potential symptoms include chest pain, neck pain, shortness of breath, weakness, and palpitations.

Heart disease is the top cause of death in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), close to 50% of Americans have at least one of the following major risk factors for heart disease: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking. Other factors include having high blood sugar, being obese or overweight, eating an unhealthy diet, not exercising, and drinking excessive amounts of alcohol. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services advises you to eat a balanced diet, maintain a healthy weight, exercise regularly, avoid smoking and drinking alcohol (or drinking beyond the recommended limit of two drinks a day for men and one for women), and monitor your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

If you already have heart disease, the American Heart Association (AHA) suggests understanding and sticking to your treatment plan, working with your care team to achieve your health goals, recognizing symptoms that could warrant a trip to the emergency room, and making sure you have a plan in case you need to seek help.

As Houston Sinus & Allergy explains, specialized cells in your sinuses produce mucus to moisturize the nasal passages and protect them from harmful substances. Sometimes, however, the sinuses can swell, blocking air and fluid from passing through. Fluid buildup in the sinuses can get infected, causing sinusitis. Congestion increases pressure in your sinuses that may extend to your ears, and infection or blockage in your middle ear can cause dizziness or lightheadedness. If it extends to your inner ear, it may lead to labyrinthitis.

Vestibular neuritis (per Cleveland Clinic) and labyrinthitis (via MedicineNet) are conditions known to cause vertigo, among other symptoms. They are both thought to be caused or triggered by viral infections that begin in the inner ear or elsewhere in the body. Notably, one of the symptoms of COVID-19 is dizziness. Healthline states that there are some reports on COVID-19 possibly causing vestibular neuritis, but it is also possible that the virus causes dizziness because of its direct infection and damage of nerve cells, inflammatory effects, and injury from increased blood clotting.

Among the best ways to avoid dizziness caused by infections is by practicing good hygiene and avoiding or protecting yourself from people who are sick. You can do this by frequently washing your hands with soap and water, getting vaccinated, cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces, and avoiding touching your face. Your doctor may also prescribe medications if you live in, work at, or are traveling to high-risk areas (via Mayo Clinic).