Welcome to the colorful world of dizziness – vertigo and vertigo

Welcome to the colorful world of "dizzy":

A: I often feel dizzy, nauseous and weak (ಥ﹏ಥ).

B: When I feel dizzy, I dare not move. If I move, I feel like the whole world is spinning (╥╯^╰╥).

C: I often don’t dare to open my eyes, because once I open my eyes I feel dizzy!!! (⊙︿⊙)

D: I feel dizzy and feel unwell. Am I terminally ill? o(╥﹏╥)o

We all say "dizziness", but actually there are differences in dizziness. Is it "dizziness"? Or "vertigo"? Many people can't tell the difference. So, let's learn about this "dizziness" together!

Differentiate between dizziness and vertigo

The key lies in “not moving”!

01. Dizziness

Dizziness (non-vertigo) is a sensation of impaired or disturbed spatial orientation, with no false or distorted sensation of motion , i.e., no or no sensation of rotation .

**02.** Dizziness

(Intrinsic) vertigo is the sensation of own motion when there is no own motion, or a distorted sensation of own motion during normal head movement. It includes false sensations of spinning (rotational vertigo) and other false sensations such as swaying, toppling, floating, bouncing, or sliding (non-rotational vertigo).

· Seek medical attention promptly if you feel dizzy·

It is very important to clarify the symptoms!!!

Since the causes of dizziness are very complex, providing detailed and comprehensive information about the onset of the disease during a face-to-face consultation can provide important basis for the diagnosis of dizziness/vertigo.

01. Onset and frequency of attacks

Tell your doctor clearly what causes you to faint and how many times a day do you faint?

02. Expression

Don't just tell your doctor that you feel very dizzy. Instead, you should convey this information to your doctor: whether you feel "dizzy" or "light-headed", etc., so as to distinguish whether it is dizziness or vertigo.

03. Duration

How long will the dizziness last? Seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, years, etc.

04. Predisposing factors

Identifying the triggering factors can help patients seek benefits and avoid harm, avoid or reduce dizziness/vertigo attacks, and also assist in diagnosis.

① Head position or body position: getting up, turning over, lowering the head, raising the head, etc.;

② Excessive smoking and drinking;

③ Emotional instability;

④ Insomnia, difficulty falling asleep, early awakening, and frequent dreams;

⑤ Premenstrual period or menstrual period;

⑥ Defecation, breath holding, strong light, sound stimulation, etc.

05. Associated symptoms

Describing your specific symptoms when you are ill will help your doctor to clearly diagnose the specific nature and cause of your dizziness/vertigo.

① Autonomic nervous system symptoms: nausea, vomiting, bradycardia, changes in blood pressure (increase/decrease), frequent bowel movements, etc.;

② Ear symptoms: tinnitus, stuffy feeling in the ears, hearing loss or hyperacusis, etc.;

③Central nervous system symptoms: dysarthria, facial and limb sensation and movement disorders;

④ Cardiovascular symptoms: palpitations, chest tightness, chest pain, pale complexion, and syncope often indicate heart disease;

⑤ Mental emotions: tension, worry, restlessness, depression, fear, sleep disorders, etc. indicate combined or concurrent anxiety, depression or psychological dizziness;

⑥ Eye symptoms: diplopia, amaurosis, decreased vision, strabismus, etc.;

⑦ Neck symptoms: neck and shoulder pain, dizziness/vertigo related to neck movement, numbness of upper limbs or fingers, etc.

06. Medical history, medication history, family history

Be sure to tell your doctor about your medical history, because when the risk factors for these diseases increase, the chance of dizziness and vertigo will increase.

① History of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases: hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, etc.;

② History of smoking and drinking;

③History of ear disease;

④ History of cranial surgery;

⑤ Medication history (helps to distinguish between drug-induced dizziness/vertigo and drug-induced orthostatic hypotension);

Drugs that can easily cause dizziness and discomfort include anti-epileptic drugs (such as carbamazepine), sedatives (such as clonazepam), antihypertensive drugs (such as propranolol), diuretics (such as furosemide), etc.

⑥ Patients with motion sickness often have a history of carsickness and seasickness.

⑦ Patients with vestibular migraine, Meniere's disease, hereditary cerebellar ataxia, etc. may have a family history of genetics.

· Health Education·

Fall prevention is important!

01. Bed rest

During the acute phase, rest in bed and choose a suitable body position to relieve dizziness/vertigo symptoms; reduce head and neck movements, and move slowly when changing body positions; avoid sound and light stimulation and mental stress.

02. Prevent falls/falls from bed

Have a dedicated person to accompany the patient, use bed rails for protection while in bed, and place items within the patient's reach to avoid falling out of bed when trying to get items. When standing, if the patient feels severely dizzy or vertigo, he or she should lower his or her posture, squat or sit down, to avoid falling and causing serious consequences.

03. Prevent accidental aspiration

When vomiting, clear the vomitus in time to prevent aspiration. For those who vomit frequently, pay attention to the water, electrolyte and acid-base balance.

04. Eat a light diet, quit smoking and drinking

The diet should be light, low in salt and fat, avoid irritating foods such as garlic, chili, coffee, strong tea, etc., quit smoking and drinking, and prevent overeating.

05. Exercise appropriately

Strengthen exercise and improve physical fitness, but pay attention to the combination of work and rest and avoid fatigue.

06. Active treatment

Regulate your emotions, get enough sleep, and maintain a good attitude; avoid triggers and actively treat the cause of the disease.