Is It Normal to Get Dizzy?  

Dizziness is quite a diverse term because it describes a variety of sensations that you can feel. These include feeling weak, woozy, faint, or unsteady.  Many people will say they have vertigo but this is only if you feel like the world is spinning (not if you, yourself feel off balance).

Getting dizzy spells frequently can affect the quality of your life as you may be unable to do some activities. A common fear about dizziness can be something very severe or even fatal, however this is actually uncommon.

Symptoms of Dizziness

People describe dizziness as several sensations they may be experiencing.
 

• Feeling faint or light-headedness

• Losing balance or feeling unsteady

• Heavy-headedness or feeling like you are floating

• Disorientation

Moving your head, standing, or walking may worsen or trigger these sensations. They may be accompanied by nausea or become so intense that you need to sit down. The sensations may last up to a whole day and may recur.

When Should You See a Doctor?

If you have episodes of intense and prolonged dizziness that you cannot explain, you should see a doctor. If you get vertigo and the following symptoms, seek emergency care immediately.

• Intense headache

• Difficulty breathing

• Fainting

• Irregular or rapid heartbeat

• Difficulty walking; you may stumble as you try to walk

• Seizures

• Facial weakness or numbness

• Chest pain

• Paralysis or numbness in your limbs

• Double vision

• Slurred speech or confusion

• Vomiting

• Change in hearing

Causes of Dizziness

Several conditions may cause dizziness. Some of them are inner ear problems which usually cause vertigo. You may also have BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo) or viral infection in the vestibular nerve. Another known cause is Meniere’s disease, which affects your ear, or you could have a “vestibular” migraine. Another cause could be impaired vision and/or binocular vision dysfunction (BVD), which can affect your balance.

Impaired Vision 

When you have proper binocular vision, your eyes work together to produce a single image for your brain to use. When you have binocular vision dysfunction, your eyes are not aligned with one another properly, affecting the image that the brain receives. 

Eye misalignment causes strain on the eye’s muscles and the focusing ability. The eyestrain will result in disorientation, headaches, and dizziness. You may get vision-related dizziness because of conditions like misalignment of the eyes, weakness of the eye muscles, traumatic brain injury, incorrect eyewear prescription, or stroke.

Binocular Vision Dysfunction and Balance

There is a strong connection between the eyes and the vestibular system. If they eyes are not working as a team properly, they can negatively impact balance. The eyes help calibrate the vestibular system through the VOR (vestibulo-ocular reflex). The VOR is responsible for stabilizing the gaze when the body is in motion. When the VOR is compromised, you will start having balance issues.

If you or someone you know suffers from any of these symptoms, get relief now and take our Free 5 Minute Self Test to find out if you have BVD Here.