Symptoms suggesting a stroke are the sudden onset of headache, numbness, weakness, visual changes, trouble walking, or slurred speech. Other symptoms of a heart attack often accompanying lightheadedness are chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea, arm pain, back pain, or jaw pain. Heart attack and strokeĪt its most serious, lightheadedness may be a sign of a heart attack or stroke. It may only take a drink of juice to relieve your symptoms, but it's best to get your blood sugar levels checked, especially if you need more glucose (sugar) in intravenous or pill form. "When you don't have enough blood sugar, every system in your body goes on reserve to use as little energy as possible, including your brain, making you feel lightheaded or confused," says Dr. This may be a long-term problem, but there are medications to treat it, such as midodrine (ProAmatine) and fludrocortisone (Florinef), so this too warrants a trip to your doctor. As we get older, this system may deteriorate, causing a temporary drop in blood pressure when we stand-known as orthostatic hypotension-resulting in lightheadedness. The autonomic nervous system helps the body regulate the shift in blood pressure when we stand up. The fix may be as simple as adjusting the dose or trying a different drug. Diuretics are notorious for this," says Dr. "If they work too well, they'll lower your blood pressure too much and make you lightheaded. Sometimes medications make you feel lightheaded, especially those that lower your blood pressure or make you urinate more. A doctor can check to see if you need electrolytes like potassium or salt. You may need an intravenous infusion of fluid. "A glass of water may be enough to make you feel better, but if you haven't been eating or drinking much for days, it will take more than that to rehydrate your body," says Dr. Without enough fluids, the volume of your blood goes down, lowering your blood pressure and keeping your brain from getting enough blood, causing lightheadedness. You may become dehydrated if you're overheated, if you aren't eating or drinking enough, or if you're sick. What causes lightheadedness?įollowing are the top causes of lightheadedness and common fixes. Even if symptoms are brief, and even if you think you know the cause, report the lightheadedness to your doctor. If symptoms last more than 15 minutes, he says it's time to seek medical help in an urgent or emergency care setting. Grossman recommends having a drink of water or orange juice and lying down. If you feel lightheaded and/or woozy, Dr. Shamai Grossman, an associate professor of emergency medicine at Harvard Medical School. And at the worst, the cause may itself be life-threatening," says Dr. Even if the lightheadedness does not have a serious cause, it could lead to serious injuries from a fall. Although it's not usually caused by anything life-threatening, it could be, so you need to be careful. Causes of lightheadedness may be dehydration, medication side effects, sudden blood pressure drops, low blood sugar, and heart disease or stroke.įeeling woozy, lightheaded, or a little faint is a common complaint among older adults.
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