An inner ear infection can certainly cause dizziness and constant lightheadedness, and sometimes headache too, but the dizziness is often pronounced and rotational (vertigo) or associated with ear pain, and in any case the negative ENT evaluation and VNG makes this unlikely. Lightheadedness is a feeling of faintness, dizziness, or being close to passing out. It can occur alongside vertigo, which affects balance and makes a person feel as though they or their. This system senses movement and changes in head position; problems with this system is known as vertigo. This particular problem causes dizziness from quick movement in the head such as when sitting up too quickly or moving around too fast 1. In severe cases, nausea and vomiting may also accompany it.

• Occasional Lightheadedness When Standing
• What Causes Occasional Lightheadedness

Health Q & A with Dr. Michael Jacobson, D.O. 

Occasional Lightheadedness When Standing

From the December 2019 issue ofHeartfeltMagazine.

Q: Recently I have been experiencing occasional lightheadedness or dizziness, especially when I stand from a sitting position. I am a 63-year-old in generally good health. Can you please give me some insight as to what might be the cause? Should I be concerned? Can you suggest a possible solution? Thank you in advance for your input; I always find your articles helpful.

A: Dehydration, a lack of water in the body, is the most common cause for general lightheadedness. Considering that your body is 60 percent water and your brain is 73 percent water, it’s not surprising that proper hydration is a crucial element for optimal health. Jesus, the Living Water, also reminds us in a metaphor how crucial water is for spiritual health, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink” (John 7:37).

Dehydration can often be caused by diarrhea or from excess perspiration associated with increased physical activity. Medications (such as diuretics for blood pressure or heart disease) can also cause dehydration. In older folks (usually later in life than 63), it’s quite common for dehydration to occur without any connection to the above-mentioned reasons. Dehydration is often associated with a faster-than-normal heart rate and a lower than-normal blood pressure, so these can be checked as well. Given the common nature of dehydration, I suggest drinking plenty of water and perhaps adding some yogurt or probiotic to your daily diet to see if that helps the symptoms.

Perhaps the second most common cause is an inner ear problem, known as Benign Positional Vertigo (BPV). This condition typically manifests as severe symptoms of room-spinning (vertigo) and can be triggered by changing the position of your neck (thus the name). BPV symptoms are typically managed by medication, such as meclizine, and tends to be self-limited, resolving over the course of several weeks.

If it persists, I recommend that you see a doctor about it to make sure you don’t have another, perhaps more serious cause.

Please note: My office requires a one-week turnaround for medical information. If you have an acute or emergency medical incident, please seek immediate medical attention.

If you have a health question for Dr. Jacobson, CHM Medical Director, please email it to doc@chministries.org. This information is not intended to replace the advice of your physician.

It's common to sometimes feel dizzy, lightheaded or off-balance, and it's not usually serious. See a GP if you're worried.

Check if you have dizziness

Dizziness includes feeling:

• off-balance
• giddy
• lightheaded or faint
• like you're spinning or things around you are spinning (vertigo)

How you can treat dizziness yourself

Dizziness usually goes away on its own. But there are things you can do to take care of yourself while you're feeling dizzy.

Do

• lie down until dizziness passes, then get up slowly

• move slowly and carefully

• get plenty of rest

• drink plenty of fluids, especially water

• avoid coffee, cigarettes, alcohol and drugs

Don’t

• do not bend down suddenly

• do not get up suddenly after sitting or lying down

• do not do anything that could be dangerous while you're dizzy, like driving, climbing a ladder or using heavy machinery

• do not lie totally flat if you feel like things are spinning

• you're worried about your dizziness or vertigo
• it will not go away or it keeps coming back
• you're finding it harder to hear
• there's ringing or other sounds in your ears (tinnitus)
• you have double vision, blurred vision or other changes in your eyesight
• your face, arms or legs feel numb
• you have other symptoms like fainting, headaches, feeling or being sick

Coronavirus update: how to contact a GP

It's still important to get help from a GP if you need it. To contact your GP surgery:

• visit their website
• use the NHS App
• call them

Causes of dizziness

If you have other symptoms, this might give you an idea of the cause. Do not self-diagnose – see a GP if you're worried.

Dizziness often goes away after you're treated for something else. For example:

• an ear infection
• dehydration or heat exhaustion
• stress or anxiety
• low blood sugar level (hypoglycaemia) because of diabetes

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What Causes Occasional Lightheadedness

Page last reviewed: 24 April 2020
Next review due: 24 April 2023