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Suggest Treatment For Dizziness And Vertigo
Question: I got up this morning and I walked into the living room and i looked around and it seemed like the room was moving. I have had a few episodes of dizziness when I first get out of bed but I never walked into a room and the room felt like it was moving. The doctor told me a few months ago that I have vertigo. He gave me mecziline to take for it but I haven't had an episode in a few months except last week when I was at the beauty parlor and the hairdresser turned the chair around when I was sitting in it and I felt a little lighheaded, I am afraid to go to the school today where I volunteer for fear of getting the dizziness. What is your recommendation.
Brief Answer:
Read below.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
Based on your account I would agree with your doctor. This sensation of spinning movement is precisely the definition of vertigo. Now vertigo is only a symptom, not a disease. It may have different causes, but most commonly it is related to the inner ear. The fact that it is triggered or exacerbated by changes in head position does indeed indicate inner ear to be the cause. In the absence of any other symptom like hearing loss, fever, neurological symptoms such as speech changes, visual issues, weakness of the limbs, difficulty coordinating movement etc I would say that the most probable cause is benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, related to the displacement and movement of free crystals in the labyrinths of the inner ear.
As the term benign indicates it doesn’t carry any risk and tends to subside (but may recur). You may take meclizine to alleviate the symptoms. Also you can discuss with your physician or an ENT specialist the Epley maneuver, a series of head movements aimed at guiding and settling the crystals, which can bring a quick improvement in a percentage of patients. As for going to the school, that depends on how you currently feel, going there doesn't have a negative effect, but naturally if you feel dizzy all the time there is no point in putting yourself under additional stress.
I remain at your disposal for other questions
Read below.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
Based on your account I would agree with your doctor. This sensation of spinning movement is precisely the definition of vertigo. Now vertigo is only a symptom, not a disease. It may have different causes, but most commonly it is related to the inner ear. The fact that it is triggered or exacerbated by changes in head position does indeed indicate inner ear to be the cause. In the absence of any other symptom like hearing loss, fever, neurological symptoms such as speech changes, visual issues, weakness of the limbs, difficulty coordinating movement etc I would say that the most probable cause is benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, related to the displacement and movement of free crystals in the labyrinths of the inner ear.
As the term benign indicates it doesn’t carry any risk and tends to subside (but may recur). You may take meclizine to alleviate the symptoms. Also you can discuss with your physician or an ENT specialist the Epley maneuver, a series of head movements aimed at guiding and settling the crystals, which can bring a quick improvement in a percentage of patients. As for going to the school, that depends on how you currently feel, going there doesn't have a negative effect, but naturally if you feel dizzy all the time there is no point in putting yourself under additional stress.
I remain at your disposal for other questions
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Since this morning I haven't had any more dizziness episodes. It only seems to happen when I lie down and get up or if I bend over from the waist down. I was also told it could be caused from dehydration. The nurse from my doctor's office told me to drink water before I go to bed and leave the bottle by the side of my bed and drink it before I get up in the morning. Do you think I should have taken the Meclizine after the episode this morning??? Or only take it if I had another episode today which I didn't and that is why I didn't take the medicine? If it happens again another day and if I have some place to go should I take the medicine and will the medicine stop the dizziness so I don't have to worry about dizziness when I am driving? Please advise because I am very upset.
Brief Answer:
Read below.
Detailed Answer:
Thank you for the additional information.
Dehydration may cause dizziness, but it usually is the case in one or two separate occasions, I find it hard to believe that was the case for all your episodes.
If the episodes happen exclusively when changing position from lying to standing then orthostatic hypotension may be considered, a failure of the body to adapt in time blood pressure. When we stand from a horizontal position gravity makes it necessary to increase the work to take blood upwards to the brain, when that doesn't happen in time there may be a transitory dizziness. Some episodes may happen to all of us, do not need treatment if rare. It can be evaluated by your doctor by measuring blood pressure in different body positions, supine than standing. It doesn't explain the episode this morning or at the hairdresser though. As for the advice to stay well hydrated that applies to all of us.
If measurements indicate no orthostatic hypotension, and you have only these isolated episodes then I wouldn't take meclizine, I would reserve it for occasions where you have persistent frequently repeating vertigo which may limit your mobility.
Let me know if I can further assist you.
Read below.
Detailed Answer:
Thank you for the additional information.
Dehydration may cause dizziness, but it usually is the case in one or two separate occasions, I find it hard to believe that was the case for all your episodes.
If the episodes happen exclusively when changing position from lying to standing then orthostatic hypotension may be considered, a failure of the body to adapt in time blood pressure. When we stand from a horizontal position gravity makes it necessary to increase the work to take blood upwards to the brain, when that doesn't happen in time there may be a transitory dizziness. Some episodes may happen to all of us, do not need treatment if rare. It can be evaluated by your doctor by measuring blood pressure in different body positions, supine than standing. It doesn't explain the episode this morning or at the hairdresser though. As for the advice to stay well hydrated that applies to all of us.
If measurements indicate no orthostatic hypotension, and you have only these isolated episodes then I wouldn't take meclizine, I would reserve it for occasions where you have persistent frequently repeating vertigo which may limit your mobility.
Let me know if I can further assist you.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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