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What Causes Dizziness Immediately After Waking Up?
Question: I sometimes wake up in the morning feeling dizzy. As I'm getting up I feel like I am going to loose my balance and well I have to hold on to my dresser just to get my self going. What could be causing this? My doctor does not know what is is.
Brief Answer:
Rule out benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo or orthostatic hypotension
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome to health care magic,
Dizziness after waking up could be due to variety of causes or it could be transient.
But before that let me know that do you have any other symptoms with this dizziness?
Perhaps if the dizziness is not troublesome for your day to day work or if it subsides by itself within few minutes,then you may wait for few days.
Till the time, I would suggest you to take proper hydration and electrolyte balance with some symptomatic antihistamines treatment like betahistidine or cinnarizine.
However if the problem is persistent, you should see a doctor at the earliest and get evaluated further.
The underlying cause could be due to BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo) or orthostatic hypotension.They both should be ruled out first by physical examination and various tests.
I will suggest you undergo routine blood count, ESR, blood electrolytes, tests for vestibular (balance) system like electronystagmography or rotation tests to diagnose the cause for dizziness.
Your local physician or GP will know about the test. He/she will can order the test after complete history and thoroughly clinical examination like temperature, pulse, blood pressure which will enable us to arrive a diagnosis.
Regards,
Dr.Sandip Kabra
Rule out benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo or orthostatic hypotension
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome to health care magic,
Dizziness after waking up could be due to variety of causes or it could be transient.
But before that let me know that do you have any other symptoms with this dizziness?
Perhaps if the dizziness is not troublesome for your day to day work or if it subsides by itself within few minutes,then you may wait for few days.
Till the time, I would suggest you to take proper hydration and electrolyte balance with some symptomatic antihistamines treatment like betahistidine or cinnarizine.
However if the problem is persistent, you should see a doctor at the earliest and get evaluated further.
The underlying cause could be due to BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo) or orthostatic hypotension.They both should be ruled out first by physical examination and various tests.
I will suggest you undergo routine blood count, ESR, blood electrolytes, tests for vestibular (balance) system like electronystagmography or rotation tests to diagnose the cause for dizziness.
Your local physician or GP will know about the test. He/she will can order the test after complete history and thoroughly clinical examination like temperature, pulse, blood pressure which will enable us to arrive a diagnosis.
Regards,
Dr.Sandip Kabra
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Sonia Raina
The Drs. (PCP, neurologist and endocrinologist) know about it. They don't know what is what is causing the dizziness. I thought maybe one of you Drs. could give me some answers. They check my electrolytes periodically and they do a complete blood count, but the sodium always comes back low around 132 -134. The Drs. have me on fluid restriction and no water due to hyponatremia and SIADH. So really I don't know how I am supposed to hydrate when you cannot drink more than a liter of fluid in a day. And they tell me to eat lots of salt. Thanks Doc
Brief Answer:
orthostatic hypotension or BPPV.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome again and thanks for more information,
Hyponatremia is very unlikely to cause dizziness after getting up. The underlying cause for this dizziness could be vasovagal or orthostatic hypotension or BPPV.
Blood pressure measurements in different positions like supine,sitting and immediately after standing should be done. ECG and 2D-echo of heart should also be done to check the heart status.
If his dizziness subsides after few minutes,then there is no need to worry much.
You can do below things,
1) Check fasting blood sugar.
2) Always wait for at least 5 to 10 minutes before changing the posture so suddenly MEANS you should wait for 5 to 10 minutes before getting up from the bed in morning to prevent sudden fall in blood pressure due to sudden change of posture.
3) Take tab.Cinaarizine (Stugeron Forte 75 mg) on SOS basis for symptomatic relief after discussing with your PCP.
4) Positioning on the grounds immediately whenever there is dizzy spells and do leg elevation, will cause pooling of blood in the upper part of body mainly in brain.
5) You can have added salt in your diet to prevent hyponatremia but yes, there is no point in taking more fluids because of SIADH which I was unaware before.
Hope this will help you.
Regards,
Dr.Sandip
orthostatic hypotension or BPPV.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome again and thanks for more information,
Hyponatremia is very unlikely to cause dizziness after getting up. The underlying cause for this dizziness could be vasovagal or orthostatic hypotension or BPPV.
Blood pressure measurements in different positions like supine,sitting and immediately after standing should be done. ECG and 2D-echo of heart should also be done to check the heart status.
If his dizziness subsides after few minutes,then there is no need to worry much.
You can do below things,
1) Check fasting blood sugar.
2) Always wait for at least 5 to 10 minutes before changing the posture so suddenly MEANS you should wait for 5 to 10 minutes before getting up from the bed in morning to prevent sudden fall in blood pressure due to sudden change of posture.
3) Take tab.Cinaarizine (Stugeron Forte 75 mg) on SOS basis for symptomatic relief after discussing with your PCP.
4) Positioning on the grounds immediately whenever there is dizzy spells and do leg elevation, will cause pooling of blood in the upper part of body mainly in brain.
5) You can have added salt in your diet to prevent hyponatremia but yes, there is no point in taking more fluids because of SIADH which I was unaware before.
Hope this will help you.
Regards,
Dr.Sandip
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
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