Dehydration nor vertigo are topics to be taken lightly. The symptoms of dehydration and vertigo are very similar, as they both make you feel lightheaded and unwell. While dehydration can be fixed at home, someone experiencing chronic dizziness may need to see a Los Angeles doctor for vertigo. However, it’s possible that your body’s need for more water can show itself through the symptoms commonly associated with vertigo.
Vertigo can best be defined as the feeling of being off-balanced, which is caused by abnormalities within the inner ear. It’s normal to feel dizzy after spinning around for a bit, but the condition of vertigo occurs without any movement at all or by something as minuscule as altering the position of the head. While experiencing vertigo, sufferers may feel like they are tilting, swaying, or being pulled to one direction. This feeling would undoubtedly cause a headache, and additional symptoms include vomiting, sweating, and ringing in the ears.
Dizziness caused by spinning typically goes away within seconds, but the longevity of vertigo is less predictable, lasting from minutes to hours. It’s also possible that vertigo symptoms come and go instead of being constant.
Feeling lightheaded immediately after waking up or while simply being immobile severely interrupts daily routine and is described by frequent vertigo sufferers as nightmarish. That’s why it’s crucial to seek out a doctor who specializes in Los Angeles lightheadedness treatment so you can get your life back on track.
Since vertigo is loosely described as feelings of dizziness, it comes with a myriad of causes ranging from viral to age-related. As dehydration also causes feelings of vertigo, it’s important to identify the cause behind your dizziness so that you can effectively treat it, whether it’s at home or at a doctor’s office.
Ménière’s disease is a condition of the inner ear that is marked by lightheadedness, ringing in the ears (also known as tinnitus), hearing loss, and a feeling of congestion in the ear or head. This affliction only affects one ear at a time. The feeling of congestion specifically can be attributed to the fact that Ménière’s disease occurs when excess fluid builds up in the part of your ear that contains structures to help with hearing and balance. The brain’s signals cannot pass through all the extra fluid which causes the feeling of vertigo and hearing problems.
While Ménière’s disease is linked to this buildup of fluid, the cause of the buildup itself is uncertain. Since Ménière’s disease can be found in families, it’s possible that it’s genetic. Doctors also have not ruled out viral infections, poor drainage, and physical trauma such as a blow to the head.
Because Meniere’s disease causes such discomfort and has such a variety of causes, those experiencing dizziness along with congestion in one ear should seek out Ménière’s disease treatment in Los Angeles.
Chronic dizziness can be related to your water intake, especially since most adults don’t drink anywhere close to the recommended eight cups a day. That’s about two liters! Some scientists say that the human body needs even more than that to be fully hydrated.
Other than simply forgetting to drink water, dehydration can also be caused by diarrhea, vomiting, or spending too much time in the hot sun. It’s also possible to have health issues such as diabetes that cause your body to be dehydrated through frequent urination. Dehydration is marked by feelings of dry mouth or thirst, dark urine, constipation, fatigue, and of course, dizziness.
The relationship between dehydration and the lightheadedness of vertigo is caused by multiple factors. Bodily fluids circulate throughout the body, giving it the energy to perform daily functions quickly and effectively. Water is crucial to circulation, so lack of water makes it more difficult to circulate fluids to the brain, making one feel dizzy. Additionally, dehydration also causes low blood pressure, meaning that blood is not effectively reaching the brain. When the brain is not getting the fuel it needs, you may feel ill or extremely lightheaded.
Luckily, dehydration can often be fixed with copious amounts of water and by taking a break to sit down. After a period of rest and rehydration, your dizziness should subside. If it does not subside, you may need to seek out treatments for dizziness in Los Angeles, as your dehydration and/or vertigo may have more serious causes.
Westside Head & Neck is comprised of the leading ear, nose, and throat doctors in the Los Angeles area. We take vertigo very seriously, as it has so many factors. If you are in need of an ENT doctor in Los Angeles, one of our experienced doctors can sit down with you and find the cause of your recurring dizziness.