How to Get Rid of Dizziness

What is dizziness? It is lightheadedness. Now, what is this lightheadedness? It is different for different people. You may feel unsteady or dazed. As it affects your sensory organs, particularly the eyes and ears, you may feel off balance. In extreme cases, dizziness can even cause fainting. If you feel your surroundings are spinning or moving, it is vertigo, a severe type of dizziness. However, dizziness is not a disease; it is only a symptom of some disorder in your body. As such, you should not take dizziness lightly. If you want to know what disorders can cause dizziness, see the list of causes below.

Causes of Dizziness

There are many diseases or bodily conditions that might cause dizziness. It is important to know the various causes of dizziness if you want to get rid of it. If you don’t know what’s causing your dizziness, you can only get relief for a short period with temporary remedies. When you know what the real cause of your dizziness is, then only can you take steps to get rid of it permanently.

Ear infection

If you feel dizziness when you lie down, it is probably due to some viral ear infection. Inner ear infection called Labyrinthitis can also cause a severe form of dizziness known as vertigo. When your dizziness occurs while you are upright, it is probably not due to ear infection but some other reasons. Here are the natural remedies for ear infection

Hypoglycaemia

This is when your sugar level becomes lower than required. In such a condition, you may feel dizziness. If you suffer from diabetes, check your blood sugar because diabetics often face this problem of dizziness due to fluctuations in their blood sugar levels.

Hypotension

Not only low blood sugar but low blood pressure can also lead to dizziness or lightheadedness. This is more related to postural imbalance. When you suddenly sit or stand up, there occurs a sudden fall in your blood pressure which causes dizziness. When you lie down and rest for a while, this dizziness goes away. Dizziness due to hypotension is also more common in older people.

Migraine

It’s true that headache is the characteristic feature of migraine but sometimes, you may feel dizziness, especially before or after the headache. Sometimes migraine can cause dizziness only and no headache.

Anxiety

Stress is not good. Whenever you get stressed or anxious, you can expect to feel dizziness as well, especially if you tend to breathe abnormally or quickly. This is called Hyperventilation. In this condition, you exhale more than you inhale. As such, more carbon dioxide gets removed from your blood stream than your body can produce. This, in turn, leads to a rise in your blood pH which may cause dizziness, tingling in the lips, hands or feet, headache, weakness, fainting and seizures.

Dehydration

If your body faces deficiency of water then also dizziness occurs. Keep drinking water throughout the day. Drink more water when you exercise. Vomiting, diarrhea or fever can also cause dehydration. Take proper steps to treat these conditions which will also cure your dizziness.

Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency

Sometimes called beauty parlor syndrome (BPS), this condition represents symptoms occurring because of decreased blood flow in the posterior circulation of your brain. Simply explained, when the back of your brain gets lesser blood, it leads to dizziness.

There are some other causes of dizziness that include severe illnesses like thyroid, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, hypertension, anemia, and even depression. Other reasons for dizziness can be consumption of recreational drugs or alcohol, certain medicines like anti-depressants and blood pressure medicines, irregular heartbeat etc.

How to Get Rid of Dizziness

Occasional dizziness occurs to almost all of us some time in life but if it’s making your life a hell and you are not able to work normally, you must get rid of dizziness. But because dizziness is not an illness or a disease, there is not a simple answer to the question as to how to get rid of dizziness! You are now well aware that dizziness is a symptom of many medical conditions and diseases. So, you need to get rid of the underlying cause to be free from dizziness. For example, if your dizziness is due to ear infection, you need to cure that infection to get rid of dizziness.

Therefore, the first step to get rid of dizziness is to identify its underlying cause. As a starter, you can consider the minor causes like dehydration or sudden movements like jumping up after you sit for a long time or getting up from lying position hurriedly. All these actions reduce the blood flow to your brain. Lying down for sometime may cure your dizziness in such cases. Drinking water or rehydrating fluids can cure dizziness caused by dehydration. In other cases like Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency or other severe diseases, you will require to take help of doctor, that too a specialist.

Once you recognize what’s causing your dizziness, go ahead and take steps to recover from that condition. Take help of the below home remedies for dizziness after you identify the cause of your dizziness.

Home Remedies for Dizziness

For mild cases of dizziness, the following home remedies can help you get rid of dizziness.

Drink Water

One of the frequent causes of dizziness is dehydration. As such, to rule out this one, drink lots of water, especially when you exercise or stay in hot or humid weather for a long time.

• Make it a rule to drink water at regular intervals during the day, say after every half to one hour.
• When exercising, carry a bottle of water. It is essential when you do vigorous exercises like running, cycling, aerobics etc. In fact, always carry a water bottle, to your gym or wherever you go. Don’t let dehydration give you dizziness.
• Sometimes, even when you drink enough water, you may face dehydration due to such causes as fever, diarrhea or vomiting. After every such episode, ensure to drink water or oral rehydration solution (ORS)
• If you do not have ORS available with you, make it yourself, its easy. Just add 1-2 teaspoons of sugar and a generous pinch of salt to one liter water. Mix it well and your homemade ORS is ready, drink it in several batches.
• If you cannot drink more water, opt for other healthy drinks like herbal tea, soups, broths, fruit juices etc. Don’t have colas, sodas and other caffeinated drinks. They do more harm than good and can further dehydrate you.

Eat Regular Meals

This is true for everyone, more for diabetics. As you have read earlier, a drop in your blood sugar level can give you dizziness. The only way to stop this is to have regular meals.

• Eat small meals after every 2-3 hours instead of three big meals a day. A longer gap during meals can lower your blood sugar leading to dizziness.
• Don’t skip breakfast.
• Keep snacks, preferably healthy ones, in your office drawers or your bag so that you need not starve yourself anytime.
• After doing all this, if dizziness still hits you, eat a quick snack which is high in sugar or carbohydrate. A banana will be just perfect, if not, a small piece of chocolate would also do.

Take Plenty of Rest

Your dizziness might be a result of over work which leads to stress and anxiety. Slow down a little and take plenty of rest. This can be the ultimate cure for dizziness.

• Make it a habit to take breaks while working. Breathe deeply in such breaks. Sit in upright but relaxed position, close eyes, breathe deeply and rest for a minute or two. Then slowly open your eyes to find a refreshed you. This will help you prevent dizziness.
• When dizziness hits you, lie down for a couple of minutes. This allows more blood to flow to your brain.
• After lying down, don’t get up hurriedly. Sit up slowly and stay in sitting position for another couple of minutes. Now stand up slowly.
• Regular resting always prevent attacks of lightheadedness.

Avoid Bright Lights

If dizziness hits you, just close down your computer or laptop. If watching TV, shut it off. Bright lights make your lightheadedness worse. These lights make you feel disoriented and off balance.

• After shutting down all your equipment that emit bright light such as computer and TV screens, smartphones etc. close your eyes for a couple of minutes.
• If possible, go to a room that doesn’t have bright light. A darker room will help you recover from dizziness faster. Sit here or lie down, take some rest by closing your eyes. This will cure your dizziness if it’s not due to some serious disease or infection.

Dizziness caused by migraines can also be cured by avoiding bright lights and resting for some time.

Move Slowly

Sudden movements are one of the major causes of dizziness. It leads to orthostatic hypotension or the postural hypotension. When you stand up from sitting or lying down position, your blood vessels respond to gravity by narrowing down. This prevents your blood pressure from falling down abnormally and ensures a steady supply of oxygenated blood to your brain. If you suddenly stand up from sitting or lying down, your blood vessels will not constrict leading to a fall in your blood pressure causing dizziness. Therefore, make it a habit to move slowly, especially if you often feel dizziness.

• When getting up from a lying position, always turn to your side first, bring down your legs to touch the floor while slowly moving your upper body to sit upright. Sit for a while. After a few seconds, get up slowly.
• When you try to stand up after sitting for a long time, first move your legs for few seconds. This will help your blood circulate better. Now stand up slowly to avoid dizziness.

Have Ginger to Cure Dizziness

If you have this sudden sensation that you are spinning or the inside of your head is spinning, you may be suffering from Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). This may give you brief episodes of mild to intense dizziness, especially when you move your head up or down, or when you lie down, or when you try to turn over or sit up in your bed. Its better to see your doctor to rule out any serious implications in such cases. Traditionally however, ginger has been used extensively to treat motion sickness which might also help you get rid of dizziness caused by BPPV.

Make Ginger Tea for Dizziness

Get this:

• Ginger root- 1 inch piece
• Water- 2 cups
• Ground pumpkin seeds (optional)- a pinch or two
• Ground celery seeds (optional)- a pinch or two

Do this:

• Peel and chop the ginger after washing it properly.
• Bring the water to a boil.
• Add the chopped ginger
• Simmer the tea for 5-10 minutes.
• Strain and have it with a dash of ground seeds of pumpkin and celery. They too are good herbs for dizziness.

Take Amla (Indian Gooseberry) for Dizziness Remedy

Amla or the Indian gooseberry is a nutritional powerhouse. Among other nutrients, it is a rich source of Vitamin C and iron. Those who suffer from dizziness due to diabetes and improper blood circulation can consider having amla for curing dizziness. It reduces cholesterol buildup and plaque buildup in your vessels and arteries thus ensuring proper blood flow throughout the body including brain. The iron content in amla promotes formation of new red blood cells thus increasing circulation. Chromium content of amla helps diabetic patients a lot in managing proper blood sugar levels.

Get this:

• Amla (Indian gooseberry)- 2 or Amla powder- 1 tsp
• Coriander seeds- 2 tsp or Coriander seeds powder- 1 tsp
• Water- 1 cup

Do this:

• Take the amla and grind it to get its paste.
• Add this amla paste and coriander seeds to a cup of water.
• Cover and leave it to soak overnight.
• In the morning, strain and drink the water.
• Repeat this daily.
• If using powdered amla and coriander seed, mix a tsp each of both in a cup of water and allow to soak overnight.
• Strain and drink in the morning.

Drink Honey-Cider Vinegar to Avoid Dizziness

Honey-Cider Vinegar when mixed can be a tasty treat to keep away dizziness. Honey, due to its natural sugar content gives an instant boost to your lowering blood sugar. Apple cider vinegar, on the other hand, keeps your blood circulation intact.

Get this:

• Honey- 2 tsp
• Apple cider vinegar- 2 tsp
• Hot water- 1 glass

 

Do this:

• Mix honey and vinegar with hot water.
• Stir well to mix them all properly.
• Have it 1-2 times a day.

Ayurvedic Home Treatment for Dizziness

According to Ayurveda, vertigo, the severe form of dizziness is caused by disorders of digestion and gastric troubles. Ear infections, impaired eye-sight, improper functioning of nervous system, migraine, poor blood circulation, lack of sleep and chronic fatigue also lead to dizziness as explained by Ayurveda. There are many Ayurvedic treatments for dizziness that can be prescribed only by expert Ayurvedic practitioners. However, there are certain home treatments too that Ayurveda recommends for tackling the problem of dizziness, particularly due to fatigue.

Get this:

• Almonds- 8
• Pumpkin seeds kernels- 8
• Poppy seeds (khuskhus)- 1 tsp
• Wheat grain- 3 tbsp
• Clarified butter (ghee)- 2 tsp
• Cloves- 3-4
• Milk- 1 glass

Do this:

• Soak almonds, kernels of pumpkin seeds, poppy seeds and wheat grain in water overnight.
• In the morning, remove the outer skin of almonds and grind all the soaked ingredients to a fine paste.
• Heat ghee and roast the cloves in it.
• Combine this ghee with the prepared paste and add the whole thing to milk. Bring it to a boil.
• Have this daily for few days to get rid of dizziness.

Gingko Biloba Herb for Dizziness

When it comes to herbs for dizziness, no one seems to doubt the efficacy of gingko biloba. This herb improves flow of blood to the brain and thus helps prevent dizziness. This herb is also said to be good for treating ear disorders. Infections and disorders in ears are one of the major causes of dizziness.

How to take Gingko Biloba for Dizziness?

• Get gingko biloba which is easily available in form of tablet, liquid extract and dried leaves.
• 60 to 240 milligrams of gingko biloba is prescribed for various conditions leading to dizziness. It’s better to get in touch with an expert herbalist to know the exact dosage for your dizziness.
• The herb may interact with certain medications. Therefore, it becomes all the more important to consult a natural herbalist as well as your doctor before you try this herb to treat your dizziness at home.

Preventive Remedies for Dizziness

Till now, you have known about what to do to get rid of dizziness. Now its turn to know what not to do to prevent dizziness. These are some dont’s for dizziness.

• Don’t have too much alcohol. Limit its intake. It causes dehydration and dilation of blood vessels leading to dizziness.
• Don’t have too much caffeinated drinks, they also cause dehydration. Have them in moderation.
• Avoid vigorous exercises if you are prone to dizziness. Even hot baths, saunas, in general, hot environment can cause dizziness by allowing your blood vessels to widen.
• Do not stand for longer periods without moving. This pools blood in your legs and the brain doesn’t get enough blood. Keep on moving frequently to maintain proper blood circulation. But while doing this, move slowly because sudden movements also cause dizziness.
• When ascending high altitudes, do not do it quickly. Climb slowly.
• Don’t take blood monitoring lightly. Keep a check on your blood pressure and blood sugar, if you are a diabetic.
• Avoid any thing that affects blood circulation negatively such as tobacco, recreational drugs, alcohol, caffeine etc.
• If prone to dizziness, don’t lower your head beneath your shoulder. If you need to see downwards or do something by bending down, bend on your knees and lower your body, not your head.
• Don’t ignore dizziness. It can be a symptom of a bigger problem. If dizziness is affecting your daily life, check with a doctor to ensure there is no serious underlying cause.
• Don’t give up. It may take a little longer to get yourself diagnosed with the exact underlying cause for your dizziness. But pursuing all options will prove to be fruitful. After all, dizziness is a symptom of one or the other medical condition. And with so much progress in the field, you do not need to drag for a long with dizziness. You will sure get rid of dizziness, soon!

So, just try to find out the underlying cause for your dizziness and apply the appropriate remedies to get rid of it. If you think, it is something serious and not only dehydration or stress etc. consult your doctor. This is the best way to diagnose as well as to find direction about what to do to get rid of dizziness!