Dizziness And Headaches - Why They Are Happening To You.

Welcome to DizzinessAndHeadaches.net! If you're reading this page then you know how it is. As one feels dizzy and woozy, there is a distortion or alteration on one’s orientation or perception to direction, motion, depth, distance, balance stability and even judgment. This is especially true during motion sickness, alcohol intoxication and vertigo. In cases when one cannot truly maintain a proper bearing on his spatial orientation, or maintain a proper recognition on one’s position in relation to his surroundings, accidents can do happen. These can range from a simple faint to more disastrous mishaps such as a road traffic accidents or plane crash.

So if You're a headache and migraine sufferer - Read On...

The Different Classes Of Dizziness And Their Symptoms

Dizzines in itself is not a disease, but rather, it is a symptom of an underlying problem. There are four typers of dizzines, which are categorized into any of the following criteria.

1.  Vertigo. It is described as an inaccurate perception that the surrounding environment around the person is spinning or revolving while remaining stationary. Some people with vertigo describe it as a sensation that they themselves are moving around an object. Vertigo can cause nausea, and even vomiting in severe cases. Signs and symptoms include speech difficulty, blurred vision, difficulties in gait and balance, photophobia, phonophobia, nystagmus or involuntary, uncontrolled and jerky eye movements and hyperhidrosis or excessive perspiration.

2.  Disequilibrium. It is a condition where a person’s sense of balance and stability during standing or walking is distorted. Safety precaution must be enforced at all times as falls and slips are safety hazards that can possibly occur.

3.  Light-headedness or also known as presyncope, is a sensation that a person is about to faint but retains some degree of consciousness. In here, faintness or syncope does not occur. Presyncope is warning sign that loss of consciousness is probably imminent. Some describe it as having a sense of head weightlessness, there is also generalized muscle weakness and cold skin temperature especially on the distal extremities. Light-headedness results from poor cerebral tissue perfusion, which means that brain cells do not receive adequate amount of oxygen.

4. Psychiatric dizziness. Psychosomatic disorders, somatization, anxiety, hallucinations and illusions are all mental health problems that can produce sensations of giddiness and wooziness.

The Various Causes of Dizziness

A great number of pathologic conditions and alterations in the body’s anatomy and physiology can evoke a feeling of unsteadiness and wooziness. Infections and anomalies that involve a specific organ or system of the human body or any drastic changes in body’s ability in maintaining homeostasis all play a major part in making dizziness as one of their defining characteristics.

A.  For middle ear and vestibulocochlear or inner ear anomalies, as well as tumor growing on the acoustic nerves, expect to find vertigo and disequilibrium on the following conditions:

1. Otitis media-Infection and inflammation of the middle ear .

2. Vestibular neuritis- Infection and inflammation of inner ear itself. This ailment is synonymously called as Otitis Interna or Labyrinthitis.

3. Meniere’s disease. The cause is obscure but it is linked with fluctuating inner ear pressure caused by insufficient inner ear fluid drainage.

4.  Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). BPPV in itself is idiopathic in nature, however, it generally occurs when there is sudden and abrupt head movement or jerking. It is often experienced after doing spin rides. BPPV’s onset is instantaneous but self-limiting in duration which lasts for a few seconds or minutes.

5.  Acoustic neuroma or Vestibular Schwannoma- A tumor at the Vestibulocochlear nerve (Cranial Nerve VIII). It is caused by abnormal growth and proliferation of a specialized type of nerve cells called the Schwann cells.

6.  Kinetosis or more popularly known as Travel sickness or Motion sickness. During sea, air, and car travel, patients having this condition often experience vertigo, nausea, disequilibrium and even vomiting. Astronauts and cosmonauts also undergo the same symptoms as they struggle with space sickness or Space Adaptation Syndrome (SAS).

B.  The brain consumes majority of the blood oxygen supply more than any other organ in the body, it is very sensitive to sudden changes in oxygen levels. Poor cerebral oxygen perfusion, or inadequate level of brain oxygenation results from the following conditions.

1.  Transient Ischemic Stroke or TIA. This situation can lead to a full blown Ischemic stroke, if not corrected soon enough. In TIA, the cerebral artery becomes progressively clogged.

2.  Hypotension or Low blood pressure. This is quantified by a systolic and diastolic arterial blood pressure of below 90 mm Hg and 60 mm Hg, respectively. This drop in blood pressure can also result immediately, after standing up abruptly, from a sitting or lying position. This phenomenon is called Orthostatic hypotension.

3.  Hypertension or High blood pressure. If systolic and diastolic arterial blood pressures shoots up to 140 mm Hg and 90 mm Hg and above, the excessive force exerted by the left ventricles of the heart prevents oxygen from being fully absorbed by cells and tissues.

4.  Coronary Artery Diseases (CAD). An example of CAD is atherosclerosis. The arteries become clogged up by fat, plaque and clot deposits. CAD may also result from the hardening of the arterial smooth muscles. The arteries lose their elasticity and adaptation to blood pressure changes. This type of coronary artery disease is called arteriosclerosis. Both atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis can shoot up blood pressure levels.

5.  Heart problems. These include disorders on the cardiac smooth muscles, heart valves, pulmonary artery, pulmonary vein, aorta, structural defects, and abnormal electrical conduction and transmission.

6.  Anemia. A hematologic condition where the red blood cells or erythrocytes, which contains oxygen-carrying hemoglobin molecules, are inadequate and insufficient.

7.  Hypoglycemia or below normal blood glucose levels. Glucose is a basic nutrient needed by all cells including that of the brain for normal metabolism and function.

8.  Dehydration. Through the process of osmosis, intracellular fluids within the brain move out towards an area with higher concentration of solutes. This action will cause brain cells to shrink.

9.  Head trauma. Excessive application of external forces towards the head can fracture the skull, destroy soft tissues and rupture blood vessels, which may lead to hemorrhage.

10.  Overexposure to heat. The normal physiologic effect of heat on blood vessels is vasodilation. However, when blood vessels on the lower extremities dilate, there is pooling or accumulation of blood on the legs. This lessens the amount of blood that returns back towards the heart and eventually towards the brain.

11. Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning. Carbon Monoxide is a clear, odorless and taste less gas. Inhalation of this undetectable gas is life-threatening. Hemoglobin has a higher affinity or attraction to carbon monoxide than oxygen. This displaces oxygen out and cannot be delivered to cells and tissues. Mild inhalation causes dizziness and altered level of consciousness, but moderate to severe levels of Carbon Monoxide causes headache, and even death, in extreme cases.

C.  The following disorders and maladies  of the nervous system  may cause some degree of dizziness and uneasiness.

1.  Multiple Sclerosis. An autoimmune disorder wherein the body’s own immune system wrongfully interprets the myelin sheaths of the cellular axonal terminals of the brain and spinal cord as antigens or hostile foreign substances.

2.  Herpes zoster oticus or Ramsay Hunt syndrome II or RHS type 2. A herpes zoster viral infection on a group of sensory neurons and fibers on the facial nerve located on the head.

3.  Vasovagal wooziness. Exposure to certain stresses in life such as the sight of blood or severe emotional anxiety, can trigger the stimulation of the vagus nerve, which plummets down cardiac rate and myocardial (heart muscle) contractility.

D.  Hormonal changes during pregnancy, menopause, Diabetes Mellitus, Hyperthyroidism, Hypothyroidism and Addison’s disease can induce noticeable levels of giddiness.

E.  Patients often complain of nausea, lightheadedness and wooziness when undergoing therapy to  certain drugs and medications. For safety reasons, caution should be taken when taking the following drugs:

1.  Anti-hypertensives- Examples are Alpha-blockers (Terazosin), Alpha-2 agonists (Clonidine), Beta-blockers (Atenolol) and Calcium channel blockers (Verapamil), ACE inibitors (Captopril), Angiostensin II receptor antagonists (Olmesartan), and Vasodilators (Sodium nitroprusside)

2.  Anti-depressants- Examples are Tricyclic Antidepressants or TCA's (e.g. Amitriptyline and Lofepramine) and Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors or SSRI's (e.g. Fluoxetine and Sertraline)

3.  Diuretics. It reduces blood volume through increased urination. As less quantities of blood returns its way back to the heart, heart muscle contraction is greatly reduced, which in turn significantly diminishes blood pressure levels. Diuretics are grouped either as High ceiling loop diuretic (Furosemide and Torsemide), Osmotic diuretic (Mannitol), Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors (Methazolamide and Acetazolamide), Digitalis (Digoxin), Thiazides ( Hydrochlorothiazide), Potassium-sparing diuretics (Spironolactone), and Calcium-sparing diuretics (same with potassium-sparing and thiazides).

4.  Sedative and Hypnotics- Drug classes such as Barbiturates, Benzodiazipines, Anti-histamines, and Anxiolytics belong to these categories.

5.  Aminoglycosides- A class of antibiotic. Common examples are Kanamycin, Amikacin, Gentamicin, Neomycin and Streptomycin. 

6.  Salicylates- Best known example is Aspirin.

7.  Anticonvulsants. Generic examples are Dilantin, Primidone and Phenobarbital.

8.  Nitroglycerin such as  Isosorbide dinitrate (Isordil) and Isosorbide mononitrate (Imdur) are strong coronary artery vasodilator that lowers down blood pressure levels.

9.  Ethanol or fermented alcohol.

10. Cocaine. Street names are "coke" or "crack"

Just like dizziness, headaches have various causes, which are categorized into different classes. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, headaches are grouped into five classifications.

1.  Vascular headache. A type of headache brought about by dilation of cephalic blood vessels. It is widely accepted that this phenomenon results from a drop in Serotonin levels. The best example that fits this category is Migraine.

2.  Myogenic headache. Myo means “muscle”, genic means “origin” or “produced from”.  As the etymology of the word suggests, it is a headache brought about by cramps and prolonged muscular contractions. Myogenic headaches can stem out because of hunger, stress, straining of the eyes, dehydration, insufficient sleep, caffeine withdrawal and improper sitting posture. The most common is Tension-type headaches, or formerly known as Tension headaches. It initially starts either from the eyes, shoulders and upper back. It then radiates towards the forehead and may bilaterally affect the other parts of the head.

3.  Cervicogenic headache. This is a type of headache that originates from the neck. The posterior head muscles are interconnected with at least 20 neck muscles and with numerous nerve fibers especially those that are located at the Cervical 1 and Cervical 2 level of the neck.

4.  Traction headache. Cerebral tumors, intracranial bleeding, improper cerebrospinal fluid drainage or cerebrospinal fluid leakage are conditions in the brain that causes friction and strain on cerebral brain tissues. Traction headaches are often severe and even life-threatening.

5.  Inflammatory headache. These are headaches triggered by a localized inflammation and swelling as a response to infection. It may also be radiate from an approximate area with the head. Examples are Encephalitis, Meningitis and Sinusitis, which are cerebral, meningeal and sinus inflammation, respectively. 

However, the internationally accepted classification for headaches is from the International Headache Society thru its International Classification of Headache Disorders-2 (ICHD-2) guideline. It has an official recognition from the World Health Organization (WHO). In fact, the classifications promulgated by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) can also be incorporated with the ICHD-2 guideline.

According to the ICHD-2, headaches or cephalgia are grouped into the following categories.

1.  Primary Headache. The cause is usually unknown. Its onset is sudden and can lasts for a few hours  and even up to 72 hours. Pain intensity may range from mild to severe. It may affect either one side or both sides of the head. According to the ICHD-2, examples of headaches that fall into this classification are migraine attacks, cluster headaches and tension-type headaches. It also includes autonomic facial nerve neuralgia such as Trigeminal Neuralgia, or also known as Tic Doloreux or Suicide Disease.

2.  Secondary Headache. Unlike Primary headaches whose etiologies are cryptogenic or mysterious, secondary headaches stem out from trauma to the head as well as from existing disease processes and anatomical deformities. Conditions such as hypertension, ischemic cerebrovascular accident, pre-stroke transient ischemic attack, intracranial bleeding or hematoma secondary to head injury, cerebral arterial defects, glaucoma, prolonged fasting, cephalgia secondary to post-invasive procedures such as craniotomy and dialysis, cerebral tumors, improper cerebrospinal fluid pressure as well as endocrine physiologic abnormality such as hypothyroidism are considered as secondary headaches. It may also be an adverse reaction or what they call as a rebound effect from excessive analgesic use or consumption abuse. Psychiatric psychosomatic disorders are also covered into this category as well.

Dizziness and headaches are unfortunately common. As we face life with constant stress and pressure, and as we age every year, headaches and wooziness will never go away. However, with sufficient knowledge and with proper guidance from your healthcare providers, you can be in control as they happen. When these symptoms do strike back, you can manage them with greater success and with lesser stress and agony.