Can you Describe your Dizziness?

Medical professionals may be confused if you go in and say you have been feeling dizzy lately.  In order to properly diagnose you they will ask you to “describe how you feel dizzy” or “what ways do you feel dizzy?”  They do this to determine your symptoms and the type of dizziness you are experiencing so that they can ask more questions to get at the root cause or refer you to a specialist.  Whether you are feeling lightheaded, off-balance, or spinning can tell the doctor a lot.  This can help them find the causes and determine next steps. 

Where a problem may occur, is if you are experiencing more than one type of dizziness (like having both Vertigo and TMJ at the same time).  If this is the case, the doc may become confused as it is harder to nail down the cause.  So be sure to tell the doctor about other symptoms that are not dizziness and any recent injuries.  In these cases, they may refer you to a specialist to rule out real causes or find the underlying problem.  For example you may be sent to a cardiologist (heart), ENT (ear), ophthalmologist (eye), dental professional (teeth), or another depending on symptoms.   Drug reactions could also be a cause of dizziness so be sure to tell the doctor if any new medications or supplements (even herbal versions) have been taken in the last month.

A leading cause of dizziness and headaches today is stress - so do not give yourself more; go see the doc!  Hormone changes in women could also be an issue.  However, some websites say the most common dizziness problem for women is Vertigo (due to calcium intake) which may be treated quickly with in-office therapy by an ENT after he examines eye movement.  However, the most common dizziness related to dental issues is TMJ which is usually accompanied by jaw pain or ear buzzing.  So let the doctor know if that is also an issue.  Please note there are exercises that can be done to help with TMJ after diagnosis, but first verify what to do with a professional in order to not make things worse.  Get a medical recommendation before doing any Vertigo standing or sitting exercises as well.