Dizziness: Treatment, Procedure, Cost and Side Effects

Dizziness is associated to a range of sensations, such as wooziness, unsteadiness, weariness, weakness, and a feeling of faint. Dizziness which creates a false sense that that either you or your surroundings are constantly moving or spinning is known as vertigo. Dizziness is one of the most common reasons of why people visit doctors. Treatment of this condition depends on the cause of it and its indications. Usually, the treatment is considered effective but it may also recur. Symptoms include al false sense of spinning or motion (vertigo), loss of balance, lightheadedness and heavy-headedness. The feelings may worsen or trigger while standing up, walking or moving your head. Dizziness may also be associated with nausea or sometimes be so severe or sudden that you will need to lie down or just sit down somewhere. This episode usually lasts for seconds or even days and chances are it may recur.

In case your doctor suspects that you are of old age and suffered a head blow, or, may have had or are undergoing a stroke, he/she may immediately order a CT or an MRI scan. Medical treatments of dizziness include dizziness reduction medications, water pills, anti-anxiety medications, anti-nausea medications, and migraine preventive medications. Therapeutic treatment comprises of psychotherapy, balance therapy and head position maneuvers. Lastly, surgical treatments involve removal of the inner ear sense organ and injections.

Dizziness is often known to get better without treatment. Within a few weeks or less the body usually adapts to the cause of it. In case you seek treatment, your health care provider will base it on your current condition and also your indications. It included medications along with balanced exercises. Even if there is no valid cause found and your dizziness is persistent, there are prescription drugs and other treatment methods which may be able to manage your condition and symptoms better.

Water pills (diuretic) are prescribed by your doctor in case you have Meniere’s disease. This treatment method is more effective if taken with a low-salt diet. It will reduce the recurrent dizziness episodes faced by you. Meclizine (Antivert) is a part of antihistamines which offer a short-term relief from vertigo. Anticholinergics like scopolamine skin patches (Transderm Scop) also reduce dizziness. Therapeutic measures like balance therapy makes you learn certain exercises to make your body’s balance system less sensitive to spinning or motion. This physical therapy is known as vestibular rehabilitation. It is usually used for those with vestibular neuritis condition of the inner ear which causes dizziness. Surgical measure of injecting the inner ear with an antibiotic gentamicin in order to disable the balance function so that the unaffected ear takes over that particular function is also considered quite effective.

A person is eligible for treatment of dizziness if he/she experiences some or all of the symptoms associated with it. The symptoms are: dizziness, problems with balance, lightheadedness, a sense of motion sickness, tinnitus, feeling of fullness in the ear and nausea and vomiting. A doctor will determine whether a person is suffering from vertigo or not by means of a physical examination and checking the patient’s medical history. A person may also be advised to undergo an MRI or CT scan. Thus, a person will only be eligible for treatment after he/she has been properly diagnosed by a doctor.

A person who does not suffer from the symptoms of dizziness is not eligible for treatment. A person affected by Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo is not suited to undergo the vestibular rehabilitation. Epley manouevre requires some head exercises to be done. A person who has a serious head/neck injury is not eligible for this treatment. A person needs to consult a doctor before understanding whether he/she is eligible to take medications like antihistamine and prochlorperazine.

The side-effects of vestibular rehabilitation therapy include dizziness, muscle fatigue, sedation, weakness, and unsteadiness and falls that may sometimes amplify the disorder. Epley manoeuvre does not have any serious side-effects. However, a small fraction of the patients who have undergone his treatment have experienced transient nausea while fewer people have experienced vomiting. Prochlorperazine has a number of side-effects like dizziness, drowsiness, sleep disorders, constipation, swelling of breasts, weight gain and missing of menstrual period for women. Antihistamine’s side effects include drowsiness, dizziness, vomiting, nausea, vision problems, confusion and problems in urination.

There are a number of lifestyle changes you can do in order to get read of dizziness causing havoc in your daily life. After getting the treatment, there are certain things to be kept in mind. Have plenty of rest, keep yourself hydrated at all times and have regular meals. In case you are feeling dizzy again, lie down immediately. Make your home safe in order to deal with chronic dizziness. This is done by keeping a cane, walker, tub mats, and banisters that may help the patient by avoiding injury. An anxious person who suffers from dizziness can be helped by some reassurance.

The medications for dizziness are harmless and the symptoms usually go away in about a week to 6 weeks. Thereafter, you need to follow your doctor’s instructions and maintain a healthy lifestyle in order to prevent complications and recurrence.

The cost of diagnosis along with the visit to a doctor will range between Rs. 3,500 to Rs. 4,000. On the other hand, the cost of treatment will range between Rs. 150 to Rs. 500.

The results of the treatment can never be permanent without actually altering your usual lifestyle measures. You need to be conscious about your mental and physical health and carry on with regular exercise along with proper diet to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

The alternative treatments available for dizziness are gingko biloba (herb that increases blood flow to the brain), consumption of ginger tea each morning, consumption of gooseberry powder, raw honey, and coriander seeds (mix it with warm water and have a cup of it every morning), and the consumption of almonds with milk (mix an almond paste with a glass of warm milk and drink it up).