Psychosomatics of dizziness

What psychosomatics says

Psychosomatics doesn’t explain the cause of dizziness and doesn’t replace a check-up: first rule out blood pressure, anaemia, the inner ear and migraine. Dizziness doesn’t mean “something is wrong with your head.”

In psychosomatics, dizziness is linked to losing support: when something collapses and it feels like the ground has gone from under your feet. It can happen after losing a loved one, a divorce, leaving a familiar life, and also when it’s so noisy around you that you can’t “hear yourself.”

The NHS names stress and anxiety among possible causes, so questions to yourself are fitting: when in your life you need support and where it’s missing.

What it is

Dizziness covers several things: feeling unsteady, lightheaded or faint. If it feels like you or the room is spinning even though nothing is moving, that is vertigo (MedlinePlus). Nausea, sweating, trouble walking and ringing in the ears can come with it.

The NHS writes that dizziness is common and usually not serious. Causes include a sudden drop in blood pressure when you stand up quickly, dehydration, some medicines, inner-ear problems (for example Meniere’s disease and benign positional vertigo, the most common cause of vertigo), motion sickness, migraine, iron deficiency anaemia, low blood sugar, stress and anxiety.

It often passes on its own. While you’re dizzy, lie down, then get up slowly, drink water, rest, don’t bend down suddenly and don’t drive.

A doctor finds the cause from your story and an examination, checks hearing and balance, and orders imaging such as MRI or CT if a stroke is suspected or after a head injury.

How it shows up

• It feels like you or the room is spinning
• You feel unsteady, as if you could fall
• Lightheaded, close to fainting
• Nausea and sweating
• Ringing or other sounds in the ears
• Worse when you stand up fast or turn your head

Start with a general practitioner or a neurologist, and for ringing in the ears and hearing loss you need an ENT doctor. They’ll check blood pressure, order a blood test for haemoglobin and sugar, and assess hearing and balance. Don’t take pills for dizziness on a friend’s advice while the cause is unclear.