Dizziness with nausea – causes, treatment & prevention

Apparent movements between the body and the environment are to be defined as dizziness . This is a feeling of one’s body spinning and the environment swaying – followed by a threat of unconsciousness . Dizziness occurs when the information received through the sense organs contradicts itself. An example of this is a fast carousel ride: Our eyes follow the things scurrying by – the visual organ picks up a rotation and reports this to the brain. With a constant rotation, the balance organ – which is the inner ear – does not recognize any change in movement. Therefore, with this deviation, dizziness occurs. In truth, these movements are a disturbed perception of the environment – these are based on various causes.

causes

Dizziness is not a disease – it is a sign of a disturbance in the vestibular system . The triggers for this disorder are varied. Three large groups can be distinguished here.Benign positional vertigo occurs when you turn over in bed at night or in the morning. Certain movements ensure the occurrence of these rotary vertigo attacks. The reason for this lies in small crystals in the ear, which stimulate the sensory perception in the inner ear with such movements – as a result, these vertigo attacks occur. Positional vertigo is not dangerous and can be treated.

Meniere’s disease occurs in many cases in people between the ages of 40 and 60. The patient experiences vertigo attacks due to too much fluid being produced in the ear. Drug treatment is necessary for this disease – this also has a high chance of recovery. Inflammation of the vestibular nerve can be identified by dizziness that lasts for days – the triggers are herpes viruses. In two thirds of the cases, those affected regain the normal function of the nerve. The therapy, on the other hand, proves to be lengthy.

Diseases

• Morbus Menière

• Vestibular neuritis

• Herpes

• nerve diseases

When to the doctor?

Dizziness with nausea can be triggered by many different circumstances and therefore does not always require treatment by a doctor. In many cases, dizziness occurs with nausea accompanied by colds , flu or an infection of the gastrointestinal tract , and is a common symptom that does not necessarily have to be treated by a doctor. This symptom usually disappears after only a few hours, but can reappear with heavy exertion.

In the case of dizziness and nausea, the body needs rest and recovery. Those affected should also drink plenty of fluids and strengthen the body with healthy food. If the dizziness with nausea lasts for several days and does not get any better, a doctor should examine the patient. This can be a serious infection that can only be defeated with medication.

In rare cases, these symptoms indicate a serious illness, which cannot be ruled out. If the symptoms persist for a longer period of time, a doctor should therefore be consulted. In the case of very severe dizziness and severe nausea, the emergency doctor can also be called if the patient no longer has the strength to go to the doctor himself.

diagnosis and course

Dizziness problems must be clarified conscientiously with the doctor. This can find out whether vertigo attacks are caused by a disease of the brain or the vestibular system. For this purpose, the doctor finds out what form of dizziness it is. It is important to summarize all the symptoms in detail. The criteria include:

• Type of vertigo: spinning sensation, vertigo or dizziness

• Dizziness Duration: Attacks or constant dizziness

• Triggerability: at rest or while walking

First, the doctor conducts a careful discussion with the patient – ​​the person concerned explains their symptoms in detail. As a result, the doctor performs a physical exam – this includes measuring blood pressure, heart rate and eye movements. In addition, further tests for balance function and hearing are carried out – these are used due to the shared use of the nerve cord.

The doctor then carries out positional tests to diagnose benign positional vertigo. To do this, the person concerned sits upright and the doctor turns the patient’s head to the side. Then he quickly lets his upper body fall backwards – the tilt of his head remains the same during this time. In the case of positional vertigo, the patient experiences eye tremors. If there are indications of a brain disease, further examinations can be considered, for example an MRI of the skull.

complications

Dizziness with nausea is not always an indication of a dangerous underlying disease. In many cases, without prompt medical care, there is a risk of complications, which in the worst case can lead to death. If dizziness occurs with nausea after a fall or other accident involving a head injury, it may be a sign of a concussion . The patient must then rest.

If a concussion is not fully treated, there is a risk of complications in the form of visual disturbances, chronic exhaustion, tiredness, sensitivity to noise and problems concentrating , which can last for weeks. Dizziness combined with nausea can also indicate the onset of a migraine.

In addition to extremely severe, pounding or stabbing headaches, a migraine can have a number of other complications. These include visual disturbances, disturbances of the sense of balance, extreme sensitivity to noise and the so-called “aura vision”, which are visual or other sensory perception disorders.

After a long stay outdoors in connection with high temperatures and strong sunlight or sports activities in high temperatures, dizziness and nausea can indicate a heat stroke. Those affected must immediately go to a cool, shady place and increase their fluid intake, otherwise there is a risk of life-threatening shock, which can be fatal, especially in older patients.

Nausea and dizziness combined with vomiting often also indicate food poisoning . If the suspicion is justified because high-risk foods such as raw meat (tartare), raw eggs, exotic fish or mushrooms they have collected themselves have been consumed, those affected should go to the nearest hospital immediately. Food poisoning is always life-threatening.

treatment and therapy

The therapy for dizziness includes various measures – depending on the type of dizziness. This can include medication, physical therapy , and surgery. In individual cases, the form of treatment depends on the cause of the dizziness. Therapy is not necessary for attacks during travel or driving. It helps if the person concerned is exposed to these stimuli at short intervals. This habituation acts relatively as a short-term possibility. There are also certain medications for such cases – these help against dizziness and the simultaneous nausea.

In the case of Meniere’s disease or inflammation of the balance organs, certain medications work to relieve nausea and vomiting. Only the symptoms improve – the cause remains. Physiotherapeutic treatment is an important part of dizziness therapy. Persistent dizziness with an inflamed nerve heals quickly with physiotherapy . The exercises are made up of corrective movements and a secure posture – this improves the balance reactions. If the attacks occur frequently, over a longer period of time and with impaired hearing, surgical treatment should be considered. As a rule, many vertigo diseases have a good prognosis and heal without surgical measures.

prevention

Man cannot prevent dizziness – especially if the spinning sensation is a side effect of a nerve disease. Treating diseases associated with dizziness in this context does not require preventive measures to prevent further attacks of vertigo.If the person concerned suffers from dizziness in unusual movement situations, it is advisable to gradually get used to the new environment.