When dizzy spells cause death - Do not ignore these signs

Dizziness can have fatal consequences

Dizziness is not a disease in itself, but dizziness is one of the most common symptoms in medicine. The dizziness can occur in different forms, as well as have different causes. Frequently, the symptoms are ignored, downplayed or underestimated. But experts warn that this negligence can sometimes even have fatal consequences.

For example, a study by ENT specialists Eduardo Corrales and Neil Bhattacharyya of Harvard Medical School in Boston reports on possible associations between dizziness and an increased risk of death. As a result, many older people die as a result of falls, which are often caused by dizziness. The study shows that people with regular dizziness are about four times more likely to be killed by falling. The results of the study were published in the journal "The Laryngoscope".

Expert lectures on dizziness

The senior physician Dr. Frank Waldfahrer of the ENT Clinic in Erlangen recently lectured on the effects of dizziness at a press conference on the 120th anniversary of Henning Arzneimittel. "Older patients in particular fall down due to dizziness, come to the hospital with a fracture and often do not recover," reports Waldfahrer.

Not only the danger of falling is to be considered

Another reason why you should not underestimate dizziness: Dizziness could conceal more serious illnesses. Dizziness is one of the complaints patients most often refer to in medical practices. The origin of dizziness can be in the inner ear as well as in the brain. Dizziness can also indicate dangerous heart disease. Therefore, a professional diagnosis is required.

Age dizziness

Waldfahrer reports that the so-called Altersschwindel, also called Presby vestibulopathy or multimodal dizziness, is a hybrid of both dizziness forms. "Altersschwindel is partly caused simply by wear," said the expert. Since our equilibrium system is almost permanently active, it would also earlier to failure symptoms than other sensory organs. In addition, among other things, the use of certain medications can increase the balance disorder. Foresters call sedatives or some diuretics as examples.

Dizziness can manifest itself in different ways

Dizziness can be perceived by those affected in different ways. In the case of rotary dizziness, the feeling predominates that either something is spinning in the head or that the environment revolves around the person concerned. The swaying vertigo causes feelings as if the environment is moving back and forth. In the case of a lift dizziness, those affected have the feeling of moving up and down the environment. In addition, eyelash twitching and other vegetative symptoms such as nausea, sweating, or palpitations may occur in all vertigo types.

The psyche also plays a role

Not only physical causes play a role, there are also mental causes of dizziness. For example, dizziness can also be triggered by depression, pyschosis and anxiety disorders, according to the Professional Association of German Nervous Physicians (BVDN) on the information portal "Neurologists and Psychiatrists in the Net".

No reason to hide dizziness

Anyone who has their dizziness examined, has a good chance of recovery, because dizziness correctly recognized can be treated well. "Properly diagnosed dizziness syndromes have a good prognosis and can often be treated with medication or dizziness training for fall prevention," explains Dr. med. med. Stefan Volkenstein, Senior Physician at the University Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery of the Ruhr University Bochum. As a last option, surgical interventions are possible, which are only used when all alternative treatment options have been exhausted. (Vb)