Dizziness isn’t a condition that should be overlooked, at times it comes with a headache and experts say that anxiety and stress could be some of its triggers. According to Gerald Ruzindana, a health consultant at Amazon Nutrition Cabinet-Gasabo, dizziness is a sensation that makes your head spin or your surrounding move which results to feeling faint, woozy, weak or unsteady. He says that dizziness is not a disease itself, but is a symptom of an underlying problem and any course of treatment for dizziness must begin with investigation into possible causes. Our body keeps balance through the interplay of several organs, including ears, eyes, nerves and muscles. Also, poor eating habits can cause mild dizziness, sighting delaying or skipping meals depending on someone’s nutrition status, people with less weight compared to their height tend to experience dizziness in circumstances of low blood sugar,” he says. Dizziness can have causes that aren’t due to underlying disease. Photos/Net Ruzindana says that in some cases, people on self-prescribed diets of weight loss tend to experience dizziness resulting from dry spells of fasting on pretext grounds of losing weight, and yet weight management requires planning and seeking medical advice from a nutritionist and dietitian. He also says that other factors that might cause dizziness range from minor causes like motion sickness and fever, to major factors including build-up of wax in the ear canal, high blood pressure, low sugar levels, circulatory disorders such as arteriosclerosis, brain tumours, among others. The health consultant says that nutritional deficiencies can provoke dizziness, and they can also cause other conditions that lead to dizziness. Dr Edem Danyo, a health practitioner, notes that skipping meals is starving your body of its energy, which is glucose. Low glucose or sugar in the body is called hypoglycaemia and since the brain depends on glucose for its function, depletion results in dizziness. He explains that an ear infection is another cause of dizziness. The ear infection is referred to as labyrinthitis and is responsible for hearing a balance. So an inflamed labyrinth sends a false signal to the brain which results in loss of balance thus dizziness. Dr Danyo is of the view that Meniere’s disease is a disease which affects the inner ear. The mechanism is said to be a result of distortion of a group of ducts and chambers filled with fluid in the inner ear. This distortion results in dizziness. It can develop at any age but usually develops in people who are 40 to 60 years of age. He also says that other causes of Meniere’s disease are; autoimmune, allergies and genetics. Symptoms may include imbalances or dizziness, spinning sensation, ear ringing and ear pressure. Dr Danyo states that 60 per cent of our bodies are made up of water, which makes it a very important element in our bodies. Water carries oxygen and nutrients in the body, that’s why its depletion causes the body to malfunction. He also highlights that when your blood pressure is low, the volume of your blood lowers, once your brain is not receiving enough blood, there is a possibility of getting dizzy and experiencing light-headedness. The health practitioner explains that dehydration happens if you lose more water than you’re taking in. This affects your body because it lacks enough water to successfully carry out important tasks like breathing, digestion, among others. Lack of enough water in the body can cause someone to faint, have dark urine and dry lips, and weakness. He further says that other provokes of dizziness are, hypotension - which is low blood pressure, anaemia - low haemoglobin level, migraine, heat exhaustion or heat stroke, drugs like sedatives or antidepressants, some cardiac (heart) diseases and motion sickness. “We recommend first, for any dizziness symptom one needs to seek medical attention, improve your eating times if it’s to do with weight loss regimes, consult your nutritionist for a proper individualised dietary plan to make you lose weight in a more healthier and sustainable manner. Eat meals that are based on a wide variety of basic whole foods that you have prepared yourself and keep your blood sugar in proper range,” Ruzindana says. He also points out that in cases where dizziness is caused by deficiency of B-vitamins, find credible sources of vitamin B like brown rice and green leafy vegetables. The nutrition consultant adds that dizziness is sometimes caused by impaired circulation to the brain; improve your blood flow by regular exercises. He urges cutting on the excessive consumption of sodium that is found in table salt, avoid candy, cakes, sodas, cookies and other sweets, as these products will cause spikes in blood sugar levels which might explain your dizziness symptoms. “If someone feels dizzy, they are advised to sit or lay down for some minutes and should avoid abrupt movements as you seek further medical attention if symptoms persist.”
