Dizziness is a common symptom in everyday life, but sometimes it can be a warning sign of serious illnesses such as stroke. In particular, elderly people or patients with chronic diseases should pay attention immediately if they suddenly feel dizzy without any specific triggers such as a change in posture.
Professor Lee Ik-seong of the Department of Neurology at Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital warned, “Vertigo can manifest in various ways, such as a feeling that the surroundings or oneself are spinning or moving, a feeling of difficulty maintaining balance, and a feeling of dizziness. Especially in the elderly, it is difficult to know what disease it is based on the symptoms alone.”
▽Symptoms of suspected stroke▽
If an elderly patient with vascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or hyperlipidemia suddenly complains of difficulty maintaining balance or dizziness with the surroundings spinning, it is necessary to check for stroke. In particular, if a stroke occurs in the cerebellum, dizziness may appear without other symptoms, so caution is required.
The professor emphasized, “Severe dizziness that lasts for 5 to 10 minutes and then suddenly improves may be due to temporary blood circulation problems in the cerebral blood vessels. This may be a precursor symptom of a stroke, so even if the symptoms improve, you must be examined at a hospital.”
▽Other causes of dizziness▽
One of the most common causes of dizziness is benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, commonly called BPPV. This occurs when a person changes position and can be treated with otolith repositioning.
Orthostatic hypotension is also a major cause of dizziness, and is characterized by brief episodes when standing up from a lying position. It is especially common in elderly patients with diabetes.
If a patient taking medications for benign prostatic hyperplasia or high blood pressure medication experiences brief dizziness only when sitting up, orthostatic hypotension should be suspected. When visiting a hospital for dizziness, it may be helpful to bring a prescription for the medication you normally take.
The professor said, “When dizziness first occurs, you should carefully observe the triggers and duration, and if the dizziness is severe enough to interfere with daily life, you should definitely determine the exact cause. In particular, in elderly patients, dizziness that occurs suddenly without any specific triggers can be a sign of stroke, so prompt action is needed.”
Reporter Song Chi-hoon, Donga.com [email protected]
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2024-09-09 18:19:31