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Feeling dizzy when walking: causes and treatment

by Alivia Nyhan
Published: Last Updated on

Around the world, many people complain of dizziness when walking. Several manifest it as if the world were moving when they took a step. This alteration worries and affects the daily life of the individuals who suffer from it and is a reason for frequent visits to health centers . It should be mentioned that, occasionally, it can be confused with other pathologies.

The causes that can give way to the appearance of this sensation range from disorders of metabolic, vestibular or emotional origin, such as anxiety and depression. The feeling of dizziness can be felt by people at any age, however, it occurs more frequently in adults.

Therefore, we invite you to continue reading this FastlyHealarticle, where everything related to the feeling of dizziness when walking will be detailed : causes and treatment .

Feeling dizzy when walking: causes

The causes that give rise to the sensation of dizziness when walking are diverse, among them we can mention:

Hypotension

It is low blood pressure, it can be one of the causes of the feeling of dizziness when standing up quickly. There may be a feeling of dizziness when the heart is unable to pump enough blood to the brain, causing loss of balance and dizziness.

Myocardial infarction

Also known as a heart attack , it is caused by a blockage of the coronary arteries. This causes a decrease in blood flow to the heart, in this way, oxygen decreases, which causes the death of heart cells.

This triggers the appearance of some symptoms such as chest pain, anxiety, fatigue or dizziness . If you need more information, see our article Myocardial infarction: symptoms, causes and treatment .

cardiac arrhythmia

It is an alteration of the heart rhythm. Those who have it may complain that the heart beats too fast. This is also known as tachycardia . The condition in question occurs when the electrical impulses that generate the heartbeat do not work properly, resulting in an irregular heartbeat.

Likewise, cardiac arrhythmia can generate in addition to tachycardia:

  • Bradycardia : very slow heartbeat.
  • Sweating
  • Anxiety.
  • Dizziness.
  • Fatigue.

Neurological disorders

Like a transient ischemic attack, it occurs due to a deficit in cerebral blood flow causing dizziness, as well as loss of balance when standing or walking.

Syncope

It is the decrease in the state of consciousness and postural tone in a sudden or temporary way. This condition causes dizziness with loss of balance.

Neuritis vestibular

It is an inflammatory lesion of the vestibular nerve and can be caused by a virus. This causes dizziness, nausea, and even loss of stability. As a consequence, it leads to the fall of the person who suffers from it.

Labyrinthitis

It is an infectious process of viral or bacterial origin that invades the membranous labyrinth through the bloodstream, producing an acute infection accompanied by dizziness, nausea and vomiting. The symptoms will depend on the degree of it.

To rule out labyrinthitis as a cause of dizziness when walking, see Labyrinthitis: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment .

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

This type of dizziness is very brief: it occurs with changes in posture when getting up, turning and even when walking. This type of dizziness reverses spontaneously in a time no longer than 3 months .

Anemia

It is known as the lowering of normal hemoglobin levels, it can be due to different causes, the most common being iron deficiency . Other of these symptoms are:

  • Dizziness.
  • Fatigue.
  • General weakness
  • Accentuated skin paleness.

For more complete information on anemia, you can see Anemia: symptoms, types and treatment .

hypoglycemia

It is a frequent cause of dizziness when walking, this occurs due to a decrease in blood sugar levels , frequently it occurs in diabetic patients who use insulin. In them, in addition to dizziness, they present anxiety and sweating.

Ménière’s disease

This disease consists of the accumulation of excessive fluid in the inner ear , generating a feeling of dizziness that can last for hours.

Symptoms of this condition can be:

  • Sensation of blocked ear.
  • Ringing in the ear
  • Hearing loss.

To learn more about this syndrome, you can access Ménière’s syndrome: causes, symptoms and treatment .

Migraine

It is a type of headache that appears as a throbbing pain on one side of the head , in turn, it can be accompanied by dizziness, nausea, vomiting, as well as sensitivity to light and sound.

Learn more about migraine in the article Migraine: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment .

Medicines

The ingestion of certain medications such as dizziness can cause as a side effect when walking:

  • Anticonvulsivantes.
  • Antidepressants
  • Tranquilizers.
  • Sedatives

Some of the medicines used to lower blood pressure can also cause dizziness when changing positions such as walking.

Anxiety, fear and stress disorders

They are capable of triggering dizziness when walking or changing position, as a result of feeling an external threat. Stress is one of the main triggers for this alteration.

Feeling dizzy when walking: Symptoms

People who suffer from these dizziness describe the symptoms in a very particular way:

  • They report that their heads are going, a sensation as if they were drunk or floating in the air.
  • Daze.
  • Loss of balance when walking on a soft surface, in the dark, either with eyes open or closed.
  • Confusion, in some cases, blurred vision that can lead to fainting and falls

These symptoms vary from person to person, according to the cause that is giving rise to their appearance.

Treatment of feeling dizzy when walking

The treatment of the feeling of dizziness when walking should be indicated by the specialist doctor and the therapy to be indicated will depend on the cause that generates it and the symptoms that you present.

Initially, the procedure is symptomatic. Here are some of the medicines for feeling dizzy:

  • Drugs such as meclizine or lorazepan : to control dizziness.
  • Prochlorperarazine or corticosteroid : in cases where nausea and vomiting are present. They are in the form of tablets or suppositories and should be used for a short time.
  • Antivertiginous drugs : such as biodramina and metroclopramide, which improves nausea and vomiting in cases of vestibular neuritis.
  • Anxiolytic medications: such as Diazepan (Valium), known as benzodiazepines, can help if they are used in a controlled way under strict medical supervision.

Keep in mind that the medicines used in the prevention of migraine prevent the appearance of dizziness.

The feeling of dizziness when walking can be generated by multiple causes, so it is important to see your trusted doctor if you feel them. He will be in charge of making the precise diagnosis and will indicate the treatment to follow according to the symptoms you present.

This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Dizziness when walking: causes and treatment , we recommend that you enter our Brain and Nerves category .

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