Vertigo when bending down the head. Causes

Dizziness when bending over the head every 3rd person faces down. Elderly people and adolescents are more often affected. In most cases, this condition does not pose a threat to health, but sometimes it is a sign of serious pathologies. To understand the causes of the symptom and exclude serious illnesses, you should visit a doctor and be examined.

How the human vestibular system works and why there is a feeling of dizziness

Dizziness is a subjective sensation. The patient perceives it as a change in the position of the body in space. There is a feeling of swaying, spinning of the body or surrounding objects.

The vestibular apparatus is of great importance in maintaining balance. It is located in the inner ear and is part of a complex mechanism that provides coordination of movements, the ability to navigate in space. To perform these functions, the apparatus must interact with other organs (eyes, brain, skin). If this interaction is disrupted, the person loses balance, which is accompanied by dizziness, impaired coordination of movement.

Why is my head spinning when bending down

Dizziness when tilting the head down (the causes of the condition may be different) is most often of a physiological nature. But sometimes a symptom indicates a disease in the body that requires a visit to a doctor.

During pregnancy

Feeling dizzy often occurs in women in the first trimester of pregnancy. A rare symptom does not require treatment.

In some cases, dizziness occurs frequently, which may be a sign of:

• low hemoglobin. To correct the condition, iron preparations are prescribed, the use of iron-rich foods is recommended;
• unbalanced diet, strict diets. The cause of dizziness attacks in this case is a lack of glucose, which provides the body with energy.

Physiological causes

Dizziness can appear in an absolutely healthy person. It can be triggered by the strongest excitement, emotional outburst, provoking an active production of adrenaline. This leads to spasm of blood vessels in the brain, slowing blood flow and dizziness.

Also, discomfort can be caused by:

• sharp movements;
• unbalanced diet, skipping meals;
• taking certain medications (sedatives, antihistamines);
• lack of sleep;
• excessive physical exertion;
• food poisoning;
• stay in a stuffy room.

Causes associated with diseases

In some cases, the cause of dizziness is due to certain diseases or their consequences.

The problem can be triggered by:

• osteochondrosis. When bending downward, the vertebral artery can be pinched, provoking a violation of blood flow;
• microstroke. Dizziness may be the first symptom of a vascular accident;
• otitis media. The patient suffers from pain in the ears, with sharp bends, he may feel dizzy;
• rupture of the membrane that separates the middle and inner ear. Pathology is accompanied by additional signs: ear pain, hearing impairment, cough;
• reduced pressure. Most often, hypotension is a symptom of another disease, so it is necessary to accurately establish the cause of the violation;
• low hemoglobin, which requires menu correction or medication;
• Meniere's disease (pathology of the inner ear). In addition to dizziness, it is accompanied by bouts of nausea, deafness, and pain in the ears
• transient attack. The cause of the condition may be high blood pressure or high glucose levels in diabetes. There is pain in the eye area, coordination is impaired;
• neoplasms. Unpleasant symptoms develop due to squeezing of certain parts of the brain by the tumor.

Also, discomfort can occur when:

• flu and colds;
• injuries of the cervical spine;
• vegetative dystonia;
• cardiac diseases.

Dizziness when tilting the head down, the causes of which are associated with any disease, requires a mandatory visit to the doctor. After a thorough examination in order to clarify the diagnosis, the necessary treatment will be prescribed.

Symptoms other than dizziness

Dizziness is often called manifestations that have nothing to do with this state, for example:

• darkening in the eyes, provoked by a sharp change in body position;
• a feeling of a veil in front of the eyes;
• light-headedness;
• feeling of weakness, nausea, unsteadiness in the legs;
• imbalance, unsteadiness when walking.

Therefore, a person who gets an appointment with a doctor should describe his feelings as accurately as possible. Further diagnostics and methods of condition correction depend on the accuracy of their description.

Diagnostics

Dizziness when tilting the head down, which occurs repeatedly, requires the mandatory consultation of a doctor. After the diagnosis is made, consultation with other specialists (for example, an angiosurgeon) may be necessary. It is important to establish the cause of the violation, only in this case the therapy will be successful.

Physical examination

First of all, the specialist listens to the patient's complaints. This allows you to establish the type of vertigo, which can be vestibular and non-vestibular.

During a physical examination, the doctor examines the ears to determine if there is a pathology in the external auditory canal, whether the eardrum is damaged. It is also necessary to assess the work of the organs of vision for the presence of abnormal movements, for example, nystagmus (twitching). The direction of eye movement can help determine the cause of the dizziness. The specialist will also assess the patient's gait, ability to maintain balance and coordinate their movements.

Instrumental examination

After the examination, you will need to pass a detailed blood test.

Also, the specialist will recommend carrying out:

• X-ray of the cervical spine;
• Ultrasound of the heart and thyroid gland;
• angiography of blood vessels;
• electrocardiogram;
• MRI of the brain.

Depending on what pathologies are detected, the method of therapy is selected. To eliminate severe symptoms, medication and exercise are used.

When you need help urgently

Dizziness when tilting the head down (causes may be associated with a life-threatening condition) sometimes requires immediate medical attention. It is necessary to call an ambulance if the patient's limbs become numb, painful sensations in the chest appear, and speech is impaired. Such signs indicate a violation of cerebral circulation.

Severe dizziness in women in menopause requires urgent medical attention. In the fairer sex during menopause, the level of hormones changes, this leads to a thickening, an increase in the viscosity of the blood. This increases the likelihood of sudden strokes or heart attacks.

In addition to dizziness, a person may suffer from nausea and vomiting. This indicates damage to the structures of the brain. If at the same time there is an asymmetry on the face, it is necessary to urgently seek medical help.

What to do first if you feel dizzy while tilting your head

During an attack of dizziness, the main thing is not to get confused. Also, do not panic, you need to do everything possible to alleviate your condition.

If there is no person nearby who could help, you must:

• stop any activity;
• do not close your eyes, focus on a specific subject, so as not to lose consciousness;
• open the window for fresh air;
• take a comfortable position, lying or sitting, do not make sudden movements;
• unfasten the top buttons on the shirt, take off your shoes, get rid of tight accessories.

When it gets a little better, you can eat something sweet. This will help you bounce back faster. If the condition worsens despite the measures taken, an ambulance must be called urgently.

Treating recurrent dizziness when tilting the head

If the unpleasant symptom is not caused by any disease, lifestyle changes will help to normalize the condition. You need to adhere to a clear daily routine, alternating work and rest. Every day you need to walk in the fresh air, perform feasible physical exercises.

Vitamins and minerals should be supplied to the body in sufficient quantities, therefore, the menu should be replenished with healthy products. Drinking alcohol and smoking must be abandoned, as this disrupts the work of all body systems.

Drugs

Treatment is prescribed depending on the detected disease. Pathologies of infectious origin require the use of antiviral or antibacterial drugs. The use of anti-inflammatory drugs is recommended for patients with osteochondrosis. If the cause of dizziness is a stroke, medications are needed to improve cerebral circulation.

Symptomatic treatment is also used. It does not eliminate the cause of the disorder, but it does reduce the degree of discomfort. Medicines of different groups are used.

Medications for dizziness:

Group of drugs	Name
Antihistamines	Promethazine	75-100 mg 3-4 divided
Diphenhydramine	25-50 mg every 4-6 hours
Sedatives	Seduxen	0.5-1 tablet in 2-4 doses
Tranquilizers	Diazepam	1 mg every 12 hours
Antiemetic	Cerucal	5-10 mg every 6 hours
Antihypertensive	Enalapril	2.5-5 mg once a day
Verapamil	40-80 mg 3 times a day
Statins	Lovastatin	10-80 mg 1-2 times a day
Anti-inflammatory	Meloxicam	7.5-15 mg once a day

Exercise therapy

Dizziness when tilting the head down, caused by impaired blood flow and poor functioning of the vestibular apparatus, is treated with gymnastic exercises.

Exercises have no contraindications, you can do it daily. But it is advisable to start classes for the first time in the presence of another person, since the reaction of the patient's body can be unpredictable.

A set of exercises for dizziness:

1. Sitting on the edge of the bed, place your feet flat on the floor or simply dangle. Breathing is deep and even.
2. Lie on your side, gently turn your head up to an angle of 45 °.
3. Remain in this position for 30 seconds.
4. Return to sitting position for 30 sec.
5. Repeat the exercise while lying on the other side.
6. Do 5 reps for each side, interrupting for 15 seconds. before each set.

   

If during the lesson the state of health does not deteriorate, there is no dizziness, then the exercises are repeated every other day. If there is discomfort, then you need to do gymnastics 2 more times (before bedtime and in the morning).

Gymnastics, which must be performed daily in the morning, will help prevent the appearance of dizziness after normalization of the condition:

1. In a supine position, make horizontal movements with your eyes, then vertical ones, bring them closer together, trying to look at the finger approaching the nose.
2. Move your head, gradually accelerating. First, the eyes must be open, then they must be closed.
3. Take a sitting position, turn your head to the sides, do bends. The exercise is done first with open eyes, and then with closed eyes.

Having got used to such a complex, you can complicate the exercises, for example, by adding tossing a small ball from hand to hand or under the knee. Then do squats with eyes open and closed. If the exercise is not accompanied by unpleasant symptoms, you can make turns of the trunk. It is also useful to walk on a flat surface with your eyes closed, while you can turn your head in different directions.

Such a complex contributes to a better orientation in space, prevents the appearance of dizziness. It is necessary to do it for about 2 months at least 10 minutes. in a day.

For those with chronic dizziness, the following complex is recommended:

1. At the 1st week of classes - circular movements of the head, turns to the sides.
2. At week 2 of classes - tilting the body to the sides, forward and backward.
3. From the 20th day of classes - an exercise reminiscent of boxing with an imaginary opponent.
4. From the 25th day of classes - walking back. In this case, you need to try not to turn your head.

You can do such gymnastics only if there are no serious health problems.

Traditional methods

The use of the following helps to relieve attacks of dizziness:

• carrot and beet juice on an empty stomach;
• grenade;
• clover broth;
• linden-mint infusion;
• black sweet tea.

Ginger is a good remedy.

You can use it in different ways:

• if you experience discomfort, chew a small piece. It eliminates nausea, restores coordination;
• cook food with the addition of spices, which is a good prevention of dizziness;
• make tea with ginger.

You can also improve the condition with the help of aromatherapy. The aromas of such plants as rosemary, sage, thyme soothe and eliminate discomfort.

For patients who have dizziness due to low blood pressure, a tincture of ginseng root can help. If you experience discomfort, you need to take 30 drops of the product with a glass of water. You can also relieve discomfort with warm water with honey and apple cider vinegar or a decoction of oregano.

To prevent dizziness, it is useful to apply:

• hawthorn tincture (1 tsp. l. by 0.5 tbsp. water);
• garlic tincture, for the preparation of which a head of garlic is chopped and insisted on alcohol. Take on an empty stomach, dissolving the product in milk;
• basil tincture (1 tbsp. l. dry raw materials for 1 tbsp. boiling water, leave for 20 minutes).

Prognosis and possible complications in the absence of therapy

In most cases, dizziness is not a health hazard. However, if the symptom occurs unexpectedly, there is a risk of losing balance and falling, which could result in injury to the patient. If the discomfort is caused by any disease, adequate and timely treatment will help prevent the development of complications.

An overlooked symptom can cause:

• transition of existing pathologies into a chronic form;
• traumatic brain injury;
• bruises, fractures;
• stroke;
• apathy, depression.

Dizziness when the head is tilted down has various causes. In a healthy person, the problem is solved by the normalization of the daily routine, good nutrition, rejection of bad habits and feasible physical activity. If the symptom is caused by any disease, it is necessary to start treating it.

But in order to establish the cause of the violation, first of all, you should visit a doctor who will conduct a thorough diagnosis and prescribe medications, if necessary. It should be remembered that dizziness in some cases is a sign of life threatening condition, therefore, if alarming concomitant symptoms appear, you must immediately call an ambulance help.

Video about dizziness when tilting the head

Malysheva about dizziness when turning the head: