Written by Donna Haupt, PA-C
Dizziness, also known as lightheadedness or vertigo, can have many different causes. It can be brief, lasting only seconds, and result from being dehydrated in hot weather or from skipping a meal causing low blood sugar. A sense of imbalance or the room spinning can also mean an inner ear problem warranting further inspection by an Ear Nose and Throat specialist. But any recurrent, sudden, severe or unexplained dizziness where your balance is compromised warrants a visit to the emergency room.
Inner ear disorders account for nearly half of all dizziness cases. Middle and inner ear infections can cause a feeling of imbalance and room spinning vertigo when the nerve for balance and hearing becomes irritated. Another form of dizziness called Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo or BPPV for short is when tiny calcium crystals get dislodged and float in the cochlea. A rare condition known as Meniere’s disease can cause a sudden increase in fluid pressure in the inner ear, leading to recurrent bouts of dizziness, hearing loss and ear ringing. Still more uncommon is the dizziness caused by an acoustic neuroma, a non-cancerous tumor on the nerve for hearing and balance that can lead to a one-sided drop-in hearing, imbalance and tinnitus.
Figuring out why a person is dizzy and getting the right treatment can be tricky. If your dizziness is accompanied by double vision or vision loss, slurred speech, headache, vomiting or weakness in the muscles, you need to seek emergency care. Dizziness can be a sign of stroke or brain tumor best evaluated by a CT or MRI scan.
Dizziness can be a frightening yet highly treatable symptom. That’s why it’s important for a skilled medical team to determine the cause and initiate prompt and targeted therapy. If your symptoms are less severe but persistent, our Ear, Nose & Throat doctors at Advanced Specialty Care can help figure out the problem. Our providers are experts at unraveling the reasons for dizziness and getting patients properly evaluated with audiologic testing, diagnostic scans and necessary therapy. We have offices in Danbury, New Milford, Ridgefield & Norwalk, and same-day appointments may be available. Book your appointment now by calling us or requesting online today.
– Donna Haupt, MMSc, PA-C
Donna Haupt, PA-C has over 11 years of experience as an ENT Practitioner as well as 10 years of prior specialty care and internal medicine experience. Donna Haupt accepts adult & pediatric ENT patients at Advanced Specialty Care in Ridgefield, Norwalk, and Danbury, CT.
ADVANCED SPECIALTY CARE
Advanced Specialty Care Ear, Nose & Throat and Head & Neck Specialists are recognized as some of the region’s top ENT Physicians. Call (203) 830-4700 to schedule an appointment with a Specialist at any of our convenient offices in Danbury, New Milford, Norwalk and Ridgefield, CT.
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