Dizziness AND Symptoms

Dizziness is a term used to describe everything from feeling faint or lightheaded to feeling weak or unsteady. Dizziness that creates the sense that you or your surroundings are spinning or moving is called vertigo.

Dizziness is one of the most common reasons adults visit their doctors — right up there with chest pain and fatigue. Although frequent dizzy spells or constant dizziness can keep you from doing much of anything, dizziness rarely signals a serious, life-threatening condition. Treatment of dizziness depends on the cause and your symptoms, but is usually effective.

Symptoms

Dizziness can usually be more specifically described as one of the following sensations:

• The false sense of motion or spinning (vertigo)
• Lightheadedness or the feeling of near fainting
• Loss of balance or unsteadiness (disequilibrium)
• Other sensations such as floating, swimming or heavy-headedness