What Could Cause Dizziness in a Healthy Person?

Dizziness is one of the most common problems that prompt a visit to the doctor’s office, affecting about 15% to 35% of adults in the general population. Although doctors typically define dizziness as having disturbed or impaired spatial orientation, symptoms can be experienced in a variety of ways. When someone mentions feeling dizzy, this could mean that the person feels lightheaded, confused, nauseous, unbalanced or unsteady, disoriented, or as if the room is spinning.

Feeling dizzy can be alarming, but it is rarely a sign of a life-threatening illness. In most cases, dizziness occurs in healthy people and is not a sign of any underlying medical condition. However, people who struggle with chronic dizziness are more likely to experience symptoms of depression, social impairments, and negative perceptions of their health. This article will review some of the most common causes of dizziness in healthy people along with ways to manage them.

Dehydration

About 70% of the human body is composed of water, so adequate hydration is key. Although the exact amount of water each adult needs per day varies, the risk of dehydration increases when people consistently drink inadequate amounts of water. Dehydration results from an imbalance of fluid intake and excretion, where the body uses or loses more fluid than it takes in.

Symptoms of dehydration in adults include dizziness, decreased urination, dark-colored urine, muscle aches, dry mouth, headache, fatigue, confusion, and severe thirst. Although people with chronic illnesses are more likely to experience dehydration, healthy people can also become dehydrated and dizzy. Strenuous exercise without adequate hydration or simply sweating a lot on a hot day can also make a healthy person become dehydrated. In addition, alcohol consumption can lead to dehydration in otherwise healthy people.

Preventing and treating dehydration starts with recognizing the signs and symptoms and drinking more water. Prevention is always best, so healthy people who are exercising or notice themselves sweating on a hot day should remember to hydrate during their daily activities. Once the symptoms of dehydration begin, hydrating becomes even more important to make up for water loss. If drinking water does not improve dizziness or the symptoms worsen, medical care is recommended. Symptoms such as severe headaches and confusion often warrant immediate medical evaluation.

Stress

Another common cause of dizziness in healthy people is stress, which refers to a real or perceived threat to a person’s sense of equilibrium (emotional and physical balance). In some cases, dehydration is related to stress, as the loss of electrolytes and healthy blood volume can cause feelings of stress, weakness, and dizziness. The opposite is also true, as stress can lead to dehydration by altering liquid intake.

In addition to altering drinking patterns, stress triggers the adrenal glands to produce cortisol — one of the body’s stress hormones involved in regulating blood pressure and metabolism. Chronic stress eventually exhausts the adrenal glands, leading to low electrolyte levels and dehydration. Stress can also lead to dizziness because of its effects on breathing. For example, hyperventilating when under intense stress is a common issue that occurs in some people without an underlying cause other than feeling stressed.

Although stress cannot always be avoided, it is important to find ways to cope with and manage stress effectively. Learning how to deal with stress is a lifelong practice, but due to its intimate connection to dehydration, drinking water consistently is fundamentally important for reducing stress. Additionally, implementing coping strategies and reasonable self-care goals when feeling chronically stressed is essential. Key approaches include exercising, eating nutritious foods, learning and practicing time management, setting realistic goals, practicing mindfulness skills and breathing exercises, sleeping for longer periods, and prioritizing rest and activities that bring joy.

These strategies can improve symptoms of stress, such as dizziness, and prevent chronic stress from developing into anxiety or depressive disorders. Overall, stress can alter various aspects of life, including the ability to stay hydrated, and being dehydrated can lead to dizziness, which may worsen stress levels. This vicious cycle can cause a healthy person to struggle with chronic dizziness if active steps are not taken right away. It is always best to speak with a medical professional if a health issue appears to be contributing to increased stress and dizziness.

Orthostatic Hypotension

Another cause of dizziness that may be related to dehydration is orthostatic hypotension, which is also known as postural hypotension. Orthostatic hypotension is a form of low blood pressure that develops when a person transitions to standing from sitting or lying down. When people stand up, the body usually responds by increasing blood pressure to allow adequate blood flow to the brain and to prevent the pooling of blood in the lower half of the body. Orthostatic hypotension develops when this mechanism fails and results in dizziness upon standing. 

In healthy people, orthostatic hypotension most commonly occurs due to dehydration, low blood sugar, prolonged bed rest, sudden pain, or an emotional stimulus. In addition to causing dizziness, orthostatic hypotension may also cause lightheadedness, blurry vision, weakness, confusion, and fainting.

Orthostatic hypotension can be diagnosed through blood pressure monitoring while sitting and standing. The criteria for a diagnosis include a decrease in systolic blood pressure (the top number of the blood pressure reading) by 20 mmHg within two minutes to five minutes of standing or a drop in diastolic pressure (the bottom number of the blood pressure reading) by 10 mmHg within the same time frame. For healthy people, treatment typically involves behavior management, staying hydrated, and increasing food intake if low blood sugar is a contributing factor.

Behavioral changes include taking care to stand up slowly, especially after periods of prolonged bed rest, and sitting back down if lightheadedness or dizziness occurs while standing up. People who experience occasional orthostatic hypotension should monitor their symptoms. If they notice symptoms become more regular, they should be evaluated by a medical professional to rule out possible underlying diseases or medications that could contribute to this issue.

Low Blood Sugar

Maintaining normal blood sugar is essential for all people, as it is the main energy source for all body processes. As previously mentioned, low blood sugar can cause orthostatic hypotension, which may lead to dizziness or fainting. Independent of orthostatic hypotension, low blood sugar can cause dizziness due to its effect on brain function. In the absence of adequate carbohydrate intake, one of the body’s primary sources of glucose (blood sugar), the brain struggles to maintain its energy supply, leading to symptoms such as dizziness, lightheadedness, confusion, and jitteriness. Common causes for low blood sugar in otherwise healthy people include diets that are low in carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fiber, as well as intense exercise and drinking alcohol. 

Along with avoiding alcohol and increasing food intake after exercise, healthy people can prevent low blood sugar by eating nutrient-dense foods. Low blood sugar episodes are more likely to occur after eating foods with high amounts of refined sugar, such as cookies or cakes. For people who experience occasional episodes of low blood sugar, eating foods with a high protein, fat, and fiber content promotes satiety and helps protect against rapid drops in blood sugar. Eating small meals frequently throughout the day is also recommended for people who experience low blood sugar. In addition, if someone is having an episode of low blood sugar, experts recommend eating or drinking something that will raise blood sugar quickly, such as a glass of juice or candy. Once the symptoms improve, it is essential to have a more substantial meal.

It is also important to remember that frequent episodes of symptomatic low blood sugar can be a sign of disease, such as adrenal insufficiency, where the adrenal glands do not produce enough cortisol. This condition may lead to low blood sugar, low blood pressure, low electrolyte levels, dizziness, and fatigue. A medical professional should evaluate anyone who experiences low blood sugar on a regular basis.

Alcohol and Marijuana Use

Alcohol use can lead to dizziness by causing dehydration or low blood sugar. Additionally, alcohol use may result in dizziness by causing vertigo. Vertigo is the sensation that the environment around you is spinning. This condition is associated with issues in the central nervous system (brain or spinal cord) or the inner ear. Alcohol is known to strongly affect the inner ear by causing fluid depletion in the inner ear canals, which can make people feel dizzy. These symptoms typically result from heavy alcohol use and are more common with prolonged, heavy alcohol consumption.

Avoiding alcohol is the best way to prevent dizziness caused by excessive alcohol consumption. For people who continue drinking alcohol, staying well hydrated with water while consuming alcohol can help prevent adverse effects. It is also important to avoid combining alcohol with other central nervous system depressants, such as benzodiazepines (Xanax, Valium). The combined effects can cause dangerously low blood pressure, dizziness, fainting, and potentially death.

Marijuana also has the potential to cause dizziness, especially when it is used at higher doses. This side effect is due to marijuana’s influence on blood pressure. The most common cannabinoid in marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is known to dilate blood vessels, leading to increased heart rate and low blood pressure. People often notice symptoms when transitioning from sitting to standing while using marijuana. Avoiding marijuana use helps prevent these types of side effects, but for people who use marijuana, staying well hydrated and being careful when standing after prolonged periods of sitting can help reduce dizziness.

Motion Sickness

Motion sickness is another common cause of dizziness in healthy people. This issue develops when the body’s external experience of motion differs from that of the inner ear, leading to dizziness, nausea, or vomiting. Motion sickness may occur in cars, buses, airplanes, boats, or other vehicles. The most effective way to prevent motion sickness is to avoid situations that cause it, but this method is not usually practical for most people who travel regularly.

Ways to prevent motion sickness while traveling include sitting in the front seat of the car or bus, having a window seat on airplanes or trains, looking at the horizon, sleeping or shutting your eyes, lying down if possible, eating small amounts of food frequently, listening to music, and staying hydrated with water while avoiding alcoholic or caffeinated beverages.

There are also medicines available to treat motion sickness that do not improve with the recommended strategies. Common medications used to treat motion sickness include diphenhydramine (Benadryl), dimenhydrinate (Dramamine), and scopolamine. People who are considering using these medications for motion sickness should discuss which option is best for them with a health professional.

Most importantly, some of these medicines are not recommended for children. Additionally, while motion sickness medications tend to cause sleepiness in adults, they can make children more awake. Therefore, discussing motion sickness treatment with a child’s pediatrician before starting these medications is especially important.

Summary

Dizziness is incredibly common and has a variety of causes in healthy people. Understanding the causes can help people avoid dizziness by managing risk factors and intervening early when possible. However, the causes described here are preventable, treatable, and often not a sign of disease; it is best to discuss symptoms with a health professional, especially for symptoms that do not improve after implementing commonly used strategies.

Importantly, people with prolonged or worsening dizziness should be evaluated by a medical professional who can help identify the underlying cause of dizziness, rule out potentially life-threatening health problems, and provide recommendations that help improve their symptoms. Additional signs that require professional advice include severe, sudden headaches, abrupt hearing changes, confusion or slurred speech, and facial numbness or weakness.

Physical Therapy May Help

For people who experience chronic dizziness, physical therapy can also be helpful. Physical therapists are experts in safe body movement and can provide guidance regarding techniques that can help reduce troubling symptoms, including imbalance. They can also perform testing to help determine an underlying cause for chronic dizziness. Based on their evaluation, physical therapists will create a personalized treatment plan in line with your recovery goals. Depending on the results, they may refer you to a physician or a specialist.

The goals of physical therapy include improvements to:

• Balance
• Strength and flexibility
• Gate stabilization

FYZICAL Therapy and Balance Centers offers various programs to treat dizziness balance problems, including fall prevention and balance retraining, vestibular rehab, and gait training and balance programs. They also have state-of-the-art equipment, like the Safety Overhead Support (SOS) system, that allows people to exercise without any fall risk. At FYZICAL, expert physical therapists will work with you to choose the safest and most effective treatment program for your symptoms. Call FYZICAL today to learn more about the benefits of individualized physiotherapy for chronic dizziness and balance problems.