Senior Care - How to Provide Elderly Independence

Expect Questions About These Topics If You See Your Doctor For Dizziness

by Stephen Silva

If you've frequently dealt with dizziness, this isn't an issue that you should ignore. It's possible that you're dizzy for a wide range of reasons, but until you consult a medical professional and undergo some tests, you won't know what is behind this situation. Frequently being dizzy is a concern not only because it can make you feel uneasy -- there's also the risk that you'll fall, which could result in many different types of serious injuries. When you visit your family medicine doctor to begin the process of discovering what is going on, you can expect questions on these subjects.

Alcohol And Drug Use

Family doctors need to eliminate certain causes before they proceed with testing, so you can expect that your physician will ask you some direct questions about whether you use drugs and how much alcohol you consume. It's possible that your dizziness is directly related to either of these habits. For example, many people feel dizzy when they've been drinking alcohol, and you may experience the elimination of this issue if you were to stop your drinking. It's important to answer your doctor honestly, even if you feel a little embarrassed about telling the truth.

Diet

It's also possible that your diet could cause you to feel dizzy. A prime example is when you go long stretches without eating, and thus experience a drop in your blood sugar. When people have low blood sugar, they can often feel light-headed and dizzy. Your doctor will want to know how often you eat and what types of food you eat. If he or she believes that your dizzy condition has something to do with your diet, the doctor will make some simple recommendations that you can perform to see if things change. For example, you might find that by eating healthy snacks throughout the day, you don't get so hungry that you get dizzy.

Medication

Your family doctor already knows what prescription medication you're taking, but will want to know whether you're taking any other types of medication that you get at your local pharmacy or supermarket. Many medications can result in dizziness, and combining one medication with another can also have this effect. When you provide your physician will a full rundown of all the medications that you're taking, he or she might quickly identify the culprit behind your dizziness — and be able to make some recommendations on what you can change.

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