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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffDizziness 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.
References
- Branch WT. Approach to the patient with dizziness. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed July 6, 2012.
- Longo DL, et al. Harrison's Online. 18th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2012. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=9096086. Accessed July 6, 2012.
- Tusa RJ. Dizziness. Medical Clinics of North America. 2009;93:263.
- Dizziness and vertigo. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/print/ear_nose_and_throat_disorders/approach_to_the_patient_with_ear_problems/dizziness_and_vertigo.html. Accessed July 6, 2012.
- Hyperthermia: Too hot for your health. National Institute on Aging. http://www.nia.nih.gov/health/publication/hyperthermia-too-hot-your-health. Accessed July 6, 2012.
- Lai YT, et al. Epidemiology of vertigo: A national survey. Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery. 2011;145:110.
- Kutz JW. The dizzy patient. Medical Clinics of North America. 2010;94:989.
- Post RE, et al. Dizziness: A diagnostic approach. American Family Physician. 2010;82:361.
- Barton J. Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed July 6, 2012.
- Dizziness and motion sickness. American Academy of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery. http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/dizzinessMotionSickness.cfm. Accessed July 6, 2012.
- Falls and fractures. National Institute on Aging. http://www.nia.nih.gov/health/publication/falls-and-fractures. Accessed July 6, 2012.
- Eggers SD (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. July 12, 2012.
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