Dizzy Days

Lightheadedness, an uncomfortable sensation that can be dangerous

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It was a morning errand, a Lyft ride to pick up my car from the mechanic. When I stepped out from the back seat, I suddenly felt, well, woozy would be the word. I thought I might fall and how embarrassing, to say nothing of painful, hitting the pavement like that. I recovered quickly and all was fine, but it left me wondering: what was that about?

The feeling I had was lightheadedness, which is to say a sense of some dizziness and being off balance. True dizziness, the kind that makes it feel the room is spinning like a top, is something else. Usually it is vertigo, which is more alarming than lightheadedness and typically results from a problem in the inner ear.

That isn’t to say that lightheadedness shouldn’t cause you concern, though

In addition to the discomfort it triggers, it can affect your balance and lead to a potentially dangerous fall. Lightheadedness is also linked to some popular medications you may be taking. (Lightheadedness if sudden and severe can be a symptom of a serious medical condition; our focus here though is on routine issues and solutions.)

Let’s take a look