If an elderly adult is complaining of dizziness to their family caregiver or senior care assistant, then it’s a good sign that something is going on with their body that needs some attention. While most dizzy spells are short and temporary, some seniors struggle with frequent dizziness or spells that last a long time. If the elderly person doesn’t feel better after some rest and a few drinks or water, it may be time for family caregivers to schedule a visit to see the doctor.
The triggers that cause dizziness range from mild to very serious, so family caregivers and senior care assistants need to be able to asses when the elderly person just needs to sit down for a minute or whether they need a doctor’s examination. If the dizziness is occurring with other symptoms, such as fever, chest pain, headache, nausea, vomiting or fainting, then their health may be at risk.
Here are 25 conditions that can cause dizziness in seniors:
- Dehydration
- Malnutrition
- Heat Stroke
- Low blood pressure
- Migraine
- Cold or influenza
- Hyperventilation
- Medicine side effects
- Caffeine overdose
- Hypoglycemia or low blood sugar
- Anxiety or panic attack
- Motion sickness
- Food poisoning
- Heat exhaustion or heat stroke
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Ventricular tachycardia or rapid heart beat
- Vitamin deficiencies
- Vertigo
- Peptic ulcer
- Inner ear infection
- Meniere’s disease, a disorder in the inner ear
- Stroke
- Heart Attack
- Pulmonary embolism or a blood clot in the lungs
- Brain tumor
If an elderly person is experiencing a dizzy spell, the family caregiver or senior care assistant should help them find a comfortable place to sit down. The aging adult may find using a cane or a walker will help them with balance during a dizzy spell. They should avoid fast head motions and try not to stand up too fast. Of course, they should not drive a vehicle if they are feeling dizzy. Caffeine, alcohol or tobacco may make a dizzy spell feel even worse. Instead, the elderly person should drink some water and nibble on something easy to digest, like crackers. If the dizziness does not fade after a short while, then it’s time to see the doctor.
Most of the time, dizziness does go away after some rest. It should clear up completely once a doctor finds and treats the underlying cause. Of course, an early diagnosis is often the best chance to beat a disease or illness, and dizziness is one of the waring signs so that seniors can get medical attention sooner rather than later. Family caregivers can keep track of dizzy spells in their elderly relatives and observe whether they are becoming longer or more frequent.
Source:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4306472/
If you or an aging loved one are considering senior care in Mason, MI, please contact the caring staff at Seniors Helping Seniors of Lansing. Call today: 517-332-9953.