Seniors Who Get Dizzy Find Natural Relief in West Des Moines, Iowa

What are the top causes of dizziness in the elderly? You may be surprised to find that “aging” doesn’t even make the list. The fact is that there are underlying causes for dizziness regardless of the age it occurs at. There are also natural ways to find relief, and we will discuss one of those at the conclusion of our article.

First, here are seven reasons you may be experiencing dizziness.

#1 Medication Side Effects

Seniors often take at least one medication, if not several. Drug interaction or side effects can be behind many cases of dizziness. So does that mean you should just read the labels and stop taking a certain medication on your own? Certainly not! But you can discuss dosage with your doctor to see if you can cut back on one or more medications. This may help to reduce the side effects.

#2 Dehydration

Many people don’t realize that dizziness is an early sign of dehydration, so it may be a simple matter of increasing your water intake. Try keeping track of how many glasses of water you drink each day for one week. If you find you are taking in less than the recommended 8 to 12 glasses per day, this could be the underlying issue.

#3 Low Blood Pressure

Both hypertension (high blood pressure) and hypotension (low blood pressure) can cause dizziness, but we’ll focus on low blood pressure here. Do you ever experience dizziness when you first get out of bed in the morning or if you stand up suddenly throughout the day? Low blood pressure may be the issue. Just know that a vestibular condition could also be in play since the vestibular system tells your body when it needs you to increase blood pressure while standing up.

To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and vertigo download our complimentary e-book How to Naturally Relieve Vertigo.

#4 Low Blood Sugar

Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) can cause dizziness, but don’t write this off as being impossible if you have issues with high blood sugar. In fact, diabetics often experience wide swings in blood sugar levels, getting dangerously low just as often as they get dangerously high. Watching your diet and eating smaller meals more often is usually the best way to get around this potential cause of dizziness.

#5 Anemia

Anemia is a condition that results from low iron levels in the body. A blood test can be used to diagnose anemia. Iron supplements are the primary treatment. Other symptoms of anemia include a lack of energy and fatigue. Patients have also been known to crave chewing ice chips.

#6 Meniere’s Disease

Vertigo is one of the primary symptoms of Meniere’s disease. This specific type of dizziness involves a sensation that everything is spinning, tilting, or swaying. Severe bouts of vertigo can lead to falls and long episodes can cause nausea and vomiting. Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and a feeling of fullness in the affected ear are also common. Hearing loss progresses along with the disease, so it is important to start care as early as possible.

#7 Past Head or Neck Injuries

One reason why dizziness may become more common as people age is that the older you get, the more head or neck injuries you may have suffered. Even if you haven’t lived a life of extreme sports and other dangerous pursuits, day-to-day life can lead to these types of injuries. For example, just about everyone will end up in a car accident at some point in life.

But why do head and neck injuries lead to issues with dizziness? Perhaps it is because these types of injuries can cause an upper cervical misalignment. The upper cervical spine consists of the top two neck bones that are located right at the base of the skull. As a result, they can affect everything from how much blood is reaching the brain to how well the brainstem is functioning.

Additionally, upper cervical misalignments can have an effect on how well the ears function due to the vertebrae’s proximity to the ears. The Eustachian tubes, in particular, may form lesions that stop the ear from draining properly. Excess fluid can certainly be an underlying factor when it comes to dizziness and other balance issues.

Natural Relief from Dizziness and Vertigo in West Des Moines, Iowa

Because the upper cervical spine can play such a key role in cases of dizziness, it makes sense to seek the assistance of an upper cervical chiropractor if you suffer from vertigo. That’s what Andy did. After 2.5 years of dealing with severe vertigo episodes, he was getting close to losing his job. Upper cervical care proved to be life-changing for him and for many others. You can read about their experiences on our testimonials page.

At Precision Chiropractic West, we use the Atlas Orthogonal (AO) method of upper cervical chiropractic care to offer precise and gentle adjustments to patients with a misalignment. AO begins with a series of examinations and x-rays that specifically identify and measure misalignments of the C1 (atlas) vertebra. Then an adjusting instrument is used to provide a correction that is gentle enough for patients of all ages and varying degrees of health.

Don’t give in to the idea that dizziness is just a normal part of aging. If your vertigo or other balance issues are being caused by an atlas misalignment, a gentle correction can set you on the path to better overall health and well-being right from your first adjustment. To learn more, schedule a free 15-minute consultation today by calling 515-224-1093 or by signing up on our website.

To schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Laurel Griffin call 515-224-1093 or go to http://info.precisionchirowest.com/west-des-moines-chiropractor-consultation/