Dizziness,nausea,vomiting,blood Pressure

Posted on Tue, 23 Aug 2011

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 Answered on

Tue, 29 May 2012 Last reviewed on

Question : I have been having dizzy spells lately. They come on all of a sudden and cause nausea. If I had just eaten, I would vomit. Quite scary at times. I am 72 years old, on blood pressure meds, and have to much stress.

Answered by Dr. Naveen (2 hours later)

Hi

Thanks for the query

Sudden and brief spells of dizziness is noticed in the conditions affecting the brain, the inner ear and sudden fall in the blood pressure.

At this age of yours the most common condition which can cause these symptoms is Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA). TIA is caused due to sudden reduction in the blood supply to certain areas of the brain or spinal cord causing dizziness and weakness of the limbs. The predisposing factors of this condition include Hypertension (increased blood pressure), stress, increased cholesterol, etc.

Another probable cause of this dizziness could be inner ear related known as Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BBPV). In this condition an individual experiences dizziness on rolling over the bed or turning the neck on either side or bending.

Finally, sudden reduction in the blood pressure (hypotension) can also lead to brief spells of dizziness, as there is pooling of the blood in the extremities of the body and insufficient blood supply to the brain.

I would advise you to get a thorough evaluation done by a good physician and MRI if possible.

Hope I have answered your query; I will be available for the follow-up queries.

Regards
Dr. Naveen Kumar N.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T