Do you feel dizziness when standing up too fast? In some people, especially older people, blood pressure drops excessively when they sit or stand up (a condition called orthostatic or postural hypotension). Symptoms of faintness, light-headedness, dizziness, confusion, or blurred vision happen within seconds to a few minutes of standing (especially after lying in bed or sitting for a very long time) and solve rapidly when the individual lies down. However, some people fall, faint, or really seldom have a short seizure. Symptoms are frequently more typical and worse after people exercise or have consumed alcohol and/or a heavy meal.
Some more youthful people experience comparable symptoms upon standing however without having a drop in blood pressure. Often, their heart rate increases (tachycardia) more than typical upon standing, so this condition is called postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). The reason such individuals feel dizzy in spite of having normal blood pressure is not yet clear.
Causes of Feeling Dizzy When Standing Up Too Fast
Dizziness or light-headedness when standing up too fast occurs as a result of unusual blood pressure policy. Generally, when people stand, gravity causes blood to swimming pool in the veins of the legs and trunk. This pooling reduces the blood pressure and the quantity of blood the heart pumps to the brain. Low blood circulation to the brain causes the dizziness and other symptoms. To compensate, the nerve system quickly increases the heart rate and restricts blood vessels, which quickly returns blood pressure to regular before symptoms can establish, according to iytmed.com. The part of the nervous system responsible for this compensation is the free nerve system (see Overview of the Autonomic Nervous System).
Numerous disorders can cause problems with blood pressure regulation and result in dizziness when standing up. Classifications of causes include:
- Breakdown of the free nervous system due to disorders or drugs
- Reduced ability of the heart to pump blood
- Decreased blood volume (hypovolemia).
- Defective hormonal responses.
Causes vary depending upon whether symptoms are brand-new or have existed for some time.
Common causes
The most typical causes of brand-new dizziness when standing up too fast include:
- Decreased blood volume (as may arise from dehydration or blood loss)
- Drugs
- Prolonged bed rest
- An underactive adrenal gland (adrenal deficiency)
- The most common causes of dizziness when standing up that has existed for a very long time (chronic) include
- Age-related changes in blood pressure policy
- Drugs
- Breakdown of the autonomic nervous system
Assessment
People who become lightheaded or light-headed when standing frequently recover quickly when they sit down and then slowly stand once again. Nevertheless, it is usually important to identify what is triggering the dizziness. The following information can help people choose when to see a doctor and help them know what to anticipate during the assessment.
Warning signs
- In people who become woozy or light-headed when standing, certain symptoms and characteristics are cause for concern. They include.
- Blood in the stool or black, tarry stool.
- Nervous system symptoms such as problem walking and/or poor coordination or balance.
When to see a doctor
- Individuals who have warning signs and those who have fallen or passed out ought to see a doctor right away. Other people who have frequent or ongoing episodes of dizziness upon standing ought to see a doctor when useful. Generally a delay of a week or so is not harmful. People who have only an occasional episode of dizziness upon standing should call their doctor. The doctor will decide whether and how quickly to see the individual depending upon the other symptoms and medical history.
What the doctor does
- The doctor first asks concerns about the person’s symptoms and medical history. Doctors then do a physical exam. What they discover during the history and physical exam typically recommends a cause of the dizziness and the tests that may need to be done.
Medical professionals ask
- For how long the dizziness has been taking place.
- Whether the individual has passed out or fallen during an episode of dizziness.
- Whether the person has actually experienced conditions that are understood to cause dizziness (such as bed rest or fluid loss).
- Whether the individual has a condition (such as diabetes, Parkinson disease, or a cancer) that might cause dizziness.
- Whether the individual is taking a drug (for instance, an antihypertensive) that may cause dizziness.
The doctor then does a physical examination. The individual lies down for 5 minutes, and after that the doctor measures the blood pressure and heart rate. Blood pressure and heart rate are measured once again after the individual stands or sits up for 1 minute and once again after standing or sitting for 3 minutes. The doctor might do a digital rectal assessment to see whether the individual may have some bleeding in the digestive tract. A neurologic assessment to test strength, sensation, reflexes, balance, and gait is very important.
The most common causes of unexpected dizziness– drugs, bed rest, and reduced blood volume– are usually obvious. In people with long-term symptoms, findings such as motion problems might indicate Parkinson disease. Numbness, tingling, or weakness might indicate a nervous system condition.
Treatment If You Feeling Dizzy When Standing Up Too Fast
Any causes are treated when possible, including altering or stopping any causative drugs. Nevertheless, lots of causes can not be treated, and individuals must take steps to decrease their symptoms. Steps include lifestyle changes and drugs.
Individuals needing extended bed rest ought to sit up each day and exercise in bed when possible. Individuals who are lying down or sitting must rise slowly and thoroughly. In basic, it is practical to consume appropriate fluids, limit or avoid alcohol, and workout routinely when possible. Regular workout of modest intensity increases the muscle tone in blood vessel walls, which reduces pooling of blood in the legs. Sleeping with the head of the bed raised might help ease symptoms. For some people, increasing salt consumption might increase water retention and reduce symptoms. Medical professionals may suggest that people increase their salt consumption by freely salting food or taking salt chloride tablets. However, increasing salt intake might not be advised for people with heart disorders.
Medical professionals may give fludrocortisone, a drug that helps the body keep salt and water and therefore prevent blood pressure from dropping when a person stands. However, this drug might cause high blood pressure when individuals are lying down, heart failure, and low levels of potassium in the blood. In some cases medical professionals combine propranolol or another beta-blocker with fludrocortisone. Midodrine is a drug that narrows both arteries and veins, helping avoid blood pooling. Side effects include tingling or numbness and itching. This drug is not recommended for individuals with coronary artery or peripheral arterial disease.
Other drugs such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and L-dihydroxyphenylserine may help in many cases.
Essentials for Older People
Dizziness or light-headedness when standing takes place in about 20% of older people. It is more common amongst people with coexisting conditions, specifically hypertension, and among residents of long-lasting care facilities. Numerous falls may result from dizziness when standing. Older individuals must avoid prolonged standing.
The increased incidence in older individuals is because of reductions in the responsiveness of the receptors that handle blood pressure plus boosts in arterial wall stiffness, making it more difficult for arteries to move more blood to increase blood pressure. Decreases in receptor responsiveness hold-up the normal heart and blood vessel reactions to standing. Paradoxically, hypertension, which is more typical amongst older people, may add to poor receptor sensitivity, increasing vulnerability to dizziness when standing.
