Does Low Blood Sugar Cause Dizziness

What Causes Dizziness In Diabetes

Diabetes is a condition where your blood sugar levels are higher than normal. Here your body is either unable to produce or utilise insulin efficiently or both .

Is dizziness a symptom of diabetes? Dizziness can be one of the symptoms of diabetes that can occur as a result of the condition itself, due to other health issues alongside it, or as a side effect of certain medications. Read on to understand the causes of dizziness in diabetes.

Diabetics may experience dizziness due to the following reasons:

What If I Have Severe Low Blood Glucose And Cant Treat Myself

Glucagona hormone that raises blood glucose levelsis the best way to treat severely low blood glucose. Available as an injection or a nasal spray, glucagon will quickly raise your blood glucose level. Your doctor can prescribe you a glucagon kit for use in case of an emergency.

If your blood glucose level drops very low, you wont be able to treat it by yourself. Be prepared to address severely low blood glucose by

• talking with your doctor or health care team about when and how to use a glucagon emergency kit. If you have an emergency kit, regularly check the date on the package to make sure it hasnt expired.
• teaching your family, friends, and coworkers when and how to give you glucagon. Tell them to call 911 right away after giving you glucagon or if you dont have a glucagon emergency kit with you.
• wearing a medical alert identification bracelet or pendant. A medical alert ID tells other people that you have diabetes and need care right away. Getting prompt care can help prevent the serious problems that low blood glucose levels can cause.

What Is Hypertension And What Causes Hypertension

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, can cause heart attacks, hemorrhage, and other consequences. In a condition of diabetes, it makes a person twice as likely to have high blood pressure. Furthermore, people with diabetes are four significantly more prone to develop heart disease than people who do not have diabetes. Approximately two-thirds of people with diabetes have high blood pressure and/or take prescription hypertension medication. High blood pressure symptoms include:

• Diabetes dizziness

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How To Lower Your Risk

There are steps you can take to make blood sugar dips less likely. In general, consuming protein and high-fiber foodssuch as whole grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes and nutswith meals and snacks can help reduce the effects of reactive hypoglycemia, says Samantha Heller, MS, RD, a senior clinical nutritionist with NYU Langone Health.

Hummus and vegetables, a banana and peanut butter sandwich, or a spinach and bean burrito are all good options, and avoid meals or snacks that are primarily easily digestible carbohydrates, such as chips, cookies, juices, candy, crackers, muffins or waffles, she says. These kinds of meals can cause a spike, followed by a crash in blood sugar, which can cause symptoms of hypoglycemia.

The best way to prevent a low blood sugar episode of dizziness is to include protein, fat and carbohydrate in a balanced meal, Sandon says. This helps slow down the release of carbohydrates into the blood, and lessens the insulin response to some degree. Also avoid sugary foods like candy, soft drinks and honey, she warns, because all those foods can be a problem if you are someone prone to reactive hypoglycemia.

Anyone who feels that reactive hypoglycemia is an ongoing and recurring problem should see their doctor to determine the cause, Heller advises. Your doctor will rule out diabetes and other causes by checking your blood glucose level, the Endocrine Society explains.

Dizziness In Diabetes: Causes And Management

Are you feeling lightheaded, woozy or disoriented quite often? These are signs of dizziness that can occur frequently if you have diabetes. It can affect your quality of life and needs attention. Lets read more about dizziness in diabetes, its causes, and management.

• What Causes Dizziness in Diabetes?
• What to do if a Diabetic Feels Dizzy?
• How to Prevent Dizziness in Diabetes?
• Dont Have Time To Read?

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Low Blood Sugar After Meals

If a person has low blood sugar shortly after finishing a meal, they could have reactive hypoglycemia.

People recovering after recent stomach surgery may be at a higher risk of this after meals. This is because food passes through the stomach too quickly.

Similarly, people who experience pre-diabetes may notice a drop in blood sugar levels after eating because their bodies cannot regulate insulin properly.

You’re Extra Irritated And Angry

Is your level of frustration a 20 out of 10? Angry and anxious for no obvious reason? It could be hypoglycemia. The most common mood changes are being belligerent and argumentative, says Dr. Wyne. Or it could be more subtle in just refusing to discuss something or not agreeing to something that is normally acceptable to you, she says. If your partner tells you youre crankier than usual, take note. Personality changes like Bettys a major sign of hypoglycemia, agrees Zappe.

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Diabetes Related Vertigo: Causes And Treatment

Vertigo is an abnormal sensation of motion that can happen when a person is sitting still or when their movement through space is inaccurately sensed. Knowing where we are in space and how we are moving requires reliable information from five senses:

Any impairment of these senses can lead to an experience of vertigo, disequilibrium or dizziness. Medical issues, including diabetes and heart disease, can potentially disrupt the functioning of these senses through nerve damage or circulation impairment.

Vertigo and Disequilibrium

Spinning vertigo is when either the environment appears to be spinning or a person feels that they are spinning within the environment. Positional vertigo is a spinning sensation occurring after a person repositions their head. A spinning sensation is often caused by inner ear problems.

Diabetes and Dizziness

Dizziness describes feelings of being lightheaded or sensing that one will faint. Individuals with diabetes may experience dizziness for several reasons:

Multi-sensory Vertigo or Dizziness

How Can I Be Better Prepared For Hypoglycemia

You can take some steps to be ready for hypoglycemia:

• Be aware of the symptoms and treat them early.
• Carry some fast-acting carbs with you all the time.
• Check your glucose levels frequently, especially around meals and exercise.
• Inform family, friends and co-workers so they know what do if you need help.
• Talk to your healthcare provider regularly to make and update your plan.
• Wear a medical bracelet that lets people know you have diabetes. Carry a card in your purse or wallet with instructions for hypoglycemia.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Hypoglycemia is quite common in people with diabetes. If not treated, it can cause troubling symptoms, and even serious health problems. Fortunately, you can avoid hypoglycemic episodes by monitoring your blood sugar. You can also make small adjustments to eating and exercising routines.

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Dont Have Time To Read

• Dizziness is a feeling of being lightheaded, weak, or unsteady. Dizziness itself is not a disease and is rather a symptom of another condition.

• Dizziness can be one of the symptoms of diabetes that can occur as a result of the condition itself, due to other health issues alongside, or as a side effect of certain medications.

• Diabetics may experience dizziness due to hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, hypertension, dehydration, certain medications , or vestibular dysfunction.

• When you feel dizzy, avoid sudden movements. Sit down or lie down with your eyes closed until you feel better. Have more fluids and avoid the use of caffeine or alcohol as it can worsen the condition.

• If the dizziness is due to low blood sugar levels, doctors may recommend that you follow the 15:15 rule. In cases where your blood sugar is severely low, you may need a hormone called glucagon.

• Dizziness due to high blood sugar can be managed by regular physical activities, a healthy balanced diet and proper medications. If certain medications are causing dizziness, make sure to talk to your doctor about it and do the needful.

• Monitoring your blood sugar levels regularly, taking your medications as prescribed, following a balanced diet and regular exercise are some ways to prevent symptoms such as dizziness associated with diabetes.

Low Blood Sugar: The : 15 Rule

Doctors may recommend that people with low blood sugar follow the 15:15 rule. The ADA explains that a person can take 15 grams of carbohydrates and then check their blood sugar levels 15 minutes afterward. If blood sugar is still low, they should take another 15 g.

People can repeat this until their levels are within a normal range. Examples of carbohydrates that can raise low blood sugar efficiently include:

• glucose tablets or glucose gel, which a person should take according to the instructions on the label
• a half cup of juice or non-diet soda
• 1 tablespoon of sugar, honey, or corn syrup
• hard candies, such as jelly beans or gumdrops

It is important to avoid using complex carbohydrates to treat low blood sugar in an emergency, as these can slow down the time it takes for the body to absorb glucose. The same applies to carbohydrates with fat, such as chocolate.

Once blood sugar levels have returned to a healthy level, a person can eat a healthy snack to prevent their levels from dropping again.

Carbohydrate levels may vary for each individual, and children will need less than 15 g to treat low blood sugar. People can discuss a specific treatment strategy for low blood sugar with a doctor.

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Can Neuropathy Cause Vertigo

Vertigo is a sensation of artificial movement caused by changes inside the ear. The inner ear is made up of several complex structures and nerves which help keep us steady and balanced. When these structures become damaged or arenât working correctly, the symptoms can be unpleasant. Most people describe vertigo as sensations of spinning, falling, or swaying after making a rapid change in position. The most common causes of vertigo are:

• Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo : Caused by the shifting of small calcium deposits in the ear, which trick your brain into thinking that you are moving.
• Meniereâs Disease: A build-up of fluid in the ear causing vertigo, ringing in the ears, and hearing loss.
• Vestibular neuritis or labyrinthitis: Inflammation of the nerves in the ears usually caused by an infection or autoimmune condition.

Although diabetes can cause damage to the nerves in many parts of the body, researchers have not found a connection between diabetic neuropathy and nerve damage causing vertigo. While it is entirely possible to have neuropathy and vertigo, there is not enough evidence to suggest that neuropathy causes vertigo in people with diabetes.

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How Can Dizziness After Eating Be Treated

The treatments for dizziness after eating usually depend on the underlying cause. For example, if postprandial hypotension is causing the problem, some treatments can include these options:

• Choose foods that take longer to digest, such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. High-sugar foods and refined carbohydrates digest rapidly and increase the risks for postprandial hypotension.
• Drink plenty of water, especially before a meal. Drinking a glass or two of water can increase the amount of blood volume in a persons body so that their blood pressure is less likely to drop.
• Eat several small meals in a day instead of a few large meals. Because the body uses more energy and blood flow to digest a large meal, eating small meals can reduce dizziness after eating.
• Get up slowly during the first hour after eating as this is the time when dizziness after eating is most likely to occur.
• Avoid foods known to trigger dizziness such as caffeine, alcohol, and high-sodium foods.

If your dizziness is the result of eating a certain food or having a food allergy, you should avoid that food. If youre uncertain exactly which food is causing the problem, talk to your doctor about an elimination diet to pinpoint the exact underlying cause.

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You Feel Like You Might Pass Out

If you suddenly feel weak, shaky, or lightheadedor if you even faintyou could be experiencing hypoglycemia. A headache that comes on quickly, weakness or tremor in your arms or legs, and a slight trembling of your body are also signs that your blood sugar is too low. To get back to a more normal sugar level, eat something with sugar, such as pure glucose in the form of tablets or gel, for example. If its not urgent , go to the carbohydrates.

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When To See A Health Care Provider

If your dizziness when standing up only happens occasionally, there likely isnt any reason to worry. The normal pull of blood away from your head and heart and subsequent dizziness when standing can be a part of your bodys natural response to gravity. As epinephrine is released and your blood vessels are regulated, the symptoms will go away.

If your symptoms are recurrent, come with other concerning symptoms, or you have been losing consciousness, seek medical advice. If you suspect that an underlying condition is causing your dizziness when standing up, keep track of your symptoms and consult your health care provider.

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Nutritional Solutions To Avoid High Blood Sugar

Dr. Doyle says, The solution is to drink plenty of fluids and to keep your blood sugar down in the first place!

And the absolute most effective way to do that is to adopt a whole food plant based diet.

This is a diet based on vegetables, fruits, whole unprocessed grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, with minimal animal products and processed foods or sugars.

Heart Conditions Which Cause Dizziness

The heart is an electrical pump and for it to work, the electrical conduction system must be operating properly to stimulate the heart muscle to squeeze in a coordinated fashion and pump blood to the body. The heart muscle itself must be strong enough to pump blood, and the valves in the heart must work properly to allow blood to flow in the direction intended during contraction.

• Conduction disturbances: Electrical conduction disturbances may make the heart beat too quickly or too slowly , and either of these situations may result in an inadequate blood supply to the brain, causing dizziness or lightheadedness.
• Cardiomyopathy: Dizziness is also a symptom of cardiomyopathy , a disease of the heart muscle, resulting in muscle that doesnt squeeze effectively. Most commonly the weakness is due to atheroscleroticheart disease or ischemic cardiomyopathy , in which the heart muscle itself doesnt get enough blood supply to work properly. Other non-ischemic cardiomyopathies may be due to diabetes, alcohol use, and viral infections.

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Severe Symptoms Of Low Blood Sugar

If you get seizures and remain unconscious, then it may indicate the severe condition of Hypoglycemia. Some people also witness symptoms like crying out, having nightmares, excessive sweating, feeling tired and confused after waking up. These symptoms generally appear during the night-time when the person is sleeping.

Causes Of Dizziness And Vertigo

A wide range of conditions and diseases can cause dizziness, including:

• inner ear problems disorders of the inner ear account for about half of all cases of persistent dizziness. Such disorders include Menieres disease, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and vestibular neuritis
• anxiety disorders stress or anxiety may play a role in causing dizziness or, more commonly, may be a contributing factor in dizziness from other causes, such as inner ear disease
• brain disorders a common cause of dizziness is migraine, even without the headache that most people associate with a migraine. Very rarely, other causes of dizziness can include stroke or other brain diseases
• other conditions some cases of dizziness are due to underlying medical conditions such as low blood pressure, infection, some heart problems and hypoglycaemia . Medications that are used to treat conditions such as epilepsy, coronary heart disease and high blood pressure can also cause dizziness in some people
• unknown causes although a cause may not be found in some people, it does not necessarily mean that these people cannot be helped by the appropriate treatment.

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No Symptoms Be Alarmed

Surprisingly, the most dangerous episodes of hypoglycemia occur with little or no warning. When low blood glucose occurs on a regular basis, the body can become used to the warning signs and the person may stop noticing symptoms. This is a particularly dangerous condition known as hypoglycemic unawareness. People with this condition might not realize they have low blood glucose until its dangerously low seizures and coma are sometimes the first indication of a problem. The good news is that this condition can often be reversed allowing people to once again notice the signs of low blood glucose if hypoglycemia is avoided for a few weeks through careful monitoring of blood glucose.

What Causes Dizziness

Why am I having dizzy spells?

Dizziness is a painless head discomfort with many possible causes including disturbances of vision, the brain, balance system of the inner ear, and gastrointestinal system. Dizziness is a medically indistinct term which laypersons use to describe a variety of conditions such as lightheadedness, unsteadiness, and vertigo.

While classifying dizziness into lightheadedness and vertigo categories may help understand how the body works, sometimes it is worthwhile to review common reasons why people might complain of dizziness.

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