Charles has fallen twice during the last few months. Fortunately, he did not break any bones, but he saw this doctor anyway because of concern for the “dizziness” that caused his falls.

The first fall was last fall. As he rose from the couch to go to the kitchen, he felt a bit funny and after a few steps, lost control and fell to the floor. His wife thought he had a stroke, but he got quickly to his feet and felt fine.

What Charles felt at this time was lightheadedness, a type of dizziness caused by a brief moment of low blood pressure.

The second fall, last week, involved true dizziness or vertigo. As he rose from the bed for a trip to the bathroom, the room suddenly seemed to spin and he fell against the wall.

Episodes of lightheadedness and dizziness are all too common among seniors, and they frequently cause falls and serious injury. If you feel dizzy from time to time, it’s important to understand the possible causes and do something about them.

ORTHOSTATIC HYPOTENSION is low blood pressure caused by a sudden change in body position, such as when you get up from a chair or bed.

Anyone can get low blood pressure. The condition becomes common as you age. Low blood pressure can occur because of: anemia, dehydration, vitamin B12 deficiency, diabetes, thyroid disease, Addison disease, Parkinson disease, heart conditions, medications, depression, dementia; and prolonged immobility.

Orthostatic hypotension is common but always a good idea to talk to your doctor about frequent episodes of lightheadedness.

BENIGN PAROXYSMAL POSTIONAL VERTIGO (BPPV) is the most common type of vertigo. Vertigo is the feeling that you are spinning or that everything is spinning around you. This was the cause of Charles’ second episode of dizziness. He had a sudden sensation of dizziness or spinning when he tipped his head up or down. This is rarely serious but as with Charles can cause a fall.

BPPV is caused by movement of calcium deposits within the tiny canals of the inner ear, giving the brain confusing signals about your body’s position. The Epley maneuver is one of several head movement procedures designed to re-position these calcium deposits to a location where they do less harm. You can do the maneuver yourself at home.

MORE SERIOUS PROBLEMS: It’s important to note that dizziness could be caused by a more serious problem such as a brain tumor or stroke that requires prompt attention.

Ménière’s disease is a rare inner ear disorder. It can cause dizzy spells, hearing loss and a ringing sound in the ears that affects your sense of balance. These symptoms are caused by a fluid buildup that increases pressure within the ear. Meniere’s disease can be treated with by following: a low-salt diet, consumption of less caffeine, particularly energy drinks; stress management and adequate rest.

Other causes of vertigo include inflammation or infection within the ear; acoustic neuroma (non-cancerous tumor) growing on the acoustic nerve’ and various conditions of the blood vessels and nerves of the brain, such as those caused by stroke, multiple sclerosis or other disorders.

If you feel dizzy occasionally and you don’t know the reason, there is good reason to be concerned. See your doctor to find out the problem and what you can do about it.

Sources: Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic, WebMD

The Senior Resource Program is located at 445 Fairview, Suite 102, in Ponca City. The telephone number is 580382-9099. A direct email is Seniorresourcespc@outlook. com The Senior Resource Program is supported by the Clark Gerontology Fund, RSVP of Kay County, United Way of Ponca City and the Community Health Foundation of Ponca City. There is no charge for any of our services.