Dizziness in older adults is fairly common, and in itself isn’t usually serious. However, dizziness can significantly increase the risk of an elderly person having a fall, which can have severe consequences. Falls are so dangerous for the elderly because their bodies are more prone to injury and can find it much harder and slower to recover in later life. Dizziness can also sometimes be a sign of another issue or medical condition that needs further investigation.
In this article, we look at some of the most common causes of dizziness in elderly people, when they are most likely to experience a dizzy spell, when to seek medical help and how to best manage dizziness to minimise the risks of a fall or accident.
Jump to:
- Symptoms of dizziness
- Common causes of dizziness in seniors
- Common medications that cause dizziness in elderly people
- Early morning dizziness in elderly people
- When to seek help for dizzy spells
- How is dizziness treated in older people?
- Managing dizziness in seniors
- Peace of mind for anyone experiencing dizziness
Symptoms of dizziness
Dizziness is a term that can cover a range of different symptoms. If an older adult is experiencing what they describe as dizziness, this could include:
- Vertigo – feeling like everything around them is moving when it isn’t, even when they are still
- Unsteadiness – feeling unbalanced when doing normal everyday activities such as standing or walking
- Lightheaded – feeling woozy or slightly faint
- Fatigue – when they are suddenly extremely tired for no obvious reason
- Tinnitus – hearing a sound that no one else can hear
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Vision problems – suddenly having disturbances to normal vision, such as spots appearing.
Common causes of dizziness in seniors
There can be many different causes of dizziness in older adults, and sometimes dizziness can be a symptom of a more serious medical condition or a sign that something else could be going on.
Some of the most common causes of dizziness in elderly people include:
Inner ear issues
A common cause of dizziness, often referred to as vertigo, is problems within the inner ear. This could be due to things such as a migraine, an ear infection or a condition called benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).
Medication side-effects
Many older people take multiple medications to help manage various health conditions and sometimes can experience side effects, including dizziness, either from a new medication or because of interactions between different things they are taking. Most of the time, the dizziness may be temporary as the body adjusts and will go away on its own, but this isn’t always the case. All worrying persistent side effects should be discussed with their GP as there may be other medication management options to explore.
Abnormal blood pressure
An older person with blood pressure that is considered to be higher or lower than normal ranges may experience dizziness. Find out more about elderly blood pressure issues.
Low iron
Having low iron levels can cause someone to feel dizzy or faint. It’s important to get this checked as it can be an easy thing to treat if an iron deficiency is diagnosed.
Low blood sugar
Low blood sugar, known as hypoglycaemia, can be a cause of dizziness. Some potentially related conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, are more common for older adults, so it can be worth asking for tests to be done.
Dehydration
Staying properly hydrated is very important for elderly people, as dehydration can cause a number of issues and feeling dizzy can often be an early sign that they need to take on more fluids.
Overheating or heatstroke
It’s a sad reality that heat-related deaths of older adults are on the rise, with elderly people being particularly at risk because the body can’t regulate its own temperature as well in later life. Those with additional health conditions, such as asthma or heart problems, can be at even more danger during heatwaves. Dizziness is often an early sign that someone is overheating and needs to be cooled down quickly and rehydrated so that they don’t develop a more serious illness.
Spinal or neck problems
Some degeneration in the spine and neck is very common in older adults, with conditions such as osteoarthritis developing through natural wear and tear over the years. Along with symptoms such as back pain, older people starting to experience spinal issues or neck problems may also experience dizziness.
Anxiety
Anxiety and panic attacks can often result in dizziness, as the body’s response to stress can make it feel much more difficult to breathe freely.
Heart issues
Some heart conditions can cause dizziness if there isn’t enough oxygen being carried around the body through the blood.
Neurological problems
Some neurological conditions can cause dizziness, because the signals that the brain is sending to the body are being interrupted. Diagnosing and effectively treating the overarching condition will usually help to resolve any dizziness caused by it.
Hearing or vision issues
Many people start to experience changes to their vision or hearing in later life and this can sometimes result in dizzy spells as the body tries to adjust. Any suspected eye health issues or hearing loss should be checked out with a health professional.
Common medications that cause dizziness in elderly people
As everyone is unique, there is always the possibility that people respond differently to the same medications. This can mean that side effects like dizziness can’t always be predicted from specific medications.
However, some kinds of medication can have a higher chance of causing dizziness than others. These can include:
- Some medications to lower blood pressure
- Some sedatives or pain relief
- Some antidepressants
- Some anti-seizure medications.
While many people experiencing dizziness after starting to take a new medication will find that this symptom fades after a few weeks, it’s important to see the GP if the dizziness persists, gets worse or has a serious impact on daily life.
Early morning dizziness in elderly people
Some older people find that they experience dizziness early in the mornings, just after waking, but not at other times of the day or night. Some reasons for this could be:
- Having low blood pressure after sleeping, because the blood in the body tends to pool in the trunk of the body while lying down and suddenly needs to move to the legs after waking, which can cause a temporary drop in pressure.
- Dehydration, if the older adult didn’t take on enough fluids the previous day.
- Sleep apnoea, where breathing is interrupted during sleep, which can sometimes lead to dizziness when waking.
To help minimise the risk of falling when getting up, older people who feel dizzy in the mornings should always get out of bed slowly and pause before moving from sitting to standing.
When to seek help for dizzy spells
Feeling suddenly lightheaded, off-balance, weak or faint can be very worrying, both for the older person and their loved ones. It’s important to ensure that any concerning symptoms are reported to their GP so that further investigation can be carried out, if needed.
Anyone regularly experiencing dizziness in later life should seek professional advice as it could be a sign of something more serious.
Even if it has already been discussed that dizziness could be a side effect of a certain medication they are taking or a condition they have been diagnosed with, if the dizzy spells are getting in the way of normal life, or putting the older person at risk or a fall or accident, its important to go back to the GP to see if there are other options available.
How is dizziness treated in older people?
The way in which dizziness is treated will very much depend on what is causing the issue.
It might be that some tests are needed to see if there are any undiagnosed conditions causing the dizzy spells, or there may be some changes to existing medication if that seems to be the root of the problem.
While dizziness in itself is not usually treated directly, if the cause of the problem is addressed instead then the dizzy spells will usually lesson or stop altogether.
Managing dizziness in seniors
While treating the cause of the dizziness is always the first step, there may be some things in addition to this that older people and their loved ones can do to help manage and minimise dizzy spells.
If someone is dizzy due to an inner ear problem, some gentle balance exercises may help to reduce this symptom whilst also improving strength.
A doctor may prescribe some medication to help with dizziness in some cases, but this will depend on the cause.
Some useful management tools that many older people find useful in managing dizzy spells day to day include:
- Staying active, doing gentle exercise and activities daily
- Installing handrails at home in key places, such as at the top of stairs, and in bathrooms by the toilet and the bath
- Making sure all medications are clearly labelled and taken at the right times and doses
- Always stand up slowly to reduce the risk of dizziness
- Sit down to prepare food, when possible
- Make sure that floors are even and clear of clutter that could increase the fall risk
- Make sure there is good lighting in every room used in the home, including halls and corridors
- Use a ‘grabber’ stick to reach items high up or low down to minimise the need to reach up or down
- Wear a personal alarm system, so that help can always be reached if the older adult falls or feels unwell.
Peace of mind for anyone experiencing dizziness
If an older loved one experiences dizzy spells, it can be a real concern for them, along with family, friends or neighbours, that they might need assistance if they get dizzy when no one else is around. This could be at home or if they are out and about.
A wearable personal alarm system from TakingCare could be a great option to bring real peace of mind that help will always be available if it is needed. With a range of models that have different features to suit everyone’s different needs, the alarms are monitored 24/7 so that if the wearer needs help or reassurance at any time of the day or night, they can reach assistance easily.
View our full range of personal alarms online. If you have any questions or concerns about choosing an alarm, you can call our customer service team for more information on which product would be best suited to your circumstances. Our team is available on 0800 085 7371 (Mon – Fri, 9am – 5pm).
