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What Causes Lightheadedness While Resting?
Question: I get light headed, usually when at rest. Can be between tennis games. Just standing resting a little. Sometimes will happen when I'm moving around at home. Not really exerting at all. For my age, I think I am in relatively good condition. What do you think?
Brief Answer:
Read below
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
Lightheadedness is a very common symptom and also a very non specific one, meaning that it can have many different causes.
One possibility may be neck spine arthritis. Because balance is dependent among other things also from information on head and neck position from upper cervical nerves, arthritis can lead to dizziness by causing compression of these nerves.
Another cause to be kept preset is the possibility of heart arrhythmias like atrial fibrillation. It may not necessarily be present all the time but in isolated episodes which may be accompanied by lightheadedness due to insufficient blood supply to the brain.
Atherosclerotic plaques in the vertebral arteries, the vessels supplying with blood the posterior part of the brain may also be a cause of insufficient blood supply to the brain.
Metabolic abnormalities, changes in blood glucose, electrolytes, liver and kidney function are also a possibility although less likely given the appearance at rest and not during exertion.
So you may want to follow the issue with your primary physician, initially through an EKG, a neck x-ray and some routine lab tests for metabolic abnormalities, depending on the results more tests like imaging of neck vessels may be considered.
I remain at your disposal for other questions.
Read below
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
Lightheadedness is a very common symptom and also a very non specific one, meaning that it can have many different causes.
One possibility may be neck spine arthritis. Because balance is dependent among other things also from information on head and neck position from upper cervical nerves, arthritis can lead to dizziness by causing compression of these nerves.
Another cause to be kept preset is the possibility of heart arrhythmias like atrial fibrillation. It may not necessarily be present all the time but in isolated episodes which may be accompanied by lightheadedness due to insufficient blood supply to the brain.
Atherosclerotic plaques in the vertebral arteries, the vessels supplying with blood the posterior part of the brain may also be a cause of insufficient blood supply to the brain.
Metabolic abnormalities, changes in blood glucose, electrolytes, liver and kidney function are also a possibility although less likely given the appearance at rest and not during exertion.
So you may want to follow the issue with your primary physician, initially through an EKG, a neck x-ray and some routine lab tests for metabolic abnormalities, depending on the results more tests like imaging of neck vessels may be considered.
I remain at your disposal for other questions.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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