BODY SIGNAL ALERT/DIZZINESS AND FEELING FAINT WHEN STANDING UP
Description and Possible Medical Problems
The movie Vertigo is everyone’s nightmare of a world that won’t stop spinning no matter what you do. If you feel dizzy and faint whenever you stand up from a lying or sitting position, it’s likely that the cause is a temporary one and easy to fix. Most often, a high emotional state, certain medications that lower your blood pressure—most often cardiac and psychiatric drugs—and even prolonged bed rest can make you feel dizzy and faint. Sometimes, even quickly changing positions can bring on this feeling of vertigo.
In rare cases, however, dizziness and a faint feeling can occur in a person who has a bleeding ulcer or severe anemia, which lowers the blood pressure. Any change in blood pressure that results from these illnesses is called orthostatic hypotension.
If you think your dizziness is caused by changing positions quickly, try moving around less abruptly to see if that’s all that is necessary. And if you’ve recently been upset or have spent a lot of time lying down and resting, the dizziness should disappear when you return to your previous state. If you’ve recently changed or added a new medication, see your doctor about switching to a medication without these side effects.
If these suggestions don’t help, you should see your doctor, who will do a complete medical history and physical and take your blood pressure when you’re both standing and lying down to check for any significant change. If you have anemia or a bleeding ulcer, your doctor will prescribe a regimen to treat these conditions, which will include medication, diet, and exercise.
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