“Dizziness” may mean a spinning sensation, imbalance, dimming vision or feeling about to faint. Inner-ear disorders, dehydration, a fall in blood pressure, anaemia, low glucose, abnormal heart rhythms, medicines, anxiety and neurological disease can produce similar experiences. It should not automatically be attributed to a TCM deficiency pattern.
Useful details include how long an episode lasts, whether it follows head movement or standing, and whether there is tinnitus, hearing change, palpitations, chest pain, headache, vomiting, visual change or limb symptoms. A medicine list is also helpful. Recurrent episodes may require blood-pressure, neurological and ear assessment, with tests selected according to the findings.
After urgent causes are excluded, TCM may support sleep, appetite, stress and related symptoms. Sudden dizziness with facial droop, one-sided weakness, speech difficulty, a severe headache, chest pain, fainting or inability to walk requires emergency care.
Until recurrent dizziness is understood, reduce fall risk by rising slowly, steadying yourself before walking, keeping pathways well lit and avoiding driving alone or climbing. If symptoms begin after a new medicine, ask the prescriber for review rather than stopping every medicine independently.
