Overview
Evaluation
Treatment
specialist
Home Care
nausea and vomiting
warning signs
Underlying Cause
Dizziness Home Care
Home care for dizziness includes:
- Stop smoking.
- Avoid exposure to secondary smoke.
- Drink plenty of fluids.
- Avoid caffeine.
- Avoid alcohol.
- Avoid rapid movements of your head.
- Elderly people with dizziness require assistance to walk:
- A fall may result in fractured bones
- If you feel faint:
- Lie down.
- Elevate your feet above your heart for 10-20 minutes.
- Do not climb stairs.
- Do not walk.
- Rise slowly from a sitting position.
- If you have high blood pressure:
- Learn how to take your blood pressure.
- Check your blood pressure every day.
- Keep a log of your results.
- Take prescribed medications as directed:
- Don't skip doses of your medication. This makes them less effective.
- Be aware of the common side effects that may be caused by your medication.
Dizziness Nausea and Vomiting
Home care for vomiting in someone with dizziness:
- Drink clear liquids only, such as water, sports drinks, fruit juice and dilute tea. Sports drinks are best. The absence of food allows the intestines to rest.
- Drink small quantities of fluids frequently. In general, two tablespoons of fluid every 5 minutes is an effective strategy.
- Avoid milk and dairy products for 3 days.
- Avoid liquids that irritate the stomach, such as citrus juice, alcohol and coffee.
- If nausea or vomiting continues despite the above, consider one of the nonprescription medicines listed below.
- Once vomiting and nausea resolves, start bland foods first. If you tolerate bland food, then you can resume a normal diet.
Nonprescription medications for vomiting include:
Dizziness Warning Signs
Notify your doctor if you have dizziness and any of the following:
- Abdominal pain
- Back pain
- Black stools
- Chest pain
- Difficultly walking
- Difficulty speaking
- Fainting
- Palpitations
- Rectal bleeding
- Repeated vomiting
- Severe vaginal bleeding
- Vomiting blood
- Vomiting dark material that looks like coffee grounds
- Weakness on one side of your body:
- Worsening headache
Continue to Dizziness Underlying Cause
Last Updated: Feb 15, 2011 References
Authors: Stephen J. Schueler, MD; John H. Beckett, MD; D. Scott Gettings, MD
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PubMed Dizziness References
- Brandt T, Strupp M. General vestibular testing. Clin Neurophysiol. 2005 Feb;116(2):406-26. [15661119]
- Lawson J, Johnson I, Bamiou DE, Newton JL. Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: clinical characteristics of dizzy patients referred to a Falls and Syncope Unit. QJM. 2005 May;98(5):357-64. [15820968]
- Luxon LM. Evaluation and management of the dizzy patient. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2004 Dec;75 Suppl 4:iv45-52. [15564431]
- Whitney SL, Marchetti GF, Morris LO. Usefulness of the Dizziness Handicap Inventory in the Screening for Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo. Otol Neurotol. 2005 Sep;26(5):1027-1033. [16151354]