Do you feel dizzy often, or does your head seem to spin indefinitely? These are signs of dizziness that can happen often if a person has diabetes. The feelings of being drowsy, faint, confused all are indicators of dizziness. A person also feels low or unstable while he or she is dizzy. Standing up, walking, or rotating your head might cause dizziness, and you could also feel sick. Dizziness that occurs suddenly or is severe may need you to rest or lie down.
People with diabetes seem to be more susceptible to dizziness. Symptoms of diabetes may affect a person’s overall health. And, diabetes dizziness is one of them. But the good news here is that an effective diabetes care plan can help manage diabetes-associated dizziness. Let’s find out how! Before that, we must understand the connection between diabetes and dizziness.
The connection between dizziness and diabetes
Diabetes may cause dizziness, particularly when blood glucose levels are abnormally high or low. High levels can result in dehydration and this may leave the person feeling dizzy. On the other hand, low blood glucose levels also result in dizziness. Also, diabetes can cause nerve damage responsible for controlling heart rate and blood pressure. This may cause dizziness and light-headedness.
Does feeling dizzy after eating indicate diabetes?
Dizziness after eating might indicate diabetes, particularly if it is accompanied by other signs like fatigue, frequent urination, increased thirst, weight loss, or blurred vision. It can indicate a rapid rise or fall in blood glucose levels. This is commonly seen in people with diabetes.
When a person eats food, carbs get broken down to glucose. This glucose then enters the bloodstream and insulin release occurs. Now, in diabetes patients, what happens is their body either fails to produce enough insulin or fails to use the insulin effectively. Hence, increases the blood sugar levels followed by some signs like dizziness.
If anyone experiences dizziness after eating, it’s better to discuss with the concerned doctor. Intake of a healthy diet, regular blood glucose monitoring, and taking prescribed medicines may aid in diabetes management and help prevent complications like dizziness.
What does diabetes dizziness look like?
Diabetes-associated dizziness may present in different ways for different patients. Some might experience a sensation of faintness or a feeling that the room is revolving. Others might face difficulty with balance. In a few cases, other signs such as weakness, sweating, or vision changes may accompany diabetes dizziness. It should be noted that there may be different causes of dizziness, and diabetes is just one potential underlying condition.
How to identify if dizziness is serious?
Dizziness may result due to many factors, some of which might be serious and demand medical attention, while others might be worrisome. On the basis of below-listed signs, you can make out whether dizziness is a serious issue or not:
- Vision or speech changes: Changes in speech or vision (like not being able to speak properly or double vision).
- Weakness or numbness
- Other severe signs: It is important to look for immediate medical help if anyone’s dizziness is accompanied by serious signs like chest discomfort, breathlessness, sudden and severe events of headache, increased heart rate, or loss of consciousness.
What to do if a person with diabetes feels dizzy?
Avoid sudden movements when a person feels dizzy or drowsy. Increase water and fluid intake. Avoid alcohol or caffeine products as they can make the situation worse.
Other means of management can be:
- To alleviate dizziness, it’s best to lie down until the feeling subsides.
- If you need to stand up from a lying or sitting position, grip onto a stable object and rise gradually.
- Also, avoid abrupt bending down; if necessary, slowly lower your body while keeping your knees bent and back straight.
- In case you’re lying down and still experiencing a spinning sensation, it’s advisable not to lie down completely flat. Instead, consider elevating your head with a pillow or another soft object to reduce the sensation.
- Frequent consumption of fluids is important. One should not be dehydrated. Try consuming clear fluids and stay away from sugary drinks or juices.
- It is better to keep a sweet snack handy if you have previously been dizzy due to low blood glucose levels and have diabetes. This snack can be a piece of fruit or glucose powder, check for its safety. You can also speak to your doctor and find out the best options for the same.
- To manage your health effectively, it’s best to avoid coffee and minimize alcohol and smoking from your routine.
The bottom line:
Diabetes management may be a challenging task but with the changing face of medicine especially with digital healthcare growing rapidly, it has become highly simple to manage diabetes. You can also consider a digital healthcare program as your first line of therapy. The key is to never forget taking your medications on time and keep your blood glucose levels under control. Remember to eat right, exercise, sleep well and stress less.
