Dizziness.
Dizziness is a term that means different things to different people. In this paper, dizziness from inner ear difficulties shall be taken as synonymous with vertigo, a sense of spinning in space coupled with being unsteady afoot, nauseated, and usually in a spacey, distracted state of mind. Dizziness from a drop in cerebral blood flow shall be equated as a consequence of orthostatic hypotension, productive of lightheadedness or syncope. and involving a wide variety of pathophysiologies eg, heart, vascular reflexes, hypoxemia, hypoglycemia, anemia, etc. In a state of dizziness one cannot work or think straight. The fact that vertigo and orthostatic hypotension can be both cause and consequence of head injuries is the hard truth that commands our attention.
Grimm
R J
RJ
Department of Neurology Legacy, Good Samaritan Hospital, Portland, OR 97210, USA.
D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004244:Dizziness / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans