Her doctor explains that the cause of the dizziness, however, is not known at this time. Dr. Ent asks Barbara a series of questions about this morning s events. He explains that it is important for him to get a clear understanding of exactly what she is feeling. Patients with dizziness often present with an array of confusing complaints. A good portion of this initial visit is dedicated to helping Barbara organize her thoughts.
Many people use terms such as vertigo, dizziness, lightheadedness, and fainting interchangeably.
However to physicians they have very distinct meanings. Dizziness refers to a disturbed sense of one s relationship in space and can be caused by problems with a variety of body systems including circulation, cardiovascular, eyes, brain, and ears. Vertigo is a hallucination of motion. Patients feel as if they are spinning or that their surroundings are moving. Unsteadiness is described as a sense of falling and may be due to problems with the ear, brain, or nerves.