Internal Medicine

Iron deficiency dizziness

introduction

Around 600,000,000 people worldwide suffer from a relevant iron deficiency. In most cases, this iron deficiency is accompanied by dizziness, which results from anemia and thus insufficient oxygen supply to the brain. However, other causes of the dizziness should be ruled out first.

root cause

Iron deficiency dizziness results from what is known as iron deficiency anemia.

If the patient suffers from a lack of iron, the human body falls back on its own iron reserves until these are exhausted. Then the iron from our red blood cells is used. In the red blood pigment, iron is used to transport oxygen from the lungs to other organs in the body. If there is a lack of iron in the human body, less oxygen is transported and the brain is insufficiently supplied with oxygen, which causes dizziness.

The iron deficiency results in a lower energy level in the body, which also causes the patient to feel dizzy and continues to exacerbate it. Women in particular are more likely to feel dizzy due to an iron deficiency, as they already have an additional iron loss during their menstrual period.

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Causes of Iron Deficiency

Concomitant symptoms

In many cases, dizziness caused by iron deficiency is the first symptom of existing anemia.

It is often described as vertigo that occurs almost daily and is of a long-lasting nature. If the iron deficiency persists for a long time or is already well advanced, the dizziness increases. In addition to persistent dizziness, the insufficient supply of oxygen to the brain also leads to poor concentration and poor attention. Headaches can also occur.

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Consequences of iron deficiency
Symptoms of iron deficiency

fatigue

Due to the lack of effective oxygen transport due to the lack of oxygen, there is an undersupply of all organs in our body.

As a result, not only the brain, but also the other organs are less efficient than in their normal state. This is characterized by persistent fatigue and exhaustion of the patient. The patients report constant listlessness and long sleep phases. The constant tiredness and dizziness can lead to severe impairments in daily life and also at work.

nausea

Iron deficiency dizziness is also often associated with nausea and malaise.

The onset of vertigo leads to irritation in the perception of balance and spatial orientation. The environment seems to be rotating continuously. Similar to a moving carousel. The onset of nausea often remains subliminal as a queasy feeling. In severe dizziness attacks, it can lead to vomiting.

Visual disturbances

Due to the dizziness, it is difficult for the eyes to focus correctly on the environment and to process the information correctly. Visual disturbances arise.

The patients report a flicker that appears in the visual field. Mild, temporary loss of field of vision and blurred vision can also occur. Spatial perception can also be restricted.

Drowsiness

An iron deficiency can lead to dizziness, which is often associated with drowsiness.

Due to the reduced iron level, the blood cannot absorb enough oxygen, which means that the brain is temporarily undersupplied. As a result, those affected feel tired, exhausted, dizzy and light-headed. This type of dizziness is also known as lightheadedness. The patients feel "dizzy" and have unsteady gait.

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Dizziness and lightheadedness

tinnitus

Dizziness combined with ringing in the ears can be symptoms of iron deficiency.

The iron deficiency leads to a reduced oxygen supply, which means that the sensory cells of the inner ear react with ringing in the ears (tinnitus). The tinnitus can vary in severity. In some cases it is not even noticed by those affected, in others the impairment caused by the constant noise in the ear is enormous. In the case of ringing in the ears and dizziness, a doctor should be consulted to determine whether an iron deficiency or another cause is behind it. The attending ENT doctor must also rule out the possibility of sudden hearing loss.

diagnosis

To diagnose dizziness due to iron deficiency, a blood test is important in addition to the clinical symptoms. The amount of blood (Man), a value for iron transport (Transferrin saturation) and the iron store (Serum ferritin) certainly.

Therapy of dizziness in case of iron deficiency

To remedy the dizziness caused by an iron deficiency, you should first pay attention to an iron-rich diet.

The consumption of green vegetables, red fruits and meat or fish plays an important role in this. Nevertheless, in most cases a change in diet is not enough to compensate for a relevant iron deficiency. In these cases, the iron substitution takes the form of tablets, which should be taken over a longer period of time (approx. 4–6 months) so that the iron stores are replenished, or drugs such as Floradix® (herbal blood).
If oral medication is insufficient or cannot be tolerated, it is also possible to supply iron via the vein. For some existing diseases, such as renal insufficiency, intravenous administration is the therapy of first choice. Since dizziness due to iron deficiency during pregnancy increases the risk for the unborn child, iron supplements are also prescribed in many cases.

How quickly do the symptoms improve once the deficiency is rectified?

Correcting an iron deficiency takes several months, but the iron value increases after a few weeks.

As soon as the iron level in the body rises, the reticulocytes multiply. These are precursor cells of red blood cells (erythrocytes). Mature erythrocytes contain iron and thus bind oxygen. Once the red blood cells start to rise again, the oxygen supply to the cells and tissues in the body improves. The brain is also increasingly supplied with oxygen and the symptoms of dizziness subside. It can take a relatively long time until that happens. In most cases, if the therapy is successful, all symptoms should have disappeared after about four to six months.

Dizziness during pregnancy

Iron deficiency dizziness is common during pregnancy. It should be noted, however, that a somewhat reduced iron level is normal during pregnancy, as there is an increased blood volume with relatively fewer red blood cells. The supply of the child is guaranteed for the time being, but the iron reserves can quickly be exhausted. In addition to dizziness, women during pregnancy often complain of exhaustion, headaches and shortness of breath.