Internal Medicine

Dizziness when lying down

Synonyms in a broader sense

Medical: Vertigo

Forms: vertigo, vertigo, vertigo

English: Vertigo, Dizziness

introduction

Dizziness (VertigoLike dizziness in general, lying down can be the result of many different diseases. In addition to an organic change that can be used to justify the dizziness, mental illnesses, stress and stress often play an important role in the development of dizziness.

causes

There are many causes for dizziness in general and dizziness when lying down and dizziness when lying down in particular.

On the one hand, these can affect the inner ear and cause dizziness there, such as so-called benign positional vertigo or inflammatory processes. Dizziness attacks are usually triggered by movements of the head, so the dizziness usually gets better in a quiet position.

Meniere's disease, which is likely caused by an imbalance in the lymph in the inner ear, can also cause dizziness. But this also occurs more in the form of brief seizures.

The cause can also lie in the brain itself, for example in the form of a processing disorder. Here dizziness can also be a symptom of serious illnesses, such as a stroke, meningitis, multiple sclerosis or a tumor.

Circulatory problems can also cause dizziness, in which case the symptoms should usually improve when lying down.

If the dizziness remains long-term and even when lying down, there may be inflammation of the equilibrium nerve behind it. This then sends the wrong signals to the brain almost permanently, which is why the dizziness is independent of whether you are lying or sitting.

A number of mental illnesses can be associated with dizziness, such as depression and anxiety disorders. With these, the dizziness often comes at the beginning of an episode. Here, too, dizziness is not typically present while lying down.

Last but not least, severe otitis media can also cause dizziness.

In addition, dizziness can accompany a whole range of other diseases, such as migraines, tinnitus or Parkinson's disease.

Dizziness on turning while lying down

If the dizziness always occurs or gets worse when you roll over or move around in bed, you usually have benign positional vertigo. As described above, the Crystals Generally the possibility to rest when lying down, which is why the dizziness usually does not occur or disappears after a while. But if you move your head or turn from one side to the other, the otolith crystals change their position again, which now causes dizziness again.

Only after some time of the positioning training does the brain manage to assign these signals correctly so that the dizziness no longer occurs even when moving.

Sudden dizziness while lying down

People who experience dizziness often try to sit or lie down as one of the first steps.This is a good measure alone because of the minimized risk of falling. If the legs are also put up, the circulation can also be supported - if this causes dizziness, the person concerned should improve.

If this is not the case, the cause is in all probability somewhere else. Diseases of the inner ear such as inflammation of the organ of equilibrium (labyrinthitis) or the supplying nerves (vestibular neuritis) should be clarified (especially in the case of prolonged dizziness over several hours or days). If the dizziness occurs after changing position, the benign paroxysmal positional vertigo should be considered. Without a change of position, however, Menière's disease (Morbus Menière) can express itself just as seizures. If dizziness occurs frequently or particularly severely and causes a high level of suffering, a doctor should always be examined.

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Symptoms of Meniere's disease
Therpaie of Meniere's disease

Dizziness while lying down during pregnancy

During pregnancy, problems with dizziness and general circulation problems can generally very easily arise. These are related to the changed circulatory and hormonal situation in the body.

However, if the dizziness only ever occurs while lying down, there can be a very special problem behind it. For example, when lying down, the abdomen may cause the blood flow back to the heart to be partially squeezed off. As a result, the heart can pump less blood into the organs and also to the brain, which can cause dizziness. The whole thing is then called "Vena Cava Compression Syndrome ". Since this blood vessel, also known as the vena cava, runs on the right side of the body, it is usually only pressed when lying on the right side or on the back. If you lie on your left side, the dizziness should go away.

In addition to dizziness, other complaints can also occur, which is why you should avoid lying on your back for a long time in late pregnancy.

Dizziness improves when lying down

If the symptoms of dizziness improve while lying down, the cause is often in the circulatory system. To be more precise, it is usually because the blood pressure in the brain is too low. When the heart is unable to supply enough blood to the brain due to various possible causes, the brain can react with dizziness.

This lack of blood is remedied almost automatically while lying down. The blood flows from the legs more and more back to the heart and there is more available to supply the brain. Incidentally, this is also the reason why people pass out. By falling over, the brain supplies itself with sufficient blood again.

The dizziness disappears when lying down

If the symptoms of vertigo disappear completely when lying down, there is much to be said for the presence of benign vertigo. The problem in this case is that the Crystals, which are otherwise necessary for balance no longer remain in their actual place, but swim around freely in the balance organ and thus lead to false impressions. Therefore, it may well be that they take a lying position in which the balance is less or not at all irritated and the dizziness disappears.

Sometimes this only happens when you lay still for a while and the crystals come to rest in one position. Then the brain has the opportunity to get used to this state and the dizziness stops.

You can find further information under our topic:

Inner ear and vertigo - what is the relationship?

Dizziness occurs while sitting

If dizziness only occurs when sitting and especially when sitting for long periods while working at a desk, the cause is usually not directly in the brain or inner ear.

On the one hand, low blood pressure can also be the cause here. Long periods of inactivity while sitting can cause more blood to sink into the legs and then no longer be available to the brain. This is promoted by the fact that the lack of activity in the muscles in the legs causes the blood vessels there to reduce their basic tension.

Another cause of dizziness while sitting can be strong tension in the back and especially the neck area. The hardening of the muscles in this area can also affect the blood supply to the brain. Parts of the important blood supply to the brain run upwards in the area of the cervical spine. If this area is extremely tense, this can lead to reduced blood flow and dizziness.

The dizziness occurs with the eyes closed

For some forms of vertigo, it doesn't matter whether the eyes are open or closed. So both vertigo and vertigo can persist even with closed eyes.

The sense of sight can help the organ of equilibrium, as it supports the brain in perceiving its surroundings - or it can irritate it because the eyes and organ of equilibrium send different, incompatible sensory impressions to the brain.

If the dizziness persists with your eyes closed, the central nervous system is more likely to be affected. However, even if you are very dizzy, this does not necessarily have to have a serious cause, it simply means that the natural functioning of the brain is disturbed. Reasons for this can be drugs or toxic substances (including alcohol), or dehydration, which affects the blood circulation. Migraines can also cause dizziness with closed eyes.

If no obvious cause can be found for the newly occurring dizziness with closed eyes, the family doctor or an ENT doctor should be consulted. The same applies if accompanying symptoms such as loss of consciousness or clouding of consciousness, severe headache or neck pain, paralysis, speech or vision disorders occur. A doctor should also be consulted promptly if dizziness occurs after a fall or other injury and persists with closed eyes.

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

One reason for vertigo when lying down can be the so-called benign positional vertigo (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo) be. It is a widespread dizziness that occurs twice as often in women as in men. The likelihood also increases with age.

You can find further information under our topic:

Positional vertigo

Symptoms of positional vertigo

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo expresses itself with

short, lasting less than 30 seconds Vertigo attacks
Occurs when changing head position, hence the name Positional vertigo (when turning over in bed, i.e. lying down, getting up in the morning or moving the head in general)
Nausea and vomiting
Visual disturbances (Oscillopsia): It seems to the person affected as if fixed objects tremble like a shaky video recording.

Causes of positional vertigo

The disorder in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo lies in the area of the inner ear, to be precise it affects the so-called "ear stones" (Otoliths) in the semicircular canals (organ of equilibrium). These convey the perception of balance and can occasionally detach themselves from their association. Moving the head causes them to slide back and forth in the semicircular canal and generate false information about the state of motion. In the brain, contradicting information collides and creates a dizziness.

More information can be found here:

Cause of positional vertigo

Therapy of positional vertigo

In benign positional vertigo, positional exercises can help to flush the loosened crystals out of the semicircular canals. The doctor must first analyze where the crystals are and how the corresponding opposing movement must take place.

Attempts at drug treatment, chirotherapeutic measures on the cervical spine and acupuncture have proven to be essentially ineffective in diagnosing benign positional vertigo.

Aggravation or even chronification can occur if those affected automatically avoid any dizziness-inducing movement.

For more information on the exercises, read:

Positional vertigo - the exercises

Cervicogenic dizziness

Age-related or accident-related changes or abnormalities in the cervical spine (Cervical spine) can also cause dizziness when lying down. If the vertigo can be traced back to the cervical spine, it is referred to as cervicogenic vertigo.

Symptoms of cervicogenic dizziness

In addition to dizziness, the following symptoms occur when lying down with cervicogenic cause:

Tension in the neck area
Neck headache
Movement restriction

Cause of cervicogenic dizziness

The cause is an activation or Damage to the sensory cellsresponsible for the transfer of information from the muscles and tendons of the cervical spine to the Equilibrium organs are responsible.

Therapy of cervicogenic vertigo

These complaints can be tackled on a medicinal basis

Painkillers
Anti-inflammatories
muscle relaxing drugs
physical therapy and physiotherapy

In addition, excessive alcohol consumption leads to vertigo attacks, which are typically noticed while lying down when drinking alcohol in the evening.

What role does the cervical spine play in lying dizziness?

Dizziness that occurs or does not improve while lying down can also result from injuries to the cervical spine. For this purpose, possible triggers in the sense of a fall, accident or other types of injuries or forces not only affecting the cervical spine should be considered. In addition, a herniated disc in the cervical spine can very rarely press on nerves or vessels and cause dizziness that persists even when lying down.

You might also be interested in this topic:

Therapy of a herniated disc of the cervical spine?

diagnosis

There are different types of dizziness while lying down. These can be diagnosed, among other things, if the dizziness worsens or improves in certain situations.

Duration and forecast

The prognosis of dizziness depends largely on the underlying diagnosis and cause. A weak circulation can be stabilized and inflammation of the inner ear can be treated causally. In the case of chronic dizziness-causing diseases, such as migraines or Menière's disease, the focus is on symptomatic therapy and possibly seizure prophylaxis.

A dizzy spell itself should - also depending on the cause - last between minutes and hours, but in no case longer than a day.