"Thought It Was Just the Heat"...Why You Shouldn't Ignore Dizziness [Kok!Health]

Worsening Dizziness from Summer Dehydration and Low Blood Pressure

Various Underlying Causes Including BPPV and Meniere's Disease

Emergency Care Needed When Accompanied by Neurological Symptoms

As the hot weather continues, an increasing number of people are reporting dizziness. During the summer, excessive sweating makes dehydration and low blood pressure more likely, and the risk of heat-related illnesses also increases. As a result, dizziness can occur more easily than usual, or existing symptoms can worsen.

According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service on June 13, 2026, the number of patients treated for dizziness in 2023 was 1,015,119, an increase of approximately 11.8% from 907,665 in 2018. Dizziness is not limited to simply feeling lightheaded. It can also make it difficult to maintain balance or cause an unsteady gait, and in severe cases, nausea and vomiting may occur together. Although it is a relatively common symptom, the number of patients continues to rise.

The most common diseases that cause dizziness include benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), Meniere's disease, and vestibular neuritis. BPPV occurs when small calcium crystals called otoconia, which should reside in the balance organs of the inner ear, become dislodged. This condition is characterized by sudden, spinning dizziness when changing the position of the head.

Meniere's disease is a disorder caused by excessive buildup of lymph fluid in the inner ear. In addition to recurrent dizziness, symptoms can include hearing loss, tinnitus, and a feeling of fullness in the ear. Vestibular neuritis is an inflammation of the vestibular nerve, which controls balance, and can result in sudden, severe dizziness lasting from several hours to several days.

In rare cases, dizziness can be a sign of a central nervous system disorder, such as cerebral infarction, cerebral hemorrhage, or a brain tumor. If severe dizziness occurs suddenly along with weakness or numbness in the arms or legs, slurred speech, double vision, or gait disturbance, the possibility of a brain disorder should be considered.

Lee Geonju, Professor of Neurology at Korea University Guro Hospital, stated, "These symptoms may be related to abnormalities in the brainstem or cerebellum, which are part of the central nervous system, so prompt diagnosis and treatment are important. In particular, if the timing of treatment for cerebrovascular disease is missed, permanent neurological sequelae or, in severe cases, life-threatening complications may occur, so caution is needed."

Treatment methods vary depending on the cause. For BPPV, canalith repositioning procedures are often performed to return the dislodged crystals to their original position. For Meniere's disease, salt intake is restricted and medication is administered to lower the pressure of lymph fluid in the inner ear. Vestibular neuritis can be managed with medications to relieve acute symptoms, along with vestibular rehabilitation exercises to help restore balance function. In contrast, if the cause is a neurological disorder such as cerebral infarction or cerebral hemorrhage, emergency treatment may be necessary.

Because dizziness can have various causes, it is difficult to suggest a one-size-fits-all prevention method. However, dizziness caused by dehydration or orthostatic hypotension during the summer can be prevented to some extent by managing daily habits. Drinking plenty of water and avoiding standing up suddenly from a sitting or lying position can help.

Professor Lee also advised, "If symptoms persist or recur even after sufficient hydration and rest, you should not dismiss them as mere fatigue or poor condition. Instead, visit a medical institution to determine the exact cause."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.