There are a number of reasons for diabetic dizziness. All the reasons should be of great concern. Even if nothing else occurs, diabetic dizziness could lead to a serious fall or other type of accident which causes a major injury. Any time a person with diabetes reports diabetic dizziness, a person’s glucose levels should be checked. In most cases medical treatment should be sought to decipher the reason for the diabetic dizziness before something serious has a chance to happen.
DiabetesForum.com lists a number of reasons why a person may experience diabetic dizziness. These are:
- Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) may lead to diabetic dizziness, unconsciousness, emotional pain, depression, or stress.
- Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) causes an oversupply of insulin. This causes diabetics to feel weak and fatigued as well as irritable or angry. A person may also perspire heavily or feel extremely hungry. In this case diabetic dizziness occurs because the body is unable to provide the energy needed to function properly.
- Ketoacidosis is one reason for diabetic dizziness that should never be ignored. Even if your glucose levels turn out to be normal, your ketone level should be checked, especially if you have type 1 diabetes. If you don’t have an over-the-counter test kit at home, get medical help. This is a very serious condition in which medical attention should be sought immediately.
- Diabetic effects on the cardiovascular system may also be a cause. This occurs because the veins in the heart are clogged because of the thickened blood caused by diabetes. Therefore, blood rich in oxygen cannot travel through the body properly.
Diabetic Dizziness & Neuropathy
In many people nerve damage is caused by diabetes. The most common type of diabetes nerve damage is peripheral neuropathy, which is a type of neuropathy that affects the feet and hands of the body first. One subtype of peripheral neuropathy is autonomic neuropathy. In this form of diabetic neuropathy, the nerves of the central nervous system are affected; this includes internal organs, muscles, skin, and blood vessels. This could cause a number of problems with everyday bodily functions from blood pressure, to heart rate, to digestion, and yes, it may even lead to diabetic dizziness.
One of the major symptoms of peripheral neuropathy is dizziness when standing up too quickly. This is brought about by low blood pressure. This happens because a sudden drop in blood pressure limits the supply of blood to your brain. This dizziness is one of the major symptoms of blood pressure problems related to diabetes.
