Diagnosis

For the diagnosis of dizziness and fatigue, the medical history, i.e. the doctor-patient conversation, plays an important role. During this discussion, the closer circumstances and possible causes can be identified more precisely. Depending on the suspicion, further diagnostic tools are available. These include, for example, the physical examination, which plays an important role especially in cases of tension or balance problems associated with dizziness. If an anemia or thyroid dysfunction is suspected, blood testing is an important step in the diagnosis.

Associated symptoms

Dizziness and fatigue can be accompanied by many different symptoms, depending on the cause. The fatigue itself can be constant throughout the day or it can worsen or even improve during the course of the day. Dizziness is often described as diffuse when it occurs together with fatigue.

Headaches and aching limbs can also occur. Increased sweating, as well as inner restlessness and changes in weight are a possible accompanying cause, if the cause lies with the thyroid gland. Furthermore, palpitations or visual disturbances can occur.

Headaches are a common accompanying symptom of dizziness and tiredness. A possible cause for this is tension in the spine. Here, especially in the area of the cervical spine, nerves can become trapped or constricted.

In addition, headaches can also occur in conjunction with an infection, such as influenza. Also with sleep disturbances or psychological loads, like increased arising stress, it comes frequently additionally to headache. In many cases it already helps to pay attention to sufficient movement and fresh air.

Many people suffer from dizziness and tiredness in combination with neck pain. The main reason for this is usually tension in the area of the spine. They are caused by an incorrect load on the back or incorrect posture, which is worsened, for example, by daily office work.

Therefore, sufficient exercise and, if necessary, physiotherapy are important methods to fight the neck pain. For acute pain, a heat cushion can also have an analgesic effect. If the symptoms are very pronounced and, for example, a clouding of consciousness is added, a doctor should be consulted as soon as possible in order to clarify possible injuries to the spinal column.

Dizziness and tiredness in combination with concentration difficulties occur again and again. In many cases, this can be explained by the symptoms themselves, as a lack of sleep and recurring dizziness can have a negative effect on the ability to pay attention. In order to reduce short-term concentration difficulties, a few minutes in the fresh air can already be supportive.

If the concentration problems occur repeatedly over a longer period of time and go on for a while, the symptoms can be reduced by taking a few minutes in the fresh air.B. with an inner restlessness or tension, a physician should be consulted for clarification, since it can also be signs of a malfunction of the thyroid gland. If dizziness and fatigue occur together with pain in the limbs, this is in many cases a sign of overloading the body.

This can be caused, for example, by stress or increased exertion in everyday life. Psychological stress is also often expressed through these symptoms. Furthermore, pain in the limbs in combination with dizziness and fatigue can be signs of an infection.

Many infections begin with such unspecific symptoms. In such a case, it is therefore recommended that bed rest be maintained whenever possible. If fever also occurs, a doctor should be consulted for clarification.

Occasionally, dizziness and tiredness can also occur together with visual disturbances. Depending on the type of visual disturbance, there are various possible causes. For example, if lightning strikes suddenly appear, these symptoms can be precursors of a migraine attack accompanied by severe throbbing headaches.

Similarly, visual disturbances can occur in the context of depression, which also leads to loss of appetite and drive. If anything is unclear, an ophthalmologist should be consulted for clarification. Dizziness and tiredness often occur together (see above).

If the dizziness is in the foreground and occurs independently of the fatigue, other causes must be considered. Dizziness is a disorder of the organ of balance in the inner ear, which receives information from the entire body, processes it and passes it on to the brain. For those who are particularly interested: structure and function of the inner ear Non-vestibular (not affecting the organ of balance) dizziness can have various causes, such as high or low blood pressure, cardiac rhythm or visual disturbances or poorly adapted glasses.

Furthermore, dizziness can be caused by a disease of the inner ear itself (vestibular cause). Here, the sense of balance is often caused by detached ear stones (otoliths). Should dizziness occur without a recognizable cause (e.g. a merry-go-round ride, sudden getting up after lying down for a long time or low blood pressure) and more frequently, a doctor should always be consulted.

Persistent exhaustion can often have psychological causes in addition to the organic causes described above. For example, in a depressive mood, physical symptoms often occur in addition to listlessness, lack of enthusiasm and anxiety. These include above all persistent tiredness and exhaustion, which can be associated with a sleep disorder, as well as headaches, loss of appetite and gastrointestinal complaints.

If the affected person reports feeling an inner emptiness lately and finds it difficult to motivate himself to undertake activities that he would otherwise have enjoyed, a psychological cause of the physically noticeable exhaustion should be considered. Both in cases of permanent stress and depression, professional treatment is of great importance, as otherwise burnout syndrome or chronic fatigue syndrome can occur. Organic causes such as anemia or hypothyroidism should also be clarified.

If the person concerned reports feeling an inner emptiness lately and finds it difficult to motivate himself to undertake activities that otherwise have given him pleasure, a psychological cause of the physically noticeable exhaustion should be considered. Both in cases of permanent stress and depression, professional treatment is of great importance, as otherwise burnout syndrome or chronic fatigue syndrome can occur. Organic causes such as anemia or hypothyroidism should also be clarified.

Exhaustion is another symptom that occurs more frequently in connection with dizziness and tiredness. In addition to the above-mentioned organic causes for such complaints, a weakened immune system is also a conceivable cause. If the immune system is permanently busy fending off or fighting off an infection, persistent fatigue and circulatory problems such as dizziness (similar to a severe cold or flu) can result.

A noticeable heart stumbling (palpitation) can also occur occasionally in healthy young people and has no pathological significance without further complaints.However, if the heart stumbling occurs in connection with dizziness and fatigue, the suspicion of a cardiac arrhythmia must be investigated. There are numerous cardiac dysrhythmia disorders that become symptomatic to varying degrees and differ in therapy. The most common is atrial fibrillation, in which the atria occasionally or permanently beat disorderly and much too fast.

In Germany, about one in every hundred inhabitants is affected, although the probability of developing the disease increases with age. Other cardiac diseases are also possible causes. These include heart valve diseases, cardiac insufficiency (heart failure) or myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle).

Extracardiac (non-heart related) diseases or certain medications, hypoglycemia or anxiety disorders must also be considered for the combination of these symptoms. Extracardiac (non-cardiac) diseases or certain medications, hypoglycemia or anxiety disorders must also be considered for the combination of these symptoms. If dizziness and fatigue occur together with tachycardia, there are many possible causes.

This is often a temporary disturbance of the circulatory system or an acute lack of fluid, i.e. dehydration. These causes can be quickly and effectively counteracted by drinking water and spending a few minutes sitting or lying down, ideally in the fresh air. Furthermore, diseases of the cardiovascular system, such as high blood pressure or heart disease, can be possible triggers.

Tensions in the area of the spinal column are very common. If they occur in the area of the cervical spine, this can also lead to nerve entrapment. This can manifest itself as dizziness and tiredness.

Since many important nerves and other structures run through this area, caution should be exercised. If the symptoms dizziness and fatigue occur in connection with severe pain or movement in the cervical region, a doctor should be consulted promptly for clarification. It has also been found that depression, which often manifests itself through tiredness, fatigue and circulatory problems such as dizziness, is also associated with chronic back pain.

Chronic back pain is often difficult to treat and severely restricts the quality of life of those affected. This can result in psychological problems. Patients with severe back pain also often have difficulty finding a comfortable sleeping position and may suffer from fatigue and dizziness due to a lack of sleep.

Dizziness and tiredness after eating can have various causes, which must be clarified by a doctor if the symptoms persist. Slight tiredness or dizziness after a sumptuous meal is normal in that the stretching of the stomach releases messenger substances in the brain. These messenger substances have an inhibiting effect on further food intake on the one hand, and on the other hand they inhibit the activity center in the brain, which causes tiredness.

In metabolic diseases such as diabetes mellitus (sugar disease), a disturbed interaction between sugar (glucose) and insulin (hormone that lowers the blood sugar level), especially after carbohydrate-rich meals, can lead to dizziness, which is often accompanied by a drop in blood pressure and rapid heartbeat. Elderly people often experience dizziness after eating, as their blood pressure drops sharply during the digestive process. The vegetative nervous system is responsible for this – during the digestive process the parasympathetic nervous system is activated, which simultaneously lowers blood pressure and pulse rate, which is especially true for people who otherwise suffer from high blood pressure.

Another cause of dizziness after eating can be pregnancy, where the pregnancy hormones often cause nausea and dizziness after a meal. A histamine intolerance causes symptoms such as dizziness, palpitations, high blood pressure, rash or flatulence and diarrhoea after a meal.This becomes particularly noticeable after the consumption of histamine-rich foods, such as certain types of cheese or red wine. Histamine intolerance causes symptoms such as dizziness, palpitations, high blood pressure, rash or flatulence and diarrhoea after a meal. This becomes particularly noticeable after eating histamine-rich foods, such as certain cheeses or red wine.