Dizziness and Headaches: How to Get Better

It’s strange but true! Allergy problems of the nose CAN lead to dizziness or lightheadedness. Allergic rhinitis may cause headaches or migraines too! At ENTcare Clinic Singapore, many patients present with recurrent headaches and dizziness. They don’t seem to have a clear cause initially but nasal allergies may turn out to be the cause. This is especially true in children who can present in an unusual manner with their nasal symptoms. Do you realise how important it is to treat underlying allergic rhinitis to prevent it from triggering dizziness and headaches?

WHAT DOES THE DIZZINESS CAUSED BY NASAL ALLERGIES FEEL LIKE?

The dizziness associated with allergic rhinitis or nasal allergies is like a light-headed type of dizziness. Recently, a 10 year old child presented to us, having seen other top ENT specialists in Singapore, with lightheadedness. We had to exclude a whole list of possible conditions, one by one. Another important condition is obstructive sleep apnea in children which can sometimes present in unusual ways like dizziness.

THE DIZZY CHILD: CASE STUDY 1

Starting my patient on a nasal steroid spray and antihistamine medication helped to decongest his nose before his sleep study. Interestingly, his lightheaded dizziness symptoms also improved! After using the nasal steroids and antihistamines, his dizziness resolved completely. When he stopped using the anti-allergy medications, his dizziness started to recur. The sleep study was incidentally completely normal. The child had already seen a paediatrician who initially thought the dizziness was a strange form of migraine. He had not complained of blocked nose or runny nose or sneezing before at all.

THE DIZZY ADULT: CASE STUDY 2

Another patient of mine presented with similar symptoms of dizziness and headaches. She noticed that her symptoms always seemed to flare up whenever her husband was mowing the lawn. She underwent allergy testing at our ENTcare Clinic, showing that she was allergic to certain types of grasses and pollen, some of which were growing in her garden. After she started on a course of allergy medications for her blocked runny nose, like nasal steroids and antihistamines, she felt much better: her headaches and dizziness improved. She also made sure she wasn’t around whenever her husband decided to cut the grass outside!

Allergy problems with the nose and sinuses are so common in Singapore! But yet, many people do not realise how badly they can affect your quality of life, work and sleep. Some patients see me, saying that they always thought their blocked nose, runny nose or poor sense of smell was “normal”! But let me assure you, these symptoms definitely aren’t normal. They can actually be helped, after a thorough and careful examination by an experienced ENT specialist in Singapore. Headaches and dizziness on top of these nasal allergy symptoms may well be caused by allergic rhinitis, so please get them checked out very soon…:)

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