Can allergies cause dizziness? Allergies are common, affecting about 1 in 3 adults. Examples of allergy symptoms include sneezing, rash, stuffiness, itchy or watery eyes, congestion, swelling, and more. Some people also experience dizziness, ranging in severity from mild to severe, as a symptom of allergies.
This article discusses dizziness as a symptom of allergies, signs to watch for, and when to seek medical attention.
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Can Allergies Cause Dizziness?
Studies demonstrate that allergies are linked to dizziness in some people for various reasons or underlying causes.
Understanding Dizziness
Dizziness, also referred to as lightheadedness or vertigo, is a symptom that may cause an individual to feel disoriented, woozy, heavy-headed, weak, unsteady, off-balance, or as if the room is spinning.
Dizziness may indicate health problems ranging from not alarming to severe or life-threatening. While dizziness is sometimes a nuisance, it can also indicate a problem requiring immediate medical attention.
Allergies and Dizziness
Allergies may lead to dizziness because of:
- Sinus pressure
- Inflammation
- Ear congestion
- Fluid buildup behind the ears
- Narrowed ear tubes
Allergic rhinitis and sinusitis are allergy-related conditions linked to dizziness.
Other Causes of Dizziness
In addition to allergies and their complications, other potential causes of dizziness include:
- Inner ear disorders
- Autoimmune inner ear diseases, such as Susac syndrome
- Ear infections
- Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)
- Migraines
- Meniere's disease
- Some medications
- Persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD)
- Blood pressure abnormalities
- Poor blood circulation
- Neurological disorders
- Anemia
- Anxiety disorder
- Overheating
- Dehydration
- Low blood sugar
- Motion sickness
- Stress
These and other underlying causes of dizziness are sometimes confused with allergy-related dizziness.
Risk factors for feeling dizzy include older age, having a medical problem, and past episodes of dizziness.
Why Dizziness Is a Serious Symptom
Dizziness is not something to be taken lightly. It can be a sign of a medical problem that can cause complications if left untreated.
Potential Serious Underlying Conditions
Underlying conditions that may lead to dizziness in adults, children, or teenagers include:
- Low blood pressure
- Heart problems
- Neurological disorders
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Parkinson’s disease
- Multiple sclerosis (MS)
- Mental health disorders
- Heat stroke
- Dehydration
- Poorly managed diabetes
- Tumors
- Concussion
- Atrial fibrillation
- Atherosclerosis
Providers must consider all possible causes of dizziness when assessing it to determine which lab tests to order and how best to treat the underlying cause.
Risks of Ignoring Dizziness
While dizziness isn’t always cause for concern, there are dangers involved in ignoring this alarming symptom. Examples include:
- Falls
- Accidents
- Delayed diagnosis of a serious medical condition
- Lack of medical treatment
- Heart attack
- Confusion
- Fainting
Timely medical evaluations, effective diagnoses, and prompt care during medical emergencies can reduce the risk of potentially serious complications.
When to Seek Medical Advice
It’s important to seek medical attention if an individual has:
- Severe or persistent dizziness
- Risk factors for underlying medical problems
- Previous medical diagnosis linked to dizziness
- New or sudden onset of dizziness
This is especially true if they have other symptoms, such as weakness, confusion, nausea, vomiting, or chest pain.
Treatment Options for Dizziness
Effective, personalized treatment options can help better manage allergy-related dizziness.
Pharmaceutical Treatments
Medications that help reduce dizziness linked to allergies include decongestants, antihistamines, and corticosteroids. Nasal sprays, such as triamcinolone and fluticasone, can reduce inflammation in the sinuses, Eustachian tubes, and nose.
Over-the-counter allergy medications, allergy shots, and other immunotherapies help prevent allergy symptoms from worsening.
Depending on the underlying cause of dizziness, some people benefit from blood pressure medications, antivertigo drugs, anxiety medications, or insulin dose adjustments to manage diabetes. Diuretics for Meniere’s disease, migraine medications, inner ear injections, or other medications can also treat underlying causes of dizziness.
Some individuals experiencing dizziness benefit from removing parts of the inner ear, disabling the vestibular labyrinth in the affected ear. This allows the other ear to take over balance functioning. Individuals who haven't responded to other treatments may benefit from this minor surgery.
Natural and Lifestyle Treatments
Natural treatments and lifestyle adjustments that may help treat dizziness include:
- Meditation, yoga, tai chi, and other techniques to reduce stress
- Intravenous (IV) hydration to eliminate dehydration
- Elimination diet to ease symptoms of food allergies, including dizziness
- Iron supplements to treat anemia
- Other dietary supplements, such as vitamin D and calcium, to reduce recurrent vertigo
- Head position maneuvers to move the inner ear canalith particles responsible for dizziness
- Balance therapy to lessen the body’s sensitivity to motion
- Psychotherapy for dizziness caused by anxiety disorders
- Saline nasal rinses to reduce congestion caused by seasonal allergies
- Reducing dust, mold, and pet dander in the home to ease seasonal allergy symptoms
Use an air filter and vacuum regularly, particularly in homes with pets, to minimize indoor air allergens and improve air quality.
Trying natural remedies first is often beneficial—unless a severe underlying medical problem is the suspected cause of dizziness.
Combination Approaches
It may be helpful to combine pharmaceutical treatments, such as prescription steroid nasal sprays or over-the-counter allergy medicines, with natural remedies to achieve comprehensive relief from allergy-related dizziness and other causes of lightheadedness.
If there aren’t any alarming symptoms or risk factors associated with an individual’s dizziness, consider balance therapy and other non-medicinal approaches first.
Lab Tests for Dizziness
Lab testing helps identify allergy-related lightheadedness and other causes of dizziness. Proper medical interpretation is crucial to pinpoint the cause of an individual's dizziness, whether or not additional diagnostic tests are needed, and the most effective treatment protocol.
Tests to Identify Allergy-Related Causes
Tests that can diagnose allergies or their complications include:
- Skin prick tests, exposing the skin to potential allergens to observe potential reactions
- Blood tests to screen for IgE antibodies
- Food allergy testing
- Imaging tests (CT scans, MRIs, etc.) to screen for sinus or ear abnormalities
- Histamine testing to assess the body’s inflammatory response
The most appropriate lab tests depend on an individual's symptoms, lifestyle, medications, previous diagnoses, and risk factors.
Tests to Diagnose Other Causes of Dizziness
Diagnostic tests that help identify other potential causes of dizziness include:
- Blood pressure screening
- Blood glucose tests to evaluate blood sugar
- Blood tests that screen for anemia
- Ear and vestibular tests that evaluate balance and inner ear function
- Concussion protocol evaluation
- Heart-function testing
- Imaging to screen for tumors, heart problems, and other underlying causes
- Neurological testing
- Mental health evaluation
- Micronutrient testing
Assessing an individual's medical history and symptoms, checking their vital signs, and completing a physical examination are vital to determining which diagnostic tests are likely to be most beneficial. They may consult with an allergist, ENT, neurologist, or another specialist to address the underlying cause of dizziness.
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Key Takeaways
Can allergies cause dizziness? The following key takeaways are important when determining if allergies are the cause of bothersome symptoms and how to best treat dizziness.
- Numerous factors can contribute to dizziness, some of which are concerning and require immediate medical attention.
- There is a relationship between allergies and dizziness, as allergies can lead to inflammation, sinus pressure, fluid buildup, ear congestion, and narrowed ear tubes.
- Effectively treating allergies may reduce the risk of dizziness.
- Experiencing any form of dizziness requires a medical evaluation to detect or rule out serious underlying medical problems.
- Individuals should always consult with a healthcare provider if they experience severe or persistent dizziness.
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