Why does your vision get dark and your head feel dizzy when you stand up?

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Why do you feel dizzy and your vision suddenly becomes dark when you stand up? A sudden change in body position (for example, quickly getting up) leads to unpleasant sensations, resulting in darkening of the vision and dizziness. These symptoms indicate the presence of a number of somatic or neurological pathologies. It is possible to establish the true reasons why the head is dizzy and the eyes are darkening only after examining the person in the clinic.

Main reasons

The main reason why your eyes get dark and you feel dizzy when you suddenly stand up is the lack of oxygen in the tissues and organs. This condition is known as anoxia (hypoxia). Oxygen deficiency causes orthostatic hypotension, which develops in cardiac pathologies. The reasons for its occurrence lie in the peculiarities of the circulatory system. If your eyes darken when you suddenly get out of bed, this indicates a decrease in blood pressure. A similar problem arises under the influence of cardiac pathologies. Orthostatic hypotension develops against the background of the following factors:

• heart defects;
• insufficient blood ejection from the heart;
• heart rhythm disturbance;
• active peripheral vasolidation, due to which insufficient blood flows to the brain.

Orthostatic hypotension manifests itself in a sharp drop (sometimes to zero) in blood pressure when changing from a horizontal to a vertical position. It is at this moment that your vision suddenly becomes dark and you feel dizzy almost immediately. Both signs are characteristic of a presyncope (lipotomy). At the same time, the patient experiences the following phenomena:

• general weakness;
• noise in the ears and head;
• increased sweating;
• paleness of the skin;
• leg incontinence;
• heaviness in the head;
• loss in time and space.

Lipotomy lasts for 3-4 seconds. In more severe cases, this condition is accompanied by a short-term loss of consciousness. Prolonged dizziness and other symptoms of lipotomy are accompanied by mild psychosensory disorders.

As if there is no reason...

Darkening in the eyes, as an annoying but rare episode, is not necessarily caused by some kind of disease. This phenomenon is called physiological orthostatic hypotension, which occurs because blood in sufficient quantities for some reason did not reach the brain and did not provide it with nutrition in a timely manner, which can:

• Provoked by prolonged standing in a vehicle or somewhere else, sitting in one position on a chair or on a sofa;
• Depend on the individual characteristics of the autonomic nervous system, which turned out to be overly sensitive to any changes in the environment and internal state (high air temperature, stuffy room, emotional stress, fear);
• Be the result of prolonged fasting (wrong approach to weight loss or forced hunger due to circumstances). In fact, from a starvation diet designed for rapid weight loss, the level of glucose in the blood drops and the vision sharply darkens, and for some reason the expected effect is not in a hurry;
• Listed as the main complaint (“it gets dark in my eyes when I get out of bed in the morning”) in people who constantly complain about low blood pressure (BP – 105-115/60-70 mm Hg) and consider themselves hypotensive . Of course, sudden getting out of bed will not be useful for such people - they need to lie down, soak up, and then calmly get up;
• Be the result of excessive physical stress (overwork, lifting heavy objects whose weight exceeds the permissible value);
• Act as costs of individual professions or hobbies (working at height with insurance, mountaineering);
• Appears in women who are sure that beauty requires sacrifice and, to prove this, use underwear that corrects the figure, but impairs blood circulation (a fashion that has returned from time immemorial - tight corsets with lace);
• Occurs after a long period of squatting (some people like to rest this way, although they know why; when they stand up, their vision suddenly becomes dark);
• It is a side effect of air travel, when, when climbing and landing, the ears of most passengers become blocked, and some experience darkness in the eyes and a headache.

All these cases are explained by the difference in pressure between the upper and lower parts of the body or between atmospheric and blood pressure, which does not have time to quickly adjust. Such options do not require special treatment, and the person continues to be considered practically healthy.

Darkness in the eyes and dizziness, for example, with a condition such as pathological orthostatic hypotension.

In simple terms, a situation arises when the blood in the body is redistributed - the lower part of the body receives more blood than is required to provide nutrients, and the upper part (including the head) at this time suffers from a lack of blood supply.

As a result of this unfair distribution, the brain does not receive enough substances necessary for full functioning and experiences oxygen starvation (hypoxia).

Under conditions of hypoxia, a pre-fainting state develops, which is not necessarily limited only to darkening of the eyes, for example, some people experience tinnitus, darkening of the eyes and nausea, sticky sweat appears... and everything can end in fainting. So:

1. In children and adolescents, the cause of darkening in the eyes (in the absence of any signs of the disease) is most often the incomplete development of the autonomic nervous system and vascular bed, because it is not for nothing that vegetative-vascular dystonia at this age is not considered a real disease (and at other ages too , in principle, too). However, the child has every chance of “outgrowing” this trouble when his body finishes its formation;
2. It often darkens in the eyes of people who are weather-sensitive, who react strongly to weather and climatic conditions, determining that something is wrong in nature as soon as the atmospheric pressure begins to change, although in other respects these people are considered practically healthy;
3. You feel weakness and darkening in the eyes after excessive sweating during physiological conditions (exposure to high temperature, psycho-emotional stress, heavy physical labor) or due to various pathologies, so if your eyes often darken, you need to undergo an examination;
4. It darkens sharply in the eyes when a person has been in a horizontal position for a long time and quickly stood up.

Thus, in many people (hypotonics and hypertensives, suffering from vegetative-vascular dystonia or other, more serious, pathology), a sharp rise from a chair or from a bed causes dizziness and darkening of the eyes, a person describes his condition this way: “My vision is impaired when I get up."

But in such cases, everything is clear - a sufficient amount of blood simply did not have time to get into the brain, or the fluid carrying nutrients rose to the head in a timely manner, but could not fully “squeeze” into the vessels narrowed for various reasons, and as a result, the brain tissue was damaged I lost power for a short time.

How to identify orthostatic hypotension

It was stated above that the reason why your eyes get dark when you get up is a decrease in blood pressure. If this symptom occurs frequently enough, orthostatic hypotension may be suspected. This condition can be diagnosed through a special test. You can check for orthostatic hypotension by repeatedly checking your pulse while lying down and standing. It is important to achieve sustainable performance. Next, the pulse is checked when changing from a horizontal to a vertical position every 1, 3, 5 and 10 minutes. A deviation of 11 beats per minute is considered normal. The absence of orthostatic hypotension is also diagnosed when the blood pulsation exceeds normal values ​​by 12-18 beats. If there are more strokes, medical attention is needed.

How to come to your senses

If, when getting out of bed, you start to feel dizzy and your vision is dark, you should sit down and sit for a few minutes until the condition stabilizes. If weakness persists, you should drink a cup of sweet tea or eat a piece of dark chocolate. Fresh air helps a lot; if you feel unwell, it is recommended to open the window.

If your vision often gets dark when getting out of bed, you should not delay seeing a doctor. The cause of this phenomenon may be a disease that requires urgent treatment.

Other causes of darkening of the eyes

In a healthy body, internal systems themselves redistribute the direction of blood at the moment when a person changes a horizontal position to a vertical one. This phenomenon is called a reflex reaction. In a healthy body this process occurs quickly. Changes in blood pressure and pulse are insignificant. The course of cardiovascular pathologies and some other processes causes disruption in the functioning of the circulatory system. As a result, the body reacts late to changes in body position. This explains why, when you get up, your vision becomes dark. Changes in blood pressure occur under the influence of the following factors:

• psycho-emotional tension, constant stress;
• great physical activity;
• increased level of hemoglobin in the blood;
• deficiency of vitamins and nutrients;
• diseases of the endocrine system (diabetes mellitus and others);
• pregnancy.

People who have been taking certain medications for a long time often go to the doctor with complaints about dark vision and dizziness when I get up:

• vasodilators;
• diuretics;
• antidepressants.

Relatively often, the vision darkens when climbing in people who abuse alcoholic beverages and drugs. Such addictions negatively affect the functioning of the cardiovascular system.

A sharp drop in blood pressure causes darkening of the eyes when standing up. This phenomenon is also accompanied by the following symptoms:

• weakness in the body;
• scattered and unstable attention;
• dyspnea;
• memory loss.

It is important to pay attention to these symptoms promptly. If, with a sharp change in position, your vision becomes dim and everything around you begins to spin, a person, first of all, needs peace. In cases where these phenomena recur frequently, it is recommended to consult a doctor.

Dizziness when standing up: causes and solutions

Author:

Sema Valeria

1 minute

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Dizziness, stars in the eyes, loss of balance - why does one or more of these symptoms occur when getting up from your seat or getting out of bed? Often, if it stops within a few seconds, there is no need to worry.

"The heart is a pump, and when you suddenly stand up, the amount of blood going to the heart decreases," explained Dr. Phillip Low, a professor of neurology at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. “This can lead to a temporary decrease in blood pressure, and it takes a short period of time for the corrective mechanisms to correct this.”

In medicine, this condition is called orthostatic hypotension - a decrease in blood pressure until it normalizes. If you experience this occasionally, there may be a specific, easily correctable cause to blame.

For example, you haven't eaten or drunk enough water. Skipping meals causes your blood sugar levels to drop, which in turn causes dehydration and slows your circulation. Other causes of this include exercise, heatstroke, pregnancy, alcohol consumption and lack of sleep.

In the event that attacks of dizziness occur frequently and do not subside, i.e. If your dizziness does get worse the longer you stand, you should see a doctor.

"This means that blood pressure has dropped and is not recovering," said Dr. Christopher Gibbons, an associate professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School.

Orthostatic hypotension becomes more common with age, with 5-10% of people developing it by age 60. This condition increases the risk of falls and broken bones among middle-aged people, according to research.

If you feel like the room is spinning or spinning, it may be due to a problem in your inner ear known as vertigo (vestibular vertigo). It can be caused by ear infections or head injuries and requires medical attention.

And another sign of the seriousness of the situation is losing consciousness, even for a few seconds, after you get up. This requires a medical examination to identify a potential disorder related to the heart, nervous system, or endocrine system.

In addition, many patients take medications that directly lower blood pressure, either on their own or as a side effect. In such cases, you should consult your doctor, who will change the dosage or suggest an alternative. Never stop taking medications without your doctor's knowledge, as this may cause serious complications.

Darkening of the eyes during pregnancy

Very often, pregnant women are faced with the question of why it gets dark before their eyes when they get up. Orthostatic hypotension in women during pregnancy develops due to an increase in blood volume in the body. Because of this, the pregnant woman’s blood vessels and heart do not have time to adapt to the changes that have occurred. As a result, a change in body position leads to an attack of dizziness and short-term decreased vision. The symptoms of orthostatic hypotension are especially pronounced in women with vegetative-vascular dystonia. There is no specific treatment for this problem in pregnant women. It is important during the period of bearing a child to avoid sudden body movements and follow a daily and nutritional regimen.

Ways to solve the problem

tea

Taking medications for dark eyes

You can quickly solve the problem and tone up the body with a cup of strong tea with sugar. The drink restores blood flow, thereby ensuring normal nutrition of tissues and the central nervous system. A person experiencing dizziness must be placed in a horizontal position with his legs raised up. Otherwise, he should sit down and rest his head on his knees. Medicines to restore blood pressure are prescribed by a doctor after diagnosing the patient and establishing the true cause of the problem. Treatment of infectious pathology that causes cardiac arrhythmia is carried out with antibiotics. To compensate for iron deficiency, medications are prescribed that contain the missing component. Restoration of the nervous system is carried out using physiotherapy and peptide drugs. If your eyes become cloudy, rest for 30 minutes is recommended. At this moment, you should not drive or work with traumatic objects and equipment. To prevent the problem, regular walks and vitamin complexes are suitable.

Diagnostic methods

If a person often feels dizzy and has dark vision, he needs to see a therapist. If necessary, the doctor will prescribe consultations with specialists such as an ophthalmologist, cardiologist, endocrinologist, hematologist or neurologist. To clarify the diagnosis, the patient should undergo a series of examinations:

• Take a blood test.
• Perform vascular angiography.
• Undergo a computed tomography scan of the brain and cervical spine.

  

In addition, an electrocardiogram is required and blood pressure is measured. The doctor may also prescribe an ultrasound of the heart.

At the first stage, you need to contact a general practitioner. He will conduct an initial examination, find out in what situations the vision becomes dark, and issue a referral for consultation with a specialist of the required profile.

Do not require laboratory and instrumental diagnosis of darkening in the eyes when getting up from a chair or bed. A symptom that occurs rarely when you are overtired, nervous or did not get enough sleep is also not a reason to see a doctor.

A reason to seek medical help if it gets dark regularly. Especially if the darkening is accompanied by other symptoms: impaired coordination of movements, speech functions, dizziness, fainting, nausea, headache. The doctor will prescribe a set of examinations:

• CBC, blood biochemistry to determine the general condition of the body.
• Electrocardiography to determine heart disease.
• Electroencephalography detects changes in the brain.
• Ultrasound of the cervical spine allows you to assess the degree of osteochondrosis.
• MRI, CT scan of the brain describes the layer-by-layer structure of brain structures in order to identify organic pathology.
• Examination of the fundus, measurement of IOP to exclude ophthalmological pathology.
• Neurological tests to assess the state of the nervous system.

The doctor will not prescribe the entire list of examinations, but only those that are necessary for you. It depends on the complaints and the intended diagnosis.

Diseases, one way or another, affect visual function. Typically, these are temporary effects that go away after a few minutes or hours.

Darkening in the eyes is associated with the general condition of the body and the presence of specific diseases. Therefore, if this happens often, you should not contact an ophthalmologist or ophthalmologist.

The reasons are often associated with a state of overwork and high blood pressure. Therefore, each case must be examined separately.

In general, the reasons may be as follows:

• Weak immunity. For example, recovery from a long illness, difficult pregnancy, lack of vitamins. All this leads to loss of strength and weakness. You need to try to take care of yourself and try to recover, then darkening in your eyes will not occur.

If you continue to do household chores and perform physical work, then darkening in the eyes will be a natural result. That is, against the background of a general weakening of the body, a person tenses up and further increases weakness.

• Exhaustion of the body, excessive stress. Darkening often occurs when a person is overexerted. For example, when lifting weights or prolonged physical work, the body depletes its resources.

If you don’t replenish them and give yourself rest, your vision will become dark. The general reason is similar to weakening of the body. After all, this is exactly what is observed with severe physical overstrain in the absence of rest and replenishment of strength;

• Hypertension, atherosclerosis. Constantly dark vision during lifting or exertion may be due to vascular diseases. With high or low blood pressure, a person should not strain or do hard work.

If this happens, it may darken your vision. The reason will be a weakening of the body. But weakness is no longer caused by physical stress, but by vascular pathology;

• Increased intracranial pressure.