Fainting and Dizziness

Increased vata dosha, along with excess pitta moving in the nervous system, cause fainting and dizziness. There are two types of dizziness:

In the first kind, one feels that external objects in the environment are moving: “I am still, but the room is moving around me.” That is called objective dizziness, and it is primarily due to aggravated vata.

The second type is called subjective dizziness. Here, one has the feeling of swinging or disequilibrium, of being subjectively in motion. This type of dizziness is caused primarily by excess pitta. The difference between the two is subtle and not easy to pinpoint, especially since vata and pitta are both always involved. But it is helpful to distinguish between the two, as some aspects of treatment will be different.

TIME TO SEE THE DOCTOR

The remedies in this section are simple, effective means of relieving dizziness. But if dizziness or fainting persists after using them, it would be wise to see a neurologist or another medical expert, because the dizziness might be due to some serious pathology.

Vertigo, a spinning, merry-go-round kind of feeling, may be related to infection in the inner ear, head injury, or viral infection. It may be due to Ménière’s disease, a condition in which increased pressure in the middle ear generates a feeling of vertigo. Ménière’s disease will result in progressive hearing loss if it’s not treated. All these conditions have to be suspected and ruled out before undertaking home treatment for dizziness. However, the domestic remedies below will help most cases of dizziness.

Dizziness or feeling faint may also occur when there is insufficient oxygen in the room.

If you feel dizzy and you’re not sure whether you’re spinning or the room is moving, focus on a fixed point, such as a window frame. When the eyeball becomes steady by focusing on a stable point, it sends a message to the brain that calms down the rajasic quality of vata dosha. This works well for objective dizziness.

The kind of dizziness known as motion sickness is often associated with nausea and vomiting. To help with motion sickness, before starting the trip, take one 00-size capsule filled with ginger powder. Bring some more along on the trip. You might also bring some candied ginger and chew on a piece of it from time to time. If you are in a car and you feel that everything seems to be in motion, try to look at a fixed point, such as the horizon or a distant unmoving object. This should help to stop the dizziness.

Sometimes people feel dizzy when they stand up quickly. There are many possible causes for this, including low adrenal energy, low blood pressure, or the use of some antihypertensive drugs, especially beta blockers, which may weaken the adrenals. If you find yourself getting dizzy upon standing up, simply get up slowly. This will help.

Pitta individuals with hypoglycemia may experience sweating and dizziness and may even verge on fainting if they go too long without eating. This is a form of subjective dizziness. Hypoglycemics have to eat on time, or they may even become unconscious. Drinking some apple juice or any sweet fruit juice will be effective.

QUICK REMEDY FOR FAINTING. If a person faints, collapses, and becomes unconscious, sprinkle some cold water on the face.

DIZZINESS FROM EXERCISING. Individuals who exercise vigorously may become dehydrated from sweating a lot, which may bring on dizziness. The cure for this is about as simple as it gets: Drink some water. Even just one glass of cool water will help to reduce pitta as well as correct the dehydration, and the dizziness will subside.

DEEP BREATHING. Another simple remedy for dizziness is breathing deeply, as in ujjayi pranayama (see chapter 6) and holding the breath behind the belly button.

EAR PULL. Here’s another simple remedy: Insert your index finger into your ear and gently pull the ear upward, forward, and downward. This will regulate intracranial pressure, which will greatly if not entirely relieve the feeling of faintness or dizziness.

NATURAL SMELLING SALTS. For dizziness or when feeling faint, slice or chop up an onion and inhale the smell forcibly until tears come to your eyes. Onions contain a lot of ammonia; inhaling them produces vasodilation, which brings more blood supply to the brain, and dizziness is automatically corrected.

HERBAL FORMULAS. If you determine that the dizziness is primarily due to pitta, a wonderful Ayurvedic herbal formula may prove helpful. Mix these herbs:

brahmi 1 part
jatamamsi 1 part
saraswati ¼ part

Take ½ teaspoon of the mixture 2 or 3 times a day with water after meals.

The following formula is also helpful when dizziness is due to excess pitta:

shatavari 1 part
jatamamsi 1 part
kama dudha 2 pinches

If you take ½ teaspoon of this mixture a couple of times a day with warm water, it will help take care of your dizziness.

SANDALWOOD. Pitta-type dizziness can also be helped by the smell of sandalwood oil or incense.

GHEE NOSE DROPS. Using ghee nose drops will also help. Warm up a little bit of ghee until it is liquefied. When cool enough not to injure delicate tissue, put 3 to 5 drops in each nostril, and inhale. This will improve blood supply to the brain and will relieve the dizziness.

COLON CLEANSING. Sometimes dizzy spells are due to chronic constipation and gases. So keep the colon clean with triphala, ½ teaspoon taken at bedtime in a cupful of warm water.