Head Dizziness

A common side effect of eating disorders is head dizziness. Head dizziness can be described as faintness or lightheadedness. A person with head dizziness has the sensation that he or she may faint, pass out, or lose consciousness.

Characteristics of dizziness may include:

• A sense that you or your surroundings are spinning or moving (vertigo)
• A loss of balance
• Nausea
• Unsteadiness
• Wooziness

Dizziness has many causes and is very common, especially among those with disordered eating. Several different behaviors in eating disorders can cause dizziness, including purging, starvation and over-exercising. It can be caused by low blood pressure, malnutrition, hypoglycemia, dehydration or an irregular or very slow heartbeat.

Dizziness is a way for one’s body to alert you that something is not right and is not necessarily dangerous by itself (unless you’re driving or you fall and get injured). While getting up slowly, resting, and drinking more fluids will help short-term, dizziness will continue as long as proper nourishment is being withheld.