Can High Blood Sugar Cause Dizziness?

What is blood sugar?

The sugar that is found in your blood is referred to as blood sugar or blood glucose. This blood glucose is your body’s basic and major source of energy.

This is obtained through the food we eat. Once food enters your body, the majority of it is broken down into glucose and released into the bloodstream.

When the glucose level in your bloodstream rises, your pancreas releases insulin. Insulin is the hormone that makes glucose enter your cells so that it can be used for energy.

When your blood glucose levels are too high, you may be diagnosed with diabetes. In this condition, your body will stop producing enough insulin or its utilization may not be efficient enough.

Both these conditions can occur simultaneously as well. This leads to the accumulation of glucose in your blood as it is unable to reach cells.

Diabetes can cause several side effects and complications and therefore keeping blood sugar levels under control is essential.

How should one check their blood glucose?

The frequency of checking blood glucose may differ from person to person. Some individuals need to check their blood glucose levels every day.

Some may need to monitor the levels by checking multiple times a day. What is right for you can only be determined by a healthcare expert.

Commonly, blood sugar levels are assessed at home with the help of a blood glucose meter. This meter will measure your glucose levels through a sample of blood from your fingertip.

CGM or Continuous Glucose Monitoring is another technique. The majority of these systems use sensors that are placed underneath your skin.

This device measures your blood sugar levels, every few minutes. All changes in your blood sugar will be monitored constantly. This kind of system is beneficial for individuals who take insulin.

A1C is a test a medical professional may use to check blood sugar levels. This test provides an average of your blood glucose levels over the past three months.

Twice a year, diabetes patients get this test done. If your diabetes is not being managed efficiently, this test may need to be taken more frequently.

How to identify high blood sugar levels?

When your blood sugar levels are too high, the condition is referred to as hyperglycemia.

If your blood sugar levels are high certain basic symptoms can indicate this. The symptoms are:

• Blurry vision
• Dizziness
• Urinating too often
• Headaches
• Dehydration
• Weakness or feeling tired

If you notice these symptoms too frequently, your blood sugar levels may be quite high and you may need to talk to a healthcare professional.

Apart from lifestyle factors and genetics, high blood glucose levels may be caused by pancreatic problems and issues with the adrenal glands.

Can high blood sugar cause dizziness?

Yes, people who have diabetes can experience dizziness. This dizziness can be due to dehydration. When your blood sugar levels are high, the kidneys flush out excess glucose through urine.

Along with the release of glucose, the kidneys flush water out of your system too. This makes a diabetic patient dehydrated which can then cause dizziness.

Dizziness can also be a symptom of diabetes. The true cause of your dizziness can be identified by a medical professional most accurately.

When a doctor should be contacted regarding dizziness?

If you are a diabetes patient and you experience dizziness too often, you should contact a doctor. To find the true cause of your dizziness, you can keep track of when you feel dizzy.

Keeping track can help your doctor identify if any pattern is present. A physical assessment can be administered by your doctor to look out for other symptoms.

The healthcare professional may check which medications you use and may assess your blood sugar levels to find out what the cause of your dizziness is.

Treatment for dizziness

To effectively treat dizziness, you may need to first find its root cause. At a general level, you can keep your blood sugar levels in control.

Can drugs cause dizziness?

Some diabetes medications, especially those that are designed to lower blood sugar levels can cause dizziness.

Some other medications that can cause dizziness are as follows:

• Statins
• Diuretics
• Antifungals like fluconazole and amphotericin
• Neuropathic pain relief medication which includes, pregabalin, amitriptyline, and duloxetine.
• SGLT2 inhibitors
• Specific antibiotics like gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, and erythromycin.
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs

If you are taking any of these medications and are experiencing dizziness, do not discontinue using them without taking the advice of your healthcare professional.

Unless and until your doctor replaces the medication or advises you to discontinue usage, do not skip your doses.

Are there any risks associated with dizziness?

If you are facing dizziness regularly due to diabetes, seeking treatment may be essential. Severe dizziness can interfere with your day-to-day functioning and can make everyday tasks difficult to perform.

If it is left untreated for too long, dizziness can evolve into a serious complication. When a case is very serious, loss of consciousness can also occur.

This condition is known as ketoacidosis and it is a medical emergency. Manage your diabetes symptoms better and do not hesitate to contact your doctor.

How to maintain normal blood sugar levels?

As irregular blood sugar levels are associated with several health risks, you must take the necessary steps regularly, and take natural foods to control diabetes. Making better lifestyle choices is one such step.

Consuming a healthy, well-balanced diet, consisting of various fruits and vegetables is a healthy choice. Maintaining your weight, exercising, and going for regular check-ups is also important.

Apart from this, you should consider the following tips:

• Eat your meals on time and avoid skipping them.
• Always keep your blood sugar levels in check and identify the factors that cause blood sugar spikes or sudden dips.
• Avoid consuming alcohol.
• If you find yourself craving sweet foods, eat a fruit of your liking instead of an unhealthy dessert.
• Consume low-calorie, trans fat, and saturated fat-free foods. Avoid excess consumption of salt and sugar.
• Keep track of your eating, drinking habits, and your physical activity.
• Replace soda and juice with water.
• Keep your food portions under control.

To Conclude

Type 2 diabetes can cause blood sugar levels to waver which can then cause dehydration and ultimately a chain reaction can cause problems like dizziness.

If you are a diabetes patient who experiences frequent dizziness, you should consult your doctor. Do not ignore any symptom that may indicate problems with blood sugar levels.

It is also important to stay calm while handling the situation. Stressing too much will only worsen the situation.

 

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