Dizziness and giddiness are two similar terms that refer to a feeling of light-headedness.  When a person is said to be dizzy or giddy, he/she feels the sensation of fainting or falling to the ground.  Having a sensation like this can be a normal occurrence depending on the situation a person is in, or it could mean that the person is suffering from a serious medical illness.

Dizziness and/or giddiness are common when there is a depletion of oxygen in the blood that goes to the brain.  For the common person, this may happen when a person is so stressed out, burned out from too much physical exertion, or very hungry.  At these times, people may get the sensation of whirling or falling to the ground. In common terms, people often refer to this sensation as passing out.  Most of the time, the dizziness experienced in these situations is considered normal and not serious.  The fainting is just the body’s way of literally shutting down to recover and get some rest.  Other seemingly normal conditions that may lead to dizziness or giddiness are; depression, pregnancy, and hormonal changes in the body.  Postural hypotension may also make a person have the sensation of fainting.  This condition happens when one abruptly comes to a standing position after waking up in the morning.  In this example, a person’s blood pressure has not yet stabilized owing to the lowering of blood pressure that immediately results from standing quickly.

A light-headed feeling may also point to the condition called vertigo.  Vertigo makes people dizzy and giddy which is why people with this condition need to get medical advice.  Vertigo is a common symptom associated with various medical illnesses like ear infections, viral infection of the vestibular nerve, heart ailments, and other areas.  Depending on the underlying condition, patients who frequently feel dizzy and/or giddy must seek medical help immediately.