"I've been feeling a bit dizzy, lacklustre and exhausted…and I could feel my abnormal heartbeat too. Are these signs of my body yielding in to age? Am I too old to be saved in any way?" Such was the concern of my patient Ms Sze, to which I replied, "Don't be silly! You're just weak in the qi of the kidney." It took quite a while for her to muster a response, "For real? Are you serious about weak qi in the kidney being a cause of dizziness? My friends keep telling me it's a normal sign of ageing, that it's something I'll eventually get used to…" Honestly, I was speechless.
Progressing towards her sixth decade of life, Ms Sze is considerably active with a fairly busy social life. According to Ms Sze, she tries to keep a bland diet, all except at social occasions, and she easily brushed off symptoms such as dizziness and abnormal heartbeat as signs of ageing, without giving them much thought.
Causes of Dizziness
It's important to note that ageing is not a main cause of dizziness. In the eyes of Chinese medicine, dizziness is usually caused by climacteric syndrome as a result of wind, heat, phlegm, weakness and bruises in the body. Dizziness in Chinese medicine is also clinically regarded as a disease with symptoms of dizziness and blurred vision.
The dizziness described by Ms Sze is coupled with mental fatigue, fitful and poor sleep, forgetfulness, soreness in the waist and knees, and tinnitus. This type of dizziness is associated with weakness in the kidney, in the book of Chinese medicine, as kidney is considered the fundamental key to life. A weak kidney therefore translates into dwindling energy, adverse impact on the wellness of the brain, and dizziness.
Identify the Types of Dizziness for Effective Treatments
Dizziness can be further sub-divided, depending on the clinical symptoms. If it's dizziness accompanied with tinnitus, throbbing head and headache, dizziness caused not by irritation or exhaustion, progressive headache, the feeling of heat rising from the chest, reddened face, increased irritability, restless sleep, and bitterness in the mouth, it is a type of dizziness to be cured by a prescription that restores the balance of yin and yang in the liver, as well as rids the body of excessive wind.
Oftentimes we hear about people complaining of dizziness as a result of weak qi in the blood, and this type of dizziness can also be clinically identified. Dizziness in this manner usually increases in intensity even with the slightest movement, and it strikes at the onset of exhaustion, manifesting itself in pale complexion and lips, lacklustre hair, abnormal heartbeat, poor sleep, tiredness, and poor appetite. An effective prescription would be one that boosts the qi, strengthens the spleen, nourishes the blood, restores qi in the blood, and helps maintain peace of mind.
Dizziness can also be caused by thick, stagnating phlegm, with symptoms including wooziness, nausea, poor appetite and abnormally high amount of sleep. The best cure for this type of dizziness is a prescription that thins the phlegm and rids the body of wind.
Rid Your Life of Dizziness
Dizziness is commonly found in middle-aged and senior citizens, with varying intensities. The different types of dizziness may strike individually or in company with each other. It's important for anyone in their middle age to note that the type of dizziness caused by the yang in the liver could lead to severe conditions such as syncope and even stroke, making it vital to seek professional advice at the slightest hint of dizziness. Small adjustments in your daily life go a long way in the prevention of dizziness too, so you may want to cut down on your consumption of greasy food and alcohol, avoid spicy food, refrain from irritation and anger, have moderate amount of sexual intercourse, increase the amount of exercises to strengthen your physical health, and to take medication when needs be.
Consult your Chinese medical practitioner if you want to find out more about dizziness. Locate the suitable therapies and prescriptions for your dizziness as soon as you can, as life is meant to be spent with great health!
Author:
Yim Yiu-kin
Registered Chinese Medicine Practitioner
National TCM Practitioner, China
National Senior Beautician, China
National Chiropractor, China
Bachelor in TCM, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine
Master of Acupuncture, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine
Doctorate Student of Acupuncture, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine
(This article is the personal opinion of the author, and does not necessarily reflect the views of Hong Kong Registered Chinese Medicine Practitioners Association or Hong Kong Housing Society.)