There are many difficult side effects to depression that can make life difficult to bear. Fatigue, anxiety, pains throughout the body, hunger, lack of appetite, sleepiness, insomnia and many other things may plague you when you are suffering from depression. Though these are some of the standards, there are some stranger symptoms that may show up when you have depression as well. One of these symptoms is dizziness. Though the dizziness is linked to depression, the depression may only indirectly be the actual cause of it. Depression also may not be the cause at all, but instead there is a bigger problem that you are facing that has both dizziness and depression as symptoms. This means that it may be possible to get treatment for the dizziness without curing your depression, and that curing your depression may leave the dizziness. Understanding why you are dizzy may help you to cure both problems, however. Here are some of the ways that your depression and dizziness may be linked together:
Neck Issues
One of the most common structural causes of dizziness is an inner ear problem called vertigo that is caused most often by misalignment of the neck. Depression is most likely to cause this if you find that you are constantly misaligned in your posture, or if you are sleeping long hours in positions that will cause knots or pulls in your neck. Tight neck muscles may pinch areas around the inner ear, which can lead to vertigo in some people.
Low Blood Sugar
If your depression comes with a lack of appetite, then low blood sugar may be a side effect. Low blood sugar comes with its own set of symptoms, including lightheadedness and dizziness. One clue that this may be the case is if the dizziness goes away after you eat or drink something sugary. If you have a high appetite due to depression, then it is also possible to get blood sugar swings if you are mostly eating foods that are high in sugars and/or carbs.
Overarching Issues
There are a number of different diseases that have both depression and dizziness as symptoms. These can be as benign as a marginally low thyroid and as severe as huntington's disease, with many other conditions in between. If both symptoms have appeared recently and somewhat simultaneously, then it is a good idea to work with a doctor to try and rule out different issues. Keep note of what other symptoms have appeared, even if they seem to be side effects of depression or dizziness. Muscle fatigue, tremors, night sweats, insomnia, lack of or increased appetite and fatigue are all great clues into the final diagnosis. If you are lucky, curing the overarching problem will eliminate the symptoms. If it is something chronic, then at least you will know which symptoms can be managed for. If it takes a few doctors to find the cause, be certain to keep a list of tests that have been done already. Though they may be in your chart, it never hurts to give them an additional copy during your appointment.
