A Slightly Different Angle on Dizziness...

I am very excited to share that Prof. Itamar Raz – a world-renowned expert in the field of diabetes and internal medicine – has joined our group. Prof. Raz served for 20 years (until recently) as Chairman of the National Diabetes Council, previously managed the Diabetes Unit at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital, and led major studies that resulted in the implementation of medications for diabetes and its complications.

I asked him to take part in the group and this discussion to present a slightly different perspective on the subject of dizziness—an angle we talk about less in our day-to-day, but is critical for so many people here.

We are used to talking about dizziness from a vestibular source (the inner ear, the "crystals"), which are definitely the most common. But there are quite a few patients who complain of sudden loss of balance, and when no vestibular source is found, they feel lost. That feeling that "no one can find what’s wrong with me" is unbearable.

This is exactly where Prof. Raz's knowledge comes in. He explains that sometimes the source is actually cardiac (heart-related) or metabolic, especially in those dealing with diabetes, and details factors that are important to check, such as:

• Drops in blood pressure (especially when transitioning from sitting to standing).

• Venous return issues – when the veins in the legs struggle to return blood to the heart efficiently.

• Decrease in blood supply to the Cerebellum (the part of the brain responsible for stability), usually due to changes in blood vessels.

His most important message, and mine to you as well, is that most of these conditions are identifiable and treatable.

If an ear problem has been ruled out for you and the world is still spinning—don't give up. It is important to know that there are additional tests to run and that the solution might be found in the internal-cardiac arena. We are here to give space to all types of dizziness and ensure that no one is left alone on this journey.

Only health!