I have been having a lot of dizzy spells lately so I looked on the net and found the following information. It's a long one! But, I know a lot of you out there suffer the same dizziness as I and I found this information very helpful so I thought I would copy and paste it here. Like I said, it's long, so read it when you get some time. I hope it helps you understand this as it did for me!
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Definition
As a disorder, dizziness is classified into three categories--vertigo, syncope, and nonsyncope nonvertigo. Each category has a characteristic set of symptoms, all related to the sense of balance. In general, syncope is defined by a brief loss of consciousness (fainting) or by dimmed vision and feeling uncoordinated, confused, and lightheaded. Many people experience a sensation like syncope when they stand up too fast. Vertigo is the feeling that either the individual or the surroundings are spinning. This sensation is like being on a spinning amusement park ride. Individuals with nonsyncope nonvertigo dizziness feel as though they cannot keep their balance. This feeling may become worse with movement.
Description
The brain coordinates information from the eyes, the inner ear, and the body's senses to maintain balance. If any of these information sources is disrupted, the brain may not be able to compensate. For example, people sometimes experience motion sickness because the information from their body tells the brain that they are sitting still, but information from the eyes indicates that they are moving. The messages don't correspond and dizziness results.
Vision and the body's senses are the most important systems for maintaining balance, but problems in the inner ear are the most frequent cause of dizziness. The inner ear, also called the vestibular system, contains fluid that helps fine tune the information the brain receives from the eyes and the body. When fluid volume or pressure in one inner ear changes, information about balance is altered. The discrepancy gives conflicting messages to the brain about balance and induces dizziness.
Certain medical conditions can cause dizziness, because they affect the systems that maintain balance. For example, the inner ear is very sensitive to changes in