Walking through the physical therapy gym at work, I noticed one of the PT’s taking the blood pressure of one of my patients.
In response to my enquiry, the PT replied that the patient complained of dizziness when rising from an exercise.
“Doesn’t everyone?” I asked. Evidently not, according to the PT. I was in my mid-40’s when I learned this.
I don’t recall any time in my life when I didn’t experience some dizziness or vertigo with standing up quickly, especially after bending over. I marveled at my playmates who enjoyed rolling down hills, an exercise that would result in nausea if not vomiting for me. I tried to enjoy somersaults and hanging upside down from the trapeze. Nope, very uncomfortable. By the time I was eight or nine, the sight of a playground merry-go-round elicited nausea.
I tended to get motion sickness easily. Our vacation at a favorite getaway in Wisconsin was not complete until I threw up over the front seat (no seatbelts then) while traversing the long dirt lane. I was surprised when revisiting this scenic lane as an adult to see that it was less than a block long.
I have learned to live with motion sickness and frequent dizziness. Blissful Becca encourages us to rise slowly to avoid dizziness and imbalance which usually resolves quickly. There is no medical reason for this, such as poor blood pressure, heart or pulmonary disease. Could it be that the multiple ear infections I suffered as a child has resulted in an inner ear dysfunction? With age and bifocals, care is taken to adjust my sight appropriately for balance.
I am surmising some hormonal involvement. Although I continue to take care when changing position quickly, motion sickness is greatly curbed since menopause. I can actually read in the car! While it is moving!! I am going to skip the somersault.