• Question: what is dizziness?

    Asked by ~ha.n.n.ah~ to David, Eva, Kate, Nicholas, Rachel on 9 Nov 2015. This question was also asked by Izzy the inky octopus.
    • Photo: Rachel McMullan

      Rachel McMullan answered on 9 Nov 2015:

      Hi
      Your balance is controlled by fluid in your inner ear. When you move the fluid moves and helps you to balance but when you spin round quickly and stop suddenly the fluid keeps moving for a bit after you’ve stopped. Your eyes are telling your brain you’ve stopped moving but the fluid in your ear is still moving so your brain gets confused and that’s why you feel dizzy.

    • Photo: Nicholas Pearce

      Nicholas Pearce answered on 10 Nov 2015:

      Hey,

      Dizziness happens because your brain gets mixed signals from the parts of your body that help you balance. Your eyes, muscles, nerves, skeleton and a balance system in your ears all tell you where you are, if you’re standing up, bent over etc. If one of these body parts is telling you something different to all the others (often it’s the ears that let you down), the brain gets confused and makes you feel dizzy until they all agree with each other again.

    • Photo: David Nunan

      David Nunan answered on 10 Nov 2015:

      Hi,

      It’s a great feeling isn’t it, well unless you get sick!

      Rachel and Nicholas give great answers so there’s not much to add except my own experience with it.

      As part of my martial arts training I have to do a lot of spinning round and round and round (look here at 20 seconds): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHhJyXhBLfM (and that’s me sitting down on the bench 3rd from the right, playing a musical instrument)

      One way I try to stop getting too dizzy is to use a technique called ‘spotting’, which is where you stare at the same spot and move your head really quick to keep staring at it as you spin. Dancers use this a lot.
      And another way to help when you are dizzy is to spin the opposite way! Try it and see what happens!

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