Dizziness and Headaches: Triggered By My Nasal Allergies?

It’s strange but true: Allergy problems of the nose may sometimes lead to dizziness or lightheadedness or even headaches or migraines. At the ENT Clinic in Singapore, the ENT specialists occasionally see patients where the cause of their recurrent headaches and dizziness isn’t obvious at first. This is especially true in children who can present in an unusual manner with their nasal symptoms.

The dizziness associated with allergic rhinitis or nasal allergies or hayfever is may be described as a light-headed type of dizziness. Recently, a 10 year old child presented to us, having seen other top ENT specialists in Singapore, with lightheadedness. A whole list of possible conditions was slowly ruled out, including obstructive sleep apnea in children which can sometimes present in unusual ways too.

When he was started on a nasal steroid spray and antihistamine medication to help decongest his nose before his sleep study, his lightheaded dizziness symptoms improved. After using the nasal steroids and antihistamines, in fact, his dizziness resolved completely. When he stopped using the anti-allergy medications, his dizziness started to recur. The sleep study was incidentally completely normal. The child had already been to see a paediatrician in Singapore with an interest in migraines as it was initially thought to be a strange form of migraine presenting in this manner. He had not complained of blocked nose or runny nose or sneezing,

Another patient with similar symptoms of dizziness and headaches, a 36 yr old American lady, whom I had seen at our clinic as an ENT specialist in Singapore, noticed that her symptoms somehow always seemed to flare up when her husband was mowing the lawn. She underwent allergy testing at our ENT Clinic in Singapore which showed that she was allergic to certain types of grasses and pollen, some of which were found in her garden. After she started on a course of allergy medications for her blocked runny nose, like nasal steroids and antihistamines, she felt much better: her headaches and dizziness improved. She also made sure she wasn’t around whenever her husband decided to cut the grass outside!

Allergy problems with the nose and sinuses are so common in Singapore but yet, many people do not realise how badly they can affect your quality of life, work and sleep. Some patients come to see me, saying that they always thought their blocked nose, runny nose or poor sense of smell was “normal” but let me assure you, these symptoms definitely aren’t normal and can actually be helped, after a thorough and careful examination by an experienced ENT specialist in Singapore. Headaches and dizziness on top of these nasal allergy symptoms may well be caused by allergic rhinitis, so please get them checked out very soon…:)

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