What is the Difference Between Nausea and Dizziness

The key difference between nausea and dizziness is that nausea is a sensation of unease or discomfort in the stomach, often perceived as an urge to vomit, while dizziness is the sensation of turning around, feeling unbalanced, or lightheaded.

Nausea and dizziness are two symptoms that often happen separately. However, they can strike together. Normally, these symptoms are easily treated, and they go away on their own or with the help of medication from a doctor. Very occasionally, nausea and dizziness can be a sign of something more serious underlying condition that needs urgent medical attention.

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Nausea
3. What is Dizziness
4. Similarities – Nausea and Dizziness
5. Nausea vs Dizziness in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Nausea vs Dizziness

What is Nausea?

Nausea is a term that describes an uneasy feeling in the stomach, which usually indicates the need to vomit. Nausea is a symptom that everyone dreads. Everyone has certainly experienced this queasy feeling at one time or another, perhaps while reading a book in a moving vehicle or maybe after eating something that didn’t agree with them. Nausea is not usually serious; hence it does not need hospitalization.

The two most common causes of nausea and vomiting are stomach flu and food poisoning. The other common causes of nausea include early stages of pregnancy (morning sickness), seasickness and other forms of motion sickness, severe pain, being exposed to chemical toxins, emotional stress such as fear, gallbladder disease, indigestion, particular smells or odours, a number of medications, and general anaesthesia. Generally, when people are experiencing nausea, they feel sick to their stomach. The other signs and symptoms of nausea include weakness, sweating, build-up of saliva in the mouth, and an urge to vomit. People who undergo radiation or chemotherapy and pregnant women have an increased risk of nausea and vomiting.

Nausea and Dizziness - Side by Side Comparison

Figure 01: Nausea is a Symptom of Many Stomach-related Diseases, including Gastritis

The diagnosis of nausea is made through medical history, physical examination, and other tests, including blood, urine, and pregnancy tests. Treatments include getting rest, staying hydrated, steering clear of strong odours, avoiding other triggers, eating bland foods, avoiding fatty or spicy foods, medications dimenhydrinate, meclizine, chewable or liquid antacids, bismuth sub-salicylate, and a solution of glucose, fructose and phosphoric acid, and alternative and complementary therapies such as acupressure.

What is Dizziness?

Dizziness is the sensation of turning around, feeling unbalanced or being lightheaded. It is a term used to describe a range of sensations such as feeling faint, woozy, weak, or unsteady. Dizziness creates a false sense that people and their surroundings are spinning or moving. This is called vertigo.

The symptoms of this condition include a false sense of motion or spinning, light-headedness or fainting, unsteadiness or a loss of balance, and a feeling of floating, wooziness, or heavy-headedness. In severe conditions, people may also experience sudden, severe headaches, chest pain, difficulty breathing, numbness, paralysis of arms or legs, double vision, rapid or irregular heartbeat, confusion, or slurred speech, stumbling or difficulty walking, ongoing vomiting, seizures, a sudden change in hearing and facial numbness or weakness. The causes of dizziness include inner ear disturbance, motion sickness, medication effects, and underlying health conditions such as poor circulation, infection, and injury.

Figure 02: Dizziness

Dizziness can be diagnosed through physical examination, MRI, CT scan, hearing and balance tests such as eye movement testing, head movement testing, posturography, and rotary chair testing. Furthermore, the treatment options include water pills, medications that relieve dizziness and nausea (antihistamines, anticholinergics), anti-anxiety medications (diazepam, alprazolam), preventive medications for migraine, therapies such as head position maneuvers, balance therapy, psychotherapy, surgical and other procedures including injections (antibiotic gentamicin), removal of the inner ear sense organ (labyrinthectomy).

What are the Similarities Between Nausea and Dizziness?

Nausea and dizziness are two symptoms that can strike together.
Both sensations can be diagnosed through medical history and physical examination.
Both are easily treated, and they go away on their own or as well as with the help of medication from a doctor.
They can be a sign of something more serious underlying condition that needs urgent medical attention.

What is the Difference Between Nausea and Dizziness?

Nausea is a sensation of unease or discomfort in the stomach, often perceived as an urge to vomit, while dizziness is the sensation of turning around, feeling unbalanced, or lightheaded. This is the key difference between nausea and dizziness. Furthermore, the causes of nausea include stomach flu and food poisoning, early stages of pregnancy (morning sickness), seasickness and other forms of motion sickness, severe pain, being exposed to chemical toxins, emotional stress such as fear, gallbladder disease, indigestion, particular smells or odours, a number of medications and general anaesthesia. On the other hand, the causes of dizziness include inner ear disturbance, motion sickness, medications effects, and underlying health conditions such as poor circulation, infection, and injury.

The following table summarizes the difference between nausea and dizziness.

Summary – Nausea vs Dizziness

Nausea and dizziness are two symptoms that often happen separately but can strike together. Nausea is the sensation of unease or discomfort in the stomach, often perceived as an urge to vomit. Dizziness is the sensation of turning around, feeling unbalanced, or lightheaded. This summarizes the difference between nausea and dizziness

Reference:

1. “Nausea & Vomiting: Treatment & Care.” Cleveland Clinic.
2. “Dizziness.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 15 Oct. 2020.