Do you feel dizzy when you stand up? Do you see small black spots? Are your ears ringing? No more doubt, these are voltage drops. Here are some ways to recognize them and know how to react.

It is not uncommon to have already experienced these drops in diet, especially when going through a period of great fatigue. However, if these drops in blood pressure occur on a regular basis, talk to your doctor.

Blood pressure drop is a sudden drop in the pressure that blood exerts on the artery walls and, more specifically, a drop in the amount of blood pumped by the heart. This phenomenon is the cause of a drop in blood pressure. Be careful, however, not to confuse this momentary phenomenon with having a rather low blood pressure in general (sign of good artery health) or a too low blood pressure which, this time, can be indicative of a disease or anemia.

The elderly are the most common victims of this variation in blood pressure. When they go from lying or squatting to standing, they may feel dizzy. This is called orthostatic hypotension. Blood collects in the legs and the flow of blood to the brain decreases. Over time, the walls of blood vessels become more rigid. This rigidity prevents good vasodilation and the blood circulates more difficult. Certain illnesses and medications – diuretics, vasodilators, antihypertensives, anxiolytics, antidepressants – can also cause drops in blood pressure.

Due to certain hormones during pregnancy, pregnant women see their blood pressure drop and need to have their blood pressure checked regularly. People with varicose veins are also often prone to them. Also watch out for heavy alcohol consumption.

Most people who have experienced these disorders speak of an increased heart rate. Others have experienced dizziness, lightheadedness which may lead to fainting or loss of consciousness. This is rarer and requires a visit to the emergency room or to your doctor.

When the blood pressure drops, you may have blurred vision and sometimes small black spots. Some speak of nausea and hot flashes, hearing problems and more specifically ringing in the ears, headaches and vomiting.

Point hypotension does not require special treatment. Remember to get up slowly, for example remaining a few seconds or minutes in a sitting position on the edge of your bed before getting up. If you feel that you are going to be unwell, lie down and raise your legs slightly to accompany the flow of blood to the brain. Also remember to hydrate yourself well, dehydration can accentuate these drops in blood pressure. When sitting, do not cross your legs, to avoid putting too much pressure on the blood vessels. If the drops in blood pressure are frequent, obviously ask your doctor for advice.

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