Vertigo is a feeling of dizziness and spinning, occurring with or without any movement. It is caused when the brain feels the body is off-balance even though it is not.When feeling dizzy, a person should sit down immediately to reduce the chances of getting hurt if they fall.
Usually, vertigo is a symptom of an underlying medical condition or several different conditions. Sometimes, vertigo will only occur once, but for other people, it will reoccur until the underlying cause is determined.
Symptoms
Vertigo may cause headaches, nausea, double vision, or changes in hearing.In addition to causing a person feelings of being unbalanced or spinning, vertigo can lead to the following symptoms:
What are the causes?
Benign positional paroxysmal vertigo or BPPV is the most common type of vertigo. A buildup of deposits in the inner ear causes BPPV.
The inner ear is responsible for the body's sense of balance. With BPPV, certain movements may cause dizziness and a spinning sensation for a short time.
BPPV is a common condition. Most people have a lifetime prevalence of 2.4 percent, according to researchers from the University of British Columbia. Also, BPPV recurs 50 percent of the time, according to a 2014 report published in the journal Advances in Otolaryngology.
Other conditions that may cause vertigo include:
Treatment
Medications, such as steroids, can reduce inner ear inflammation, and water pills can reduce fluid buildup.
For people who have recurrent episodes of vertigo, a physical therapy called vestibular rehabilitation can help. Vestibular rehabilitation encourages the central nervous system to compensate for inner ear problems.
Epley maneuver
The Epley maneuver is often recommended by chiropractors or physical therapists as a way of treating vertigo at home.One of the most common ways to manage vertigo is a technique called the Epley maneuver. This involves a set of steps done before bed each night until the symptoms of vertigo resolve for at least 24 hours.
A report from the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care says significant number of people who use the Epley maneuver gain relief from vertigo symptoms.
Epley Maneuver can be performed by the doctor or by audiologist or by physical therapist.
Usually, vertigo is a symptom of an underlying medical condition or several different conditions. Sometimes, vertigo will only occur once, but for other people, it will reoccur until the underlying cause is determined.
Symptoms
Vertigo may cause headaches, nausea, double vision, or changes in hearing.In addition to causing a person feelings of being unbalanced or spinning, vertigo can lead to the following symptoms:
- nausea or vomiting
- abnormal eye movements
- headaches
- sweating
- ear ringing
- hearing loss
- double vision
- lack of coordination
- arm or leg weakness
What are the causes?
Benign positional paroxysmal vertigo or BPPV is the most common type of vertigo. A buildup of deposits in the inner ear causes BPPV.
The inner ear is responsible for the body's sense of balance. With BPPV, certain movements may cause dizziness and a spinning sensation for a short time.
BPPV is a common condition. Most people have a lifetime prevalence of 2.4 percent, according to researchers from the University of British Columbia. Also, BPPV recurs 50 percent of the time, according to a 2014 report published in the journal Advances in Otolaryngology.
Other conditions that may cause vertigo include:
- Cold viruses: The common cold can cause ear inflammation. This type of vertigo usually resolves within a few days but can reoccur.
- A head or neck injury: Vertigo is a common symptom that can follow a head or neck injury. Vertigo related to a neck or head injury tends to resolve but can be debilitating and ongoing.
- Stroke: According to the American Stroke Association, someone experiencing a stroke may have vertigo, including symptoms of dizziness and severe imbalance. A stroke will cause dizziness and imbalance rather than just one.
- Vestibular neuritis or VN: VN is a condition affecting the vestibulocochlear nerve in the inner ear. This nerve is responsible for balance and head-positioning signals received in the brain. When the nerve is inflamed, the brain misinterprets balance and head positioning.
- Meniere's disease: Meniere's is a condition that affects hearing in one ear. It causes symptoms of vertigo, tinnitus or ringing in the ears, hearing loss, and a feeling of "fullness" in the ear. Some people with Meniere's disease have severe vertigo, causing balance loss and falls.
Treatment
Medications, such as steroids, can reduce inner ear inflammation, and water pills can reduce fluid buildup.
For people who have recurrent episodes of vertigo, a physical therapy called vestibular rehabilitation can help. Vestibular rehabilitation encourages the central nervous system to compensate for inner ear problems.
Epley maneuver
The Epley maneuver is often recommended by chiropractors or physical therapists as a way of treating vertigo at home.One of the most common ways to manage vertigo is a technique called the Epley maneuver. This involves a set of steps done before bed each night until the symptoms of vertigo resolve for at least 24 hours.
A report from the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care says significant number of people who use the Epley maneuver gain relief from vertigo symptoms.
Epley Maneuver can be performed by the doctor or by audiologist or by physical therapist.