One second you’re trying to stand up, the next – your world is spinning. LITERALLY. You might be suffering from vertigo.

VERTIGO

The most inherent symptom of vertigo is dizziness. Unfortunately, vertigo episodes heed no time or place. Whether you are at the beach or attending your best friend’s wedding, you are at risk for dizzy spells. But, did you know that vertigo is more than just dizzy spells? Digging deeper, vertigo may actually be a medical emergency because it greatly affects the balance, normal movement and overall function of a person.

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Caution: Vertigo + Seniors = A Perilous Combination.

Older people diagnosed with vertigo need close medical attention because they are more prone to slip and fall. Untreated vertigo in older people may lead to serious accidents, or worse contribute to premature death.

Vertigo Causes and Triggers

Inner Ear Problems

The most prevalent cause of vertigo has something to do with an inner ear problem, medically known as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, BBPV in short. When canaliths (tiny calcium particles) are dislodged from their original location and settle in the inner ear, BBPV occurs.

To fully understand why issues in the inner ear play a big role in vertigo, here’s the real deal. The inner ear is responsible for sending signals related to head and body movements to the brain. The inner ear has a portion that is highly relative to gravity, so, if there are issues in the inner ear, your balance is at risk.

A distressing fact about BBPV is that it may transpire for no reason.

Meniere’s Disease

This is another inner ear disorder that is linked to vertigo. If with BBPV, the canaliths are dislodged and settle in the inner ear, with Meniere’s disease, there’s a buildup of fluid that changes the ear pressure, causing vertigo.

Meniere’s disease is also linked to ringing in the ears, also known as tinnitus.

Labyrinthitis

Also known as vestibular neuritis, this condition is usually linked to a viral infection. To give you a clearer picture – your inner ear has two vestibular nerves that send your brain pertinent information connected to balance control and spatial navigation. If one or both vestibular nerves gets inflamed (by viral infection), labyrinthitis occurs. You’ll end up feeling dizzy, nauseous or may even lose your hearing.

Other Causes

Some less common causes of vertigo include :

- - migraine headache
  - head or neck injury
  - specific drugs or medications that may cause ear damage (ototoxic)
  - brain problems/tumor
  - stroke

Vertigo Symptoms

You know that feeling of being sea sick or that sensation you get after riding a rollercoaster or ferris wheel? That’s just like the tip of the iceberg for vertigo.

A person suffering from vertigo may feel like they are being pulled to one direction, or they might feel like they are spinning, tilting, swaying. Other symptoms that may accompany dizziness may include nausea, vomiting, headache, hearing loss, ringing in the ears, abnormal eye movements and sweating.

Seek medical attention if you experience any of these symptoms. Hearing Health Clinic has audiologists on deck that can check and manage hearing loss or tinnitus symptoms brought about by vertigo.

Treating Vertigo

For the effective treatment of vertigo, healthcare professionals need to establish the main cause or triggers. In many instances, vertigo goes away on its own without treatment. This is mainly attributed to the fact that the brain can easily conform to the changes in the inner ear. BUT, it doesn’t mean that vertigo can just be shrugged off.

Severe vertigo, though rare, calls for medical treatment which may include medications, surgery, vestibular rehabilitation, canalith repositioning maneuvers, and surgery. If vertigo is caused by a much serious underlying issue such as stroke, tumor or injury to the brain or auditory system, treatment is a MUST.

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Hearing Health Clinic, Osseo MN – Vertigo Issues

Vertigo can really have a negative impact on a person’s life. If you or a loved one is suffering from vertigo, there’s no excuse to let it drag on. Our audiologists at Hearing Health Center have years of experience handling hearing-related problems, one of which is vertigo. Give us a call or a visit and we’ll gladly keep your life back on track.