What is Vertigo? Types, Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Methods of Vertigo.

What is vertigo?

Vertigo is a feeling of dizziness, as though the room or surrounding environment is spinning in circles around the person. If you have this kind of dizziness, you might feel like you are spinning. However, this feeling of sensation may be barely noticeable, or it may be so severe that you find it difficult to keep your balance and do everyday tasks.

Types of Vertigo

The two major types of vertigo are:-

1. Peripheral Vertigo:

This vertigo is the most common type of vertigo. In this case, peripheral vertigo is caused by a problem in areas of the inner ear or the vestibular nerve, which connects the inner ear and the brain.

2. Central Vertigo:

This vertigo is the second most common type of vertigo. However, this vertigo happens when there’s a glitch in the brain, particularly in an area of the brain called the cerebellum.

Causes of Vertigo

Some of the most probable causes of vertigo may include:-

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV):

BPPV may occur when tiny calcium particles may remove from their normal location and collect in the inner ear. However, the inner ear sends messages to the brain about head and body movements relative to gravity.

Meniere’s disease:

This disease is an inner ear problem thought to be caused by a build-up of fluid and changing pressure in the ear. This disease can cause episodes of vertigo along with ringing in the ears (tinnitus) and hearing loss.

Vestibular neuritis:

This is an inner ear disorder usually related to infection (usually viral). In the same kind, the viral infection causes inflammation in the inner ear around the nerves that are important for helping the body sense balance.

Less often vertigo may be associated with the following problems:-

  • head or neck injury
  • brain-related problems such as stroke or tumor
  • certain medications that cause ear damage
  • migraine headaches etc.

Signs and symptoms of Vertigo

Vertigo has the following signs and symptoms that may include:-

  • Feeling like you are moving or spinning
  • Problems focusing the eyes
  • Hearing loss disorder in one year
  • Tilting
  • Loss of balance
  • Pulled in one direction

Other most probable symptoms that may accompany vertigo include:-

  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Abnormal or jerking eye movements (nystagmus)
  • headache
  • Sweating
  • Ringing in the ears etc.

Treatment methods for Vertigo

Treatment for vertigo depends on what’s factors causing it. In most cases, vertigo goes reduce without any treatment. Because, your brain can adapt, at least in part, to the inner ear changes, relying on other mechanisms to maintain balance.

For the treatment, some types are needed and may include:-

Vestibular rehabilitation:

This method is a type of physical therapy aim at helping strengthen the vestibular system. However, the function of the vestibular system may send signals to the brain about head and body movements relative to gravity. This method may help train your other senses to compensate for vertigo.

Canalith repositioning maneuvers:

The guidelines model that taking from the American Academy of Neurology recommends a series of specific head and body movements for BPPV. However, the calcium deposits are move out of the canal into an inner ear chamber so they can absorb by the body.

A medical consultant or physical therapist can guide you through the movements. So, the movements are safe and often effective.

Medicine:

In a few cases, some medicines may be given to relieve symptoms like nausea or motion sickness associated with vertigo. However, if vertigo is caused by an infection, antibiotics or steroids may reduce swelling and cure the infection.

Surgery:

If it may cause by a more various problem, such as a tumor or injury to the brain or neck, treatment for those problems may help to alleviate vertigo.

Last Updated on October 11, 2023 by anup