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Vertigo |
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Written by:DoctorNDTV team
What is vertigo?
What are the causes?
What are the symptoms?
How is it diagnosed?
What is the treatment?
How is vertigo prevented?
What is vertigo?
Vertigo is a sensation of spinning or whirling motion making it difficult to maintain balance while standing or sitting. It is frequently due to an inner ear problem. The vertigo may be mild, or it may be severe enough to cause nausea and vomiting.
What are the causes?
Benign positional vertigo (BPV) is an inner ear problem that causes vertigo. The vertigo caused by BPV usually lasts for less than a minute. This occurs due to an inner ear problem i.e. due to an imbalance of fluid in the inner ear but it can also signify a problem with the cerebellum or the brainstem.
Benign positional vertigo (BPV) occurs when debris collects in the fluid-filled canal system (semicircular canals) in the inner ear. The debris may collect in the inner ear as a result of aging, an injury (such as a blow to the head), or a viral infection. In most cases, no specific event can be identified as the cause of BPV.
However, vertigo may be a sign of stroke, multiple sclerosis, seizures or, rarely, a degenerative neurological disorder. In such conditions, other symptoms and signs usually accompany the vertigo.
What are the symptoms?
The main symptom of vertigo is a sensation that the surroundings are spinning or whirling when they are actually not moving. Vertigo begins after making a certain head movement or putting the head in a certain position. There is often a brief period between the time the head is moved and the beginning of vertigo. This is referred to as latency. Vertigo usually lasts for less than a minute, and frequently it lasts only for a few seconds. The sensation may be mild, or it may be severe enough to cause nausea and vomiting. If the movement that causes the vertigo is repeated, the effect may be less noticeable each time. After 3 to 4 repetitions, the movement may no longer result in vertigo, and several hours may pass before the same movement again results in vertigo. Other symptoms are:- Light-headedness
- Severe pain
- Headache
- Low blood pressure
- Heart beat too slow or too fast
How is it diagnosed?
Diagnostic tests that may be performed include:- Blood pressure measurements and other blood tests
- ECG
- Hearing tests
- Neurological tests
- Balance testing (ENG) may be required
- MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
What is the treatment?
Vertigo often clears up on its own or becomes less intense after a few weeks even without any specific treatment. The brain's response to the abnormal signals may lessen over time. This process occurs most quickly if the person tries to continue normal movement of the head, even though doing so causes attacks of vertigo.
The doctor may give instructions to do specific exercises. Medications to control vertigo usually are only recommended if vertigo is associated with nausea and vomiting. Drug treatment does not cure benign positional vertigo (BPV). Medications may be used to control severe symptoms (whirling sensation, nausea, and vomiting) caused by BPV.
Medications that affect the inner ear to reduce the whirling sensation of vertigo are called vestibular suppressants. They include:- Antihistamines
- Scopolamine
- Sedatives
If the vertigo caused by benign positional vertigo is severe, antiemetic medications may be used to control nausea and vomiting. Medications that calm the inner ear (vestibular suppressants) may slow how quickly the body adjusts to vertigo. They should only be taken for a limited period of time (1 to 2 weeks) to control severe symptoms caused by BPV. In practice, these drugs are used to control nausea and vomiting. They usually do not stop vertigo completely.
How is vertigo prevented?
In most cases, benign positional vertigo cannot be prevented. It may simply be a consequence of getting older. However, some cases of BPV may result from head injuries. Wearing a helmet when bicycling, motorcycling, playing baseball, or doing other sports activities can protect the head from a head injury that could cause BPV to develop.
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Last updated: 30 April 2004 | 
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