Remember that feeling when you spin around and round until you feel dizzy and fall on the ground, and even if you had stopped turning, it seems like everything around you is still going on circles? That’s exactly what happens when you have vertigo.
Vertigo is a condition characterized by a perception of spinning or movement in the surrounding when one is currently not in motion. The patient will feel like he is being pulled towards the floor or to any part of the room. It’s a common type of dizziness that is often accompanied by nausea and vomiting, and difficulty in walking that may result in loss of balance. Two types of vertigo include subjective vertigo, where the patient feels he is in motion; and objective vertigo, where the patient feels that the surrounding is moving.
SYMPTOMS
A person who experiences vertigo has this uncomfortable feeling that there’s an unusual movement happening around the environment. It’s hard to detect true vertigo because it can sometimes be confused with plain dizziness or lightheadedness. To know whether what you have is a real one or not, take a look at these vertigo symptoms:
• Illusion of motion
• Excessive sweating
• Nausea and vomiting
• Nystagmus (Abnormal or uncontrolled eye movements)
• Blurred visions
• Slurred speech
• Mild hearing loss (patients below 25 years old)
Normally, these symptoms will only last for a few minutes, but it can continue for hours especially if the patients is sitting still or lying down.
CAUSES
Vertigo is a condition that is linked to many other diseases including:
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) – a brief episode of vertigo that occurs when there is a constant change in position. It’s one of the many causes of dizziness brought by otoconia or debris collected in the inner ear. Otoconia are small calcium carbonate crystals derived from the utricle. The crystals can be a result of a damaged utricle caused by head injury, which is responsible for the vertiginous dizziness.
Ménière’s disease – it’s an inner ear condition caused by dilation of the lymphatic channel. It is characterized by a ringing sound in the ear and severe dizziness, leading to vertigo or loss of hearing (in severe cases).
Kinetosis or Motion sickness – is the biggest and most common causes of vertigo. It usually occurs to patients with inner ear problems. This condition happens when there is a disagreement between the vestibular system movement and perceived movement in the surroundings. Depending on the root cause, it is sometimes called seasickness, car sickness, travel sickness, or air sickness. Common symptoms include fatigue, nausea and dizziness related to vertigo.
TREATMENTS
Vertigo treatment may vary depending on the cause and the symptoms being manifested. It also depends on the physical examination and diagnostic results performed by the primary physician. Treatments may include:
1. Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy – an exercise program intended to promote nervous system compensation for inner ear dysfunction. This treatment is recommended for BPPV, bilateral or unilateral vestibular hypofunction, Ménière’s disease, and other vestibular problems.
2. Medication – vestibular suppressants that reduces motion sickness, dizziness and nausea. This may include antihistamines, anticholinergics and benzodiazepines.
3. Dietary Adjustements and Exercise – It is advisable to increase oral fluid intake and less consumption of beverages that contain alcohol and caffeine.
4. Surgery – this may be advised in severe cases of BPPV and Ménière’s disease. Surgeries may include:
•Labyrinthectomy – a surgical procedure for Ménière’s disease where the balance end organs are removed to prevent the brain from receiving signals from the inner ear that detects motion changes.
•Pneumatic Equalization Tubes – a stabilizing procedure where a tube is inserted in the eardrum in order to equalize the air pressure and thereby reducing dizziness and motion sickness.
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