Facts on Vertigo

Vertigo creates feelings of dizziness and spinning even when you're standing still. While it isn't actively harmful (save in situations where you run the risk of falling), it can be quite distressing and the battle to stay on top of it may exhaust you physically. Doctors can treat many cases of vertigo, but first they need to deduce the cause of it. The treatment process often takes time, but the outlook is usually positive.

Causes

• Vertigo is usually caused by problems in the vestibular system--found in the inner ear--which helps your body maintain its balance. Some forms of brain damage may also create a sense of vertigo. Common types of vertigo include benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (created by calcium build-ups in the ear), labyrinthitis (created by bacterial infections in the ear) or a blow to the head that may damage the vestibular system.

Symptoms

• The strongest symptom of vertigo is a sudden feeling of disorientation and physical confusion. A sense of lightheadedness often occurs, and your balance and coordination maybe severely affected as well. Some cases of vertigo also involve a sense of nausea, with accompanying vomiting. Eyesight may become blurry and some vertigo patients complain of aches in the neck muscles. These symptoms can arise without warning and last anywhere from a few minutes to several hours.

Triggers

• Vertigo is often triggered by a specific movement of the head, creating the imbalance in the ear. The precise sort of movement varies by patient, but once it has been identified, you can reduce the frequency of vertigo simply by avoiding it. Some types of vertigo will disappear over time, allowing you to outlast it both by avoiding the triggers and receiving proper treatment from your doctor.

Formal Treatment

• Depending upon the causes of vertigo, your doctor can treat the problem with antibiotics or similar drugs, with exercises designed to reduce the impact of vertigo, or in some cases with surgery to correct the imbalance in your ear. In cases of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, he may instigate a canalith repositioning procedure, designed to re-establish the balance in your vestibular system. As always, you should consult a trained physician before undertaking any treatment for vertigo.

Home Care

• When a vertigo attack occurs, stop moving and sit down if you can. Try to avoid positions where a vertigo attack may harm you, such as steep stairs or a ladder. When an attack looms, you can use visual fixation to help prevent it by focusing on a specific distant point and holding it in your gaze until the symptoms pass. Your doctor can help you practice the technique, as well as suggesting other at-home exercises which can reduce the severity of vertigo attacks.