It can also be caused by conditions affecting the balance structures in the inner ear, including infections and Meniere's disease. However, there isn't always a physical cause for vertigo. Sometimes it seems to be linked to our emotions instead.
Vertigo is a symptom, rather than a condition itself. It's the sensation that you, or the environment around you, is moving or spinning. This feeling may be barely noticeable, or it may be so severe that you find it difficult to keep your balance and do everyday tasks.
Psychogenic dizziness or vertigo consists of a sensation of motion (spinning, rocking, tilting, levitating etc.) that can be reasonably attributed to a psychiatric disorder (e.g. anxiety, depression, somatization disorder).
Most people who experience dizziness, imbalance or vertigo also experience unpleasant emotions such as, fear, panic, anxiety, stress, frustration, embarrassment or anger.
Dizziness and vertigo can be symptoms of other underlying chronic conditions. We have seen patients experience feelings of dizziness and vertigo associated with anemias, dysglycemia (poor blood sugar regulation), thyroid disorders, celiacs disease, gluten sensitivities, medication induced and more.
Sit or lie down immediately when you feel dizzy. Lie still with your eyes closed in a darkened room if you're experiencing a severe episode of vertigo. Avoid driving a car or operating heavy machinery if you experience frequent dizziness without warning. Avoid using caffeine, alcohol, salt and tobacco.
Although vertigo usually starts with a condition in the inner ear, stress and anxiety can make it worse. Chronic stress or worry can also lead to more episodes of vertigo in the future. In stress-related vertigo, using strategies for both the body and the mind is the best way to regain your sense of balance.
Oculomotor symptoms, like eye strain, fatigue and headaches, involve overworking the nerve that controls eye movement. Disorientation can manifest as dizziness and vertigo.
Vertigo can be temporary or permanent, depending on the patient. Those who have suffered a head or neck injury might experience chronic or long-term vertigo. Treatment may be a combination of medications and physical therapy. Although very rare, your ENT specialist may choose to recommend surgery.
Although less common, vertigo may be a sign that something serious is happening. More severe conditions to watch for include: Head injury. Brain tumors.
Caused by a problem in the brain, central vertigo can be linked to serious conditions such as stroke, brain tumor and multiple sclerosis. Symptoms develop gradually and are typically mild but constant and may include gait instability and loss of coordination.
“In rare cases, people who experience debilitating vertigo might need surgery, but I find that lying down in the dark, avoiding lights, TVs, and other distractions, and just getting some rest can ease my symptoms,” she said.
If you are dizzy right now and have any of the following neurological symptoms along with your dizziness or vertigo, call 911 immediately: New confusion or trouble speaking or understanding speech. New slurred speech or hoarseness of voice. New numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg.
Sometimes doctors recommend antihistamines, such as meclizine (Antivert), diphenhydramine (Benadryl), or dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) to help with vertigo episodes. Anticholinergics, such as the Transderm Scop patch, may also help with dizziness.
A vertigo attack can last from a few seconds to hours. If you have severe vertigo, it can last for many days or months.
If you're dehydrated, you may start to feel dizzy. This feeling can cause you to also experience lightheadedness, wooziness, fairness and unsteadiness. You may also experience a very specific form of dizziness called vertigo.
Vertigo could also affect your ability to drive. You should avoid driving if you've recently had episodes of vertigo and there's a chance you may have another episode while you're driving.
Over time, ear crystals may dissolve, but bear in mind that this could take weeks or longer, and during that time, a person would have to endure the extreme discomfort of BPPV, where even the slightest head movements would throw their world into disarray.
Typically, cervical vertigo symptoms happen months or years after trauma to the cervical spine. Anxiety and stress can affect the severity of your symptoms. This is because stress and anxiety affect your muscle tone and the responses of your sympathetic nervous system. Cervical vertigo symptoms can be varied.
Although sleep quality does not directly cause a vestibular disorder, it is a trigger. Similar to how stress is a trigger for dizzy symptoms, sleep quality aggravates our systems and triggers symptoms.
Patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) often complain about fatigue during a vertigo attack.