Facts About Vertigo

Patients with true vertigo have described it as a sensation of “the ground rising and falling”, “the room spinning”,”things moving”, and even like being on a merry-go-round. Nausea, vomiting, and sweating are common and hearing loss and tinnitus, a buzzing in the ear, may be present.

There are number of causes and here are some:
1. Benign positional vertigo is triggered by assuming a certain position. It is common among elderly. In most cases, the condition disappears in six months and recovery is usually complete. But a more permanent form results from vascular compression of the vestibular nerve and can cause constant positional vertigo and severe nausea.
2. Meniere’s disease is caused by the swelling of the semi-circular ducts of the
inner ear.
3. Acute labyrinthitis is caused by a viral infections affecting the ear.
4. Acoustic neuroma is a benign tumor that can cause problems when it presses down on areas of the brain.
5. Vertebrobasilar insufficiency is a stroke suffered by one part of the brain that can lead to many ill symptoms.
6. Medications, such as sedatives and anticonvulsants, can cause dizziness
7. Lightheadedness or “feeling faint” can caused by heart problems, very low blood pressure by using too aggressive anti-hypertension drugs, hypoglycemia or low blood sugar, and hypoxia or with low oxygen level.
8. Those with impaired balance caused by poor eyesight, position sense, and muscle coordination, common among those with diabetes, feel unstable when walking or turning but are fine when sitting or using a cane.
9. Even psychiatric illness, such as anxiety and depression, can cause an ill-defined dizziness, constant “lightheadedness,” or a “foggy” feeling
The above list of causes may help patients suffering with vertigo.