DR. WALKER

Vertigo

Vertigo is a sensation that the environment around you is spinning in circles. It can make you feel dizzy and off-balance. Vertigo isn’t a disease, rather, it’s a symptom of varying conditions. It occurs when there’s an issue with the brain, and the causes include infection, brain tumors, traumatic brain injury, or stroke. Chronic infection within the ear may cause inflammation, which damages nerves that are responsible for communicating with the brain; this can then change your balance and orientation leading to vetigo.

How long does vertigo last?

On average, vertigo attacks last several seconds to several minutes. In severe cases, however, people can experience vertigo for hours, days, weeks, or even months. Vertigo can be scary, but the condition itself isn’t considered serious. However, it can be linked to other potentially serious health conditions.

What are the common triggers of vertigo?

A number of syndromes or conditions can result in vertigo. These include:
- Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV): The most common cause of vertigo, BPPV is typically triggered by a change in your head’s position. People with BPPV often experience vertigo when lying down, sitting up, or turning over in bed.
- Meniere’s disease: This condition causes fluids to build up inside the ear, leading to vertigo attacks. Meniere’s disease may also be accompanied by tinnitus (ringing in the ears), fluctuating hearing loss, or a feeling of fullness in the ears.
- Labyrinthitis: If the inner ear labyrinth becomes inflamed or infected, it’s called labyrinthitis. The ear labyrinth houses the vestibulocochlear nerve, which transmits information to the brain regarding sound, position, and head motion.
- Vestibular neuritis: This inflammation of the vestibular nerve can cause vertigo. Vestibular neuritis is similar to labyrinthitis, but it doesn’t alter your hearing. People with this condition may experience vertigo and nausea or blurred vision.
- Cholesteatoma: Repeated ear infections can cause a noncancerous skin growth to develop in the middle ear and it can lead to dizziness, vertigo, and hearing loss.

What are common vertigo treatments?

The vertigo treatment that’s right for you depends on several factors, including the root cause. Some of the most notable vertigo treatments include:

• Medication: Treating the underlying cause of your vertigo can help ease symptoms. For example, if vertigo is a by-product of an infection, your healthcare provider can prescribe antibiotics. Steroids can help reduce inflammation. There are also medications to relieve other vertigo symptoms, such as nausea or motion sickness.
• Vestibular rehabilitation: Vestibular rehabilitation helps strengthen your other senses so they can compensate for vertigo episodes.
• Surgery: When vertigo is due to a serious underlying issue, such as a brain tumor or neck injury, surgery may be necessary.

Are there any home remedies for vertigo?

Lemon is a natural remedy for vertigo. Add a pinch of black pepper, pinch of salt, and squeeze half lemon in a glass of water. Mix well and drink it. Ginger may help reduce symptoms of vertigo by improving blood circulation through the body. Basil tea can also reduce symptoms of vertigo caused by inflammation and for vestibular conditions such as vestibular neuritis. Other home remedies for vertigo remedies include turmeric, ginkgo Biloba, cayenne, and dongjin-dan.

References:

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21769-vertigo