Some of the most common symptoms of vertigo include the sensation of moving or falling or of the room spinning when a person is perfectly still. Often caused by a number of conditions, vertigo can be just a symptom of something larger. However, vertigo is also a condition itself, one that plagues millions of people. Symptoms and causes can vary for vertigo but frequent occurrences of vertigo can not only be disruptive but dangerous to a person’s health. Here are some questions answered about vertigo’s causes and symptoms of vertigo.
Image by Fitz Villafuerte via Flickr
A: The inner ear is a very sensitive mechanism that regulates equilibrium, balance and movement. It forms a center point for the body and helps determine direction and facing. Vertigo is caused by the inner ear in some way being affected, which causes disruptions in equilibrium and false movement to be registered by the inner ear. Often the surrounding tissue can press on the inner ear or the inner ear itself can become inflamed, leading to vertigo symptoms.
A: The most common cause of vertigo is benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, a condition where calcium crystals in the inner ear become dislodged from their foundations. As the crystals move about inside of a person’s head, this causes the body to incorrectly register motion. A slight head turn can quickly generate feelings of vertigo as these crystal rattle around inside.
Q: What are some other causes?
A: Less common causes of vertigo include head injury or trauma, which puts pressure on the inner ear and causes the condition. Migraines and illness, such as ear infections, can also affect the inner ear, causing vertigo symptoms. Disorders, like Ménière’s disease, can also cause vertigo. However, in these cases vertigo is simply a symptom to a much larger problem. Ménière’s disease not only causes vertigo but can impair hearing, possibly causing deafness.
Q: What are common vertigo symptoms?
A: The foremost symptom of vertigo is a sensation of movement or being unbalanced. This can occur suddenly but is often sparked by slight movement. This symptom can carry on for hours and affect people even when they are standing still. Further symptoms of vertigo include nausea, vomiting, sweating, visual distortions, hearing loss, ringing in the ears and rapid eye movement.
Q: Do vertigo symptoms require medical treatment?
A: Yes. Any signs of vertigo should warrant a consultation with a medical professional. Head trauma, unknown to the patient, may have occurred and drastic action may be necessary to relieve swelling. Furthermore, vertigo can be disruptive to many daily activities, preventing a person from driving, eating, walking or even standing.
Q: Can vertigo be treated?
A: Most cases of vertigo can be easily treated using prescription medication to relieve pressure on the inner ear. In the case of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, short term therapy may be needed to address the calcium deposits in the inner ear and to reattach or remove them from causing disruptions to balance and equilibrium. With proper treatment symptoms of vertigo can be quickly relieved.
