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Dealing with Vertigo? How to Keep Your Balance?
Author：Dr.Irena Mehandjiska Shumanska
Many people in their lives have experienced balance problems either combined with nausea and vomiting or just as a sensation of losing balance, becoming unsteady, and have a feeling that they might fall over. Vertigo is a sensation of feeling off-balance. If you feel dizzy or you have a feeling like you are spinning or the world around you is spinning, then you are suffering from vertigo (not able to keep your balance). There are a few types of vertigo caused by different trigger factors. Mostly is happening because of the malfunction of the inner ear. Other factors can be problems with circulation in the brain, stiff neck, aging, taking some medicines or alcohol, and panic attacks.
Different Types of Vertigo, Symptoms and Treatment
1. Acute Vertigo-Rotatory Vertigo
This type of vertigo is characterized by symptoms such as dizziness combined with nausea and vomiting that last a very short time. The treatment depends on the severity of the symptoms. Usually, the combination is antipsychotic and antiemetic medications.
2. Positional Vertigo
This type of vertigo happens if the patient moves the head suddenly and after changing the position gets dizzy. Usually, it happens during the night or early in the morning. When placing the head in one position the dizziness disappears. It lasts for a very short time, only a few minutes. In 90 % of the patients the positional vertigo will be stabilized in three months, but, it can occur again. The treatment is placing the head in an appropriate position no medication is needed.
3. Vertigo caused by Neuritis (inflammation of the vestibular nerve-nerve in the ear)
This vertigo is caused by inflammation of the vestibular nerve a nerve that is in the ear and sends information to your brain about balance. When this nerve is inflamed (usually viral infection) causes symptoms including vertigo. It happens suddenly with dizziness and nausea and severe cases can last up to 2 weeks. This attack won’t happen again. The treatment is antiviral medications, antibiotics, and if needed corticosteroids. For dizziness, nausea, or vomiting antiemetic and antihistamines will be prescribed.
4. Cervical Vertigo
In this case, the neck and shoulder muscles are strained or tense and the patient can not move the neck as usual. The stiffness is combined with dizziness, headache, visual disturbances, and nausea. The treatment is sustained by physiotherapy, acupuncture, and physical exercises.
5. Meniere’s disease
The cause of this disease is an abnormal amount of fluid in the inner ear.The symptoms that occur are rotatory vertigo, ringing in the ears, and hearing difficulties. One episode can last for 2-5 hours. Mostly is on one side and the patient can feel pressure inside of both ears. The initial hearing loss, later progress into permanent hearing loss. The treatment is taking medications such as Betahistine which belongs to the group of anti-vertigo medications.
Examinations done for Diagnosing Vertigo
In repeated cases of vertigo to find the right cause and to give the proper diagnose, different tests are done. Condition called nystagmus (eye movement -rapidly and uncontrollably) is a sign that can lead to diagnose such as Positional Vertigo, Meniere’s disease, and other.
Specific neurological, otological, circulatory examinations are also done for diagnosing Vertigo.
How to Ease the Symptoms
When you are having vertigo and dizziness there are some things you can do to ease the symptoms. When feeling dizzy you should lay down still in a quiet and darkroom. When you are getting up from bed, get up slowly and first rest by sitting on the edge and then slowly get up. Try to sleep with your head slightly raised on 2 or more pillows. Always move your head carefully and don’t bend over to pick things up. If you are suffering from vertigo that doesn’t go away and keeps coming back, you should visit and consult your general doctor for further examinations and treatment.
Reference:
*The treatment of acute vertigo
A Cesarani 1, D Alpini, B Monti, G Raponi, ENT Department, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
Affiliations expand PMID: 15045617
DOI: 10.1007/s10072-004-0213-8
* Post, RE; Dickerson, LM (2010). "Dizziness: a diagnostic approach". American Family Physician. 82 (4): 361–369. PMID 20704166. Archived from the original on 2013-06-06.
*"Chapter 14: Evaluation of the Dizzy Patient". Archived from the original on 2009-07-06. Retrieved 2009-08-06.
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