Vertigo is a type of dizziness, according to Healthscout.com. It is defined as a symptom and is characterized by a feeling that the area around you is spinning. Vertigo is an illusion of motion typically resulting from a disorder in the peripheral vestibular system, or structure of the inner ear, due to conditions like tinnitus and hearing loss. Typical vertigo conditions include benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, central vertigo, migraine associated vertigo, peripheral vertigo and physiologic vertigo.
Causes
While the types of vertigo differ, the reasons why they occur may also vary. Vertigo can be a result of multiple sclerosis, motion sickness, head injury, migraines, viral infections or Meniere's disease. Dizziness may also occur as a result of a disturbance in the central vestibular system of the brainstem and cerebellum. In some cases, it maybe hard to pinpoint the exact cause of vertigo. According to an article on NeurologyChannel.com, certain medications and environmental chemicals, like tin and mercury, can also cause damage to the inner ear channels leading to vertigo.
Symptoms
The typical symptoms of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, a more common form of vertigo, include a sensation of spinning or the perception that other stationary objects are in motion, according to NeurologyChannel.com. The symptoms may come and go, usually for a few seconds at a time, and can be accompanied by a feeling of lightheadedness, imbalance and nausea. In addition to vertigo, symptoms of Meniere’s disease also include a feeling of pressure in the ears and a prolonged ringing, which if left untreated can lead to permanent deafness.
Treatments
Treatment varies from patient to patient depending on the type of vertigo experienced. To treat calcium crystals in the ear canal, which are a common cause of vertigo, the American Academy of Neurology recommends techniques called the canalith repositional procedure, or Epley maneuver, which work by moving the calcium crystals out of the sensing tubes and into another chamber of the inner ear, where they’re safely reabsorbed. It also recommends vestibular rehabilitation therapy, which is a series of exercises designed to allow the brain to overcome the feelings of motion in stationary objects. The American Family Physician website notes that Meniere’s disease responds to a combination of a low salt diet with diuretics. Medication becomes necessary to treat acute vertigo that lasts for a few hours to up to a few days; prolonged vertigo requires close medical supervision to ensure there is no permanent damage caused to the brain. As with any medical condition, affected patients should seek treatment immediately upon experiencing symptoms.
Diet and Nutrition to Combat Vertigo
In some forms of vertigo, diet and nutritional changes may help counteract any effects, according to the website, LifeExtension.com. Those affected can add antioxidants, vitamins B6 and C, and herbs like ginkgo biloba and ginger, which have been used in traditional medicine to treat motion sickness and dizziness and are said to balance the immune system, to their diets. As with any non-traditional care, doctor supervision is recommended before starting any treatment.
Cawthorne-Cooksey Exercises
These exercises were originally developed to rehabilitate patients after labyrinthectomy operations, which are usually followed by a phase of severe vertigo. The exercises are also recommended for patients with a variety of vertigo symptoms. As with any exercise, doctor approval is a must before you begin. The Cawthorne-Cooksey exercises include eye exercises, such as looking up and down and from side to side, head exercises that involve bending the head forward and backward and then from side to side, sitting exercises, which include shrugging the shoulders and turning them from left to right, and moving exercises where the patient walks across the floor with his eyes open and then does it again with his eyes closed. All the exercises are done 20 times, and then speed and repetition are gradually increased.
