Table of contents:
- Vertigo is a condition that causes dizziness
- Different from ordinary headaches and headaches due to vertigo symptoms
- Various causes of vertigo
- Causes of peripheral vertigo
- Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)
- Have a history of head injury
- Have labyrinthitis
- Inflammation of the inner ear nerves
- Ménière's disease
- Causes of central vertigo
- How to deal with vertigo
- 1. Perform the Epley maneuver
- 2. Perform the foster maneuver
- 3. Take vertigo medication
- Diphenhydramine
- Promethazine
- Meclizine
- Dimenhydrinate
- 4. Home care
Vertigo is one of the most common conditions. Unfortunately, many people don't realize that they have this disease so they don't try to find out what vertigo medication is right.
Actually, what is the cause of the vertigo you are experiencing and how to deal with vertigo effectively? Come on, see the explanation below.
Vertigo is a condition that causes dizziness
Although most people recognize it as vertigo, vertigo is not a disease in itself. Yes, vertigo is a collection of several symptoms that occur suddenly at one time.
Have you ever had such a headache or headache that the room around you seems to be spinning? If so, this is a symptom of vertigo.
Severe headaches due to vertigo can make your body's balance slowly begin to lose. As a result, it becomes easy for your body to wobble and it is difficult to put your feet on a steady foot.
In addition, the dizziness and headaches you feel can also make sufferers experience nausea and vomiting , excessive sweating, ringing in the ears, and even abnormal eye movements (nystagmus).
Different from ordinary headaches and headaches due to vertigo symptoms
Although it is a common condition, most people who experience vertigo do not realize that they have the disease. In fact, most people think that vertigo is a common headache. In fact, headaches that occur due to vertigo symptoms are clearly different from headaches in general.
The headache due to vertigo will make you feel like kliyengan , body weakness, nausea, and as if going to pass out.
While ordinary headaches generally cause the sensation of the head feeling very tight like being tied or throbbing. Pulses can occur anywhere in the head: front, back, or right and left sides.
Various causes of vertigo
Actually, the cause of the vertigo you experience depends on the type of vertigo itself. If seen in general, the types of vertigo can be divided into two groups, central vertigo (disturbances in the balance center of the brain) and peripheral vertigo.
Causes of peripheral vertigo
Peripheral vertigo is a type of vertigo experienced by most vertigo sufferers. The main cause of peripheral vertigo is interference with your inner ear. In fact, one part of the inner ear should be responsible for regulating the balance of the body.
Normally when you move or change the position of your head, the inner ear area will give a signal about the position of your head. This signal will be sent to the brain so that it can help maintain body balance and hearing function properly.
If the inner ear has problems, either due to a viral infection or inflammation of the ear, the signal that should be sent to the brain will be disrupted.
Eventually, you will experience intense headaches that make your body easily sway. Not only that, there are several other things that can cause peripheral vertigo, for example:
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)
BPPV is the most common cause of vertigo, a condition in which the inner ear becomes irritated and is triggered by a sudden change in head position. For example, changes in the position of the head from an upright position to a sudden bow, waking up suddenly from sleep, and looking up movements.
People who have had surgery on the ear, have a history of head injuries, have ear infections, are also more prone to experiencing BPPV conditions bedrest .
Have a history of head injury
Another cause of peripheral vertigo is a history of head injury. If you have previously had a head injury, either due to an impact or accident, it can have a negative impact on the inner ear. This can then develop into vertigo.
Have labyrinthitis
Labirintitis is an inflammatory and infectious condition caused by a virus or bacteria that attacks the inner ear area, especially in a tortuous channel filled with fluid (labyrinth).
Don't take it for granted, because the inner part of the ear is responsible for regulating and maintaining the balance of your body as well as your hearing function.
If the vertigo symptoms you feel are a result of labyrinthitis, several other symptoms will occur. Starting from pain in the ear, nausea, vomiting, difficulty hearing, to fever.
Inflammation of the inner ear nerves
Vestibular neuritis is inflammation that occurs in the part of the ear nerve that is directly connected to the brain.
This inflammation is caused by a viral infection that usually occurs suddenly without any other symptoms or signs, even when there is no problem with hearing ability. This condition can occur for several hours a day.
Ménière's disease
Ménière's disease is one of the rare diseases that affects the inner ear. Although very rare, this disease can actually be the cause of very severe vertigo.
Not infrequently, the symptoms of vertigo that you experience due to Ménière's disease will also be accompanied by ringing in the ears, and hearing loss for a period of time.
Now, when you experience this disease, you can experience the symptoms of vertigo that appear in a matter of hours to the next few days. This disease is also accompanied by symptoms of severe nausea and vomiting.
Although it looks quite dangerous, experts have not confirmed what is the specific cause of this disease.
Causes of central vertigo
In contrast to peripheral vertigo which is caused by disturbances in the ears and body balance organs, central vertigo occurs due to problems in the brain. The part of the brain that most influences the cause of vertigo is the cerebellum or cerebellum.
The cerebellum is directly related to the spinal cord nervous system and acts as a major regulator of body movement. Some of the conditions that cause central vertigo are:
- Brain tumors that attack the cerebellum or cerebellum, resulting in impaired coordination of body movements.
- Acoustic neuroma is a benign tumor that grows on the vestibular nerve, which is the nervous system that connects the ear to the brain. So far acoustic neuroma is caused by a genetic disorder.
- Taking several types of drugs that can cause side effects in the form of vertigo symptoms.
- Migraine is a one-sided headache accompanied by throbbing pain and is often experienced by young people.
- Stroke, which is a blockage of blood vessels that occurs in the brain.
- Multiple sclerosis is a nerve signal disorder that occurs in the central nervous system in the brain and spine; that results from errors in a person's immune system.
How to deal with vertigo
Some people may just need to pause the activity they are doing and replace it with lots of rest to treat vertigo. This is because the cause of vertigo can occur as a response from the brain that is trying to adjust to the changes that have occurred in your inner ear.
However, if the vertigo condition or disease that you are currently experiencing is quite severe (that is, it occurs for a long time with a frequent frequency), there are several special ways that are believed to be able to treat vertigo.
1. Perform the Epley maneuver
Source: El Paso Chiropractor
This particular epley maneuver technique to treat vertigo can be especially applied, if the cause of vertigo you are experiencing comes from the side of the left ear or is due to benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).
The steps for performing the Epley maneuver to treat vertigo are:
- Sit upright on the edge of the bed. Tilt your head 45 degrees to the left, but don't touch your shoulders. Place a soft pillow under your body so that when lying down the pillow is between your shoulders and not under your head.
- With fast movements, lie down immediately or lie down (head on the bed but still on his side at a 45 degree angle). Make sure the pillow is right under your monk, then wait for about 30 seconds for the vertigo to stop.
- Turn your head 90 degrees to the right, without lifting it. Leave it for 30 seconds.
- Change the position of your head and body from the left side to the side to the right side, so that you can see the floor. Wait for 30 seconds.
- Sit back slowly, but with your body still on the bed. Do this for a few minutes.
- If later the vertigo comes on the right side of the ear, you can overcome it by repeating the above movement.
- Instead, repeat this movement three times before bed at night until the vertigo condition or disease gradually disappears.
2. Perform the foster maneuver
Performing a foster maneuver can also be done to relieve symptoms of vertigo. The steps for performing the Foster maneuver to treat vertigo are:
- Sit on your knees like you are on your knees, then tilt your head upward at the ceiling for a few seconds.
- Turn your head to the floor. Make sure your chin touches your chest so that your head is tucked into your knees. Hold for 30 seconds.
- Turn your head to the side of the ear that is the source of the vertigo (for example, if you feel the vertigo is coming from the right ear, then turn your head to the right). Hold for 30 seconds.
- In one swift motion, raise your head so that it is parallel to your back. Keep your head at a 45 degree angle. Hold for up to 30 seconds.
- Continue to raise your head in one quick motion, until you are successfully seated in an upright position. Keep your head turned to the side of the body that is experiencing vertigo (for example, to the right, according to the previous example). Then start standing up slowly.
You should repeat some of these movements to really get rid of the vertigo. After the first try, you may first take a break for about 15 minutes before starting again the second time.
Avoid moving the head too hard up or down after doing some maneuvers to treat this vertigo.
3. Take vertigo medication
Taking medication can also be done to help overcome vertigo, which often makes you uncomfortable with activities. In cases where infection occurs, the doctor may also give antibiotics. Some of the vertigo drug options are:
Diphenhydramine
Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine drug. This drug works by blocking the effects of certain chemicals, which cause you to feel nauseous and vomiting due to vertigo. Watch the right dose before taking diphenhydramine for vertigo medication.
The dose of diphenhydramine for vertigo is 25-50 mg every 6-8 hours. As a rule, this vertigo drug must be taken 30 minutes before meals and before traveling. You can get diphenhydramine without having to make up for a doctor's prescription.
Promethazine
Just like diphenhydramine, promethazine is also a vertigo drug that acts as an antihistamine to relieve persistent nausea and vomiting.
Unlike diphenhydramine which is generally available over the counter, promethazine requires a doctor's prescription to get it.
Meclizine
Meclizine is an antihistamine drug commonly used to prevent and relieve nausea, dizziness, and vomiting due to motion sickness. However, meclizine can also be consumed as a vertigo medication.
For the general dose, meclizine as a vertigo drug for adults should be taken at least 1-4 times a day as much as 25 mg or 50 mg to be taken 2 times a day. You can get this drug via a doctor's prescription or buy it at the nearest pharmacy.
Dimenhydrinate
Another drug that you can take to relieve symptoms of vertigo is dimenhydrinate. Usually, dimenhydrinate is used as an antihistamine drug to prevent and treat nausea, vomiting, and dizziness due to motion sickness.
In fact, dimenhydrinate can also be used as a pretty potent vertigo drug.
The rule of taking dimenhydrinate as a vertigo medication for adults is 50 to 100 mg every 4 to 6 hours. While the maximum dose to take this drug is 400 mg within 24 hours.
4. Home care
If the various methods above are not enough to treat vertigo, accompanying medication consumption and maneuvers with simple home treatments may help relieve vertigo symptoms even more.
Some of the home remedies that can treat vertigo are:
- Sit down immediately and take a deep breath when you feel the vertigo symptoms begin to recur.
- If you notice some movements that can trigger a vertigo recurrence, do the movements slowly or even avoid them altogether.
- Make sure there is good enough lighting when you suddenly wake up in the middle of the night.
- If vertigo is affecting your ability to walk and balance your body, there is nothing wrong with using a cane to help and prevent you from falling.
After routinely doing the various methods above to treat vertigo, pay attention to the development of vertigo that you are experiencing. The fewer and shorter the frequency of vertigo and the time when the vertigo recurs, the better.
But if the opposite is the vertigo condition that you feel is not getting better, try to talk further with your doctor about other vertigo treatment alternatives.
