Vertigo: symptoms, causes & remedies

Definition of vertigo

What is vertigo?

Vertigo is a condition that causes sufferers to feel as if the environment around them is spinning or floating. Vertigo will also make sufferers lose balance, making it difficult to simply stand or even walk.

The best way to describe this condition is to turn your body a few times and feel the resulting condition.

Please note, vertigo is not the name of a disease. However, a collection of vertigo symptoms that can occur suddenly or last for a period of time at one time.

How common is this condition?

Vertigo is rare in children. However, it is not impossible if children suffer from this one condition. Vertigo is just starting to occur in people aged 20 years and over, and will become a fairly common condition in the later years.

The effects or consequences of this condition will be more severe if you experience them at an advanced age.

Vertigo signs & symptoms

If you already know what vertigo is, now is the time to understand the symptoms of this condition. There are several symptoms that you may need to be aware of. Common symptoms of vertigo include:

• Headache.
• The world seems to be spinning.
• Losing balance.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Excessive sweating.
• Headache.
• Abnormal eye movements.
• Ringing in ears.

Usually, vertigo will disappear and arise. That is, this condition may not be permanent. However, when they appear, they can last for minutes, hours, or even days.

Please consult a doctor if the vertigo does not improve. The doctor will usually ask about your vertigo symptoms, perform simple examinations, and recommend further tests. Especially if the frequency you experience vertigo is often included.

Causes of vertigo

The cause of vertigo actually depends on the type of vertigo you are experiencing. In general, there are two types of vertigo which are grouped based on their cause. Each condition also has its own causes.

Peripheral vertigo

This is the type of vertigo that most people experience. The cause of peripheral vertigo is caused by a disturbance in the inner ear which functions to regulate the balance of the body.

When you move your head, the inside of your ear will tell you where your head is and then send signals to the brain to maintain balance.

However, if there is a problem in the inner ear, then you will feel pain and dizziness. This can happen because of inflammation in the inner ear or because of a viral infection.

In addition, this type of vertigo is caused by several other things such as:

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)

BPPV is the most common cause of vertigo, a condition in which the vestibular inner ear becomes disrupted and is triggered by sudden changes in position and head movements. For example:

• Changes in the position of the head from an upright position to a sudden bow.
• Wake up suddenly from sleep.
• Movement of looking up head.

People who have had surgery on their ears, have a history of head injuries, have ear infections, are also more prone to experiencing BPPV. bedrest .

Experts suspect that BPPV occurs due to the presence of shredded kabonate crystals that have escaped from the inner ear canal wall. So you see, inside the middle ear, there are carbonate crystals that serve to create the illusion of motion.

When the change in head position occurs suddenly, these crystals will enter the ear which is filled with balance fluid.

The entry of these crystals stimulates abnormal fluid movement when you move a certain head. Well, this is what makes a person unbalanced and the world around him feels spinning.

This condition usually occurs in a short time and is often experienced by people over 50 years of age. However, it is also possible if younger people can experience this condition.

History of head injury

Another cause of peripheral vertigo is the impact of a history of head injury. People who have had a previous head injury may experience inner ear problems which can lead to vertigo.

Labirintitis

Labirintitis is an inflammation and infection that occurs in the inner ear, especially in a tortuous and fluid-filled channel. This inner ear plays an important role in controlling one's hearing and balance.

Inner ear infections are usually caused by viruses and bacteria, for example in people with flu or colds.

If you experience vertigo due to labyrinthitis, other symptoms that will also arise are nausea, vomiting, loss of hearing ability, ear pain, and fever.

Vestibular neuronitis

Vestibular neuronitis 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 if there is no problem with hearing ability.

Vertigo can last for several hours a day. Symptoms of vertigo due to this condition are loss of balance, headache, nausea, and even vomiting.

Although this inflammation occurs in the nerve of the ear, this condition usually does not cause the sufferer to experience hearing loss.

Ménière's disease

Ménière's disease is a rare disease that affects the inner ear. Although Ménière's disease is rare, it can be a very severe cause of vertigo.

Even in some cases, the symptoms include ringing in the ears, and hearing loss over a period of time. If you have Ménière's disease, the symptoms will last for several hours or even days.

This disease is also accompanied by symptoms of severe nausea and vomiting. Although it is quite dangerous, experts have not been able to determine what causes Ménière's disease.

Central vertigo

In contrast to peripheral vertigo which is caused by disturbances in the ears and balance organs, central vertigo occurs due to problems in the brain.

The part of the brain that most influences the occurrence of this disease is the cerebellum or cerebellum. The following are some of the conditions that cause central vertigo:

Migraine

Migraines are unbearable headaches accompanied by throbbing pain and are often experienced by young people.

Migraine is usually experienced by young people and is considered as one of the common causes of this disease. Avoiding triggers and treating migraines can usually relieve vertigo.

Multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is a nervous signal disorder that occurs in the central nervous system, namely the brain and spine, which results from errors in a person's immune system.

Acoustic neuroma

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.

Brain tumor

Brain tumors that attack the cerebellum or cerebellum, resulting in impaired coordination of body movements.

Stroke

Stroke is a blockage of blood vessels that occurs in the brain. In addition, taking several types of drugs can cause vertigo side effects.

Diagnosis of vertigo

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

Just like the initial diagnosis of disease in general, the doctor will ask you everything related to the vertigo you feel in detail.

Starting from the sensation of vertigo experienced (floating, rocking, or spinning), triggers for vertigo, frequency of appearance, duration, and so on.

In addition, the doctor will also ask about your medical history, including a history of migraines, head injuries or ear infections in the near future, and the medicines you regularly take.

If necessary, the doctor will carry out a further physical examination. This examination is intended to see the function of hearing, eye movement, and brain function.

Some of the examination methods for the diagnosis of vertigo include:

Head impulse test

The patient is asked to focus on looking at the tip of the doctor's nose while moving his head rapidly to one side. If the patient's eyes remain focused on the doctor's nose during this movement, the test result is negative, not vertigo.

Romberg test

The patient is asked to stand with both feet together. First the eyes are open then the doctor will order them to close for a few seconds. The test result is positive if the patient loses balance or falls after closing his eyes.

Unterberger test

The patient stands with both legs straight forward and walks in place by raising the knee as high as possible for 30 seconds with eyes closed. If he is positive for vertigo, he will turn sideways, that is, towards the side that is problematic.

Nystagmus test

This examination is performed to determine uncontrolled eye movement (nystagmus). The trick is to instruct the patient to perform fast maneuvers that can trigger vertigo.

While the test is in progress, the patient will be monitored using an electronistagmography (ENG) and videonistagmography (VNG) instrument, which functions to record eye movements using special glasses.

Hearing examination

This examination uses a tuning fork test and audiometry performed by an ENT doctor, especially if you experience tinnitus (ringing in the ears) or hearing loss.

Supporting investigation

In addition to the several tests for vertigo diagnosis that have been mentioned above, to make sure further the doctor will also carry out a series of other supporting tests such as blood and urine tests, X-rays, CT scans, and MRI.

Vertigo treatment

Often times, the symptoms of vertigo will improve over time even without treatment, one of which is by resting. This happens because your brain can adjust to changes in the inner ear, in an effort to maintain balance.

Even so, there are various treatments for vertigo that are determined based on the cause and severity of the vertigo experienced by the patient, including:

Maneuvers for vertigo caused Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)

Performing some of the following simple head maneuvers can be one way to treat your condition.

The Epley maneuver

There are several steps you can take if you want to perform the Epley maneuver independently at home:

• Sit up straight on the edge of your bed with your legs hanging. Turn your head 45 degrees to the left.
• Place a pillow under you, so that when you lie down, it rests between your shoulders and not under your head.
• Immediately lie down, head facing the mattress (keep at a 45 degree angle). The pillow should be under your shoulders. Wait 30 seconds.
• Turn your head 90 degrees to the right without lifting it. Wait 30 seconds.
• Turn your head and body from left to right, so you can see the floor. Wait 30 seconds.
• Slowly sit down again, but stay on the bed for a few minutes.
• Repeat the movement instructions from different sides and do this movement three times before going to bed each night, until you are no longer dizzy for 24 hours.

Maneuver Foster / Half Somersault

• Sit on your knees and tilt your head up towards the ceiling for a few seconds.
• Touch the floor with your head (prostrate). Tuck your chin into your chest so your head touches or tucks into your knees. Wait for about 30 seconds.
• Still in the prostrate position, turn your head towards the affected ear (if you feel dizzy on the left side, turn your face to the left elbow). Wait 30 seconds.
• Then, using a quick motion, raise your head until it is horizontally straight with your back. Keep your head at a 45 degree angle. Wait 30 seconds.
• After that, with a quick motion also raise your head and sit up straight, but keep your head facing the shoulders in the same position as the affected ear. Then, get up slowly.

You can repeat this several times to reduce dizziness. After the first round, rest for 15 minutes before moving on to the second round.

After performing some of the maneuvers mentioned above, try not to move your head too far up or down for a few moments.

If you don't feel better for a week after trying the exercise, talk to your doctor again immediately. Ask what you should do next. You may not be doing the exercise properly, or maybe something else is causing your headache.

Dietary changes and therapy for vertigo due to Ménière's disease

If your vertigo is caused by this disease, there are a number of things you can do to help relieve both symptoms, namely:

• Limit consumption of salt and diuretics to reduce the volume of fluid stored in the body.
• Avoid caffeine, chocolate, alcohol and cigarettes.
• Perform physiotherapy to overcome balance disorders.
• Use of acupuncture and acupressure for some people can reduce the symptoms of both, but until now there is no scientific evidence that they are effective.

Take certain drugs

To reduce symptoms, the doctor can give vertigo medication to make you feel more comfortable. Some of the drugs commonly used to relieve vertigo symptoms such as headaches, nausea and vomiting include: meclizine, promethazine, diphenhydramine, dimenhydrinate, and lorazepam.

The doctor will also consider giving antibiotics or steroids that function to reduce swelling and cure the infection. As for Ménière's disease, diuretics (water pills) can be prescribed to reduce pressure from fluid buildup.

Information about dosages and other types of drugs for vertigo, always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting treatment.

Vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT)

This therapy is carried out if the complaints experienced are dizziness and difficulty maintaining body balance. This is a type of physical therapy to strengthen the vestibular system. Functionally, the vestibular system plays a role in maintaining balance, coordination and control of body movements.

Surgery for vertigo with more serious causes

If the condition is caused by a more serious underlying problem, such as a tumor or injury to the brain or neck, surgery may be performed to help relieve or even cure the vertigo.

According to the Mayo Clinic, surgical procedures can also be an alternative when other methods of treatment can't be done.