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Vertigo is only a symptom, not a condition or illness. It’s that dreaded sensation when one feels off-balance and dizzy as if the world around you is spinning or you are twirling yourself, often accompanied by nausea. The ordeal could last just a few moments or plague you for days together, impeding your daily routine and putting you into a state of disorientation.

What causes vertigo?

Vertigo is usually caused by a problem with the inner ear. Some common causes include:

• BPPV: Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo can occur if calcium particles collect in the inner ear which helps us maintain our balance. At times, BPPV could be linked to age.
• Meniere’s disease: Fluid buildup could alter the pressure in the inner ear and cause vertigo along with hearing impairment and ringing.
• Vestibular neuritis: Sometimes a viral infection causes inflammation in the inner ear affecting nerves which help us with our sense of balance.

Vertigo could also be linked to:

• A head or neck injury
• A brain tumour or stroke
• Migraine headaches
• Certain medications that could damage the ear

What are the common symptoms of vertigo?

The usual symptoms can include:

• Spinning sensation
• Feeling of tilting to one side
• Feeling off-balance
• A disturbing swaying sensation
• Being pulled in one direction
• Feeling of nausea, sickness
• Headache and sweating
• A ringing sensation in the ear

What are the available treatment options?

Treatment protocols would depend on what is causing the vertigo. Sometimes, it doesn’t need any treatment at all and goes away on its own as the brain comes to grips with the changes in the inner ear and makes necessary adjustments. For others, treatment options would be:

• Vestibular rehab: This is a physical therapy option to boost the vestibular system which is tasked with informing the brain on head and body movements vis-à-vis gravity.
• Repositioning canaliths: This is another physical therapy involving prescribed head and neck mobilization for BPPV. The targeted movements are designed to move the calcium deposits out of the canal so that the body could absorb those.
• Medications: Doctors sometime prescribe medicines for nausea and motion sickness. For infections or inflammation, antibiotics might be needed. To reduce pressure from fluid gathering in the inner ear, diuretics are given.
• Surgical intervention: In some cases, a surgical intervention might be required to treat the vertigo.
• Treatment for other causes: If the vertigo is being caused by a tumour or an injury to the head or neck, those underlying conditions should be treated to relieve symptoms.

What can you do by way of lifestyle tweaks?

If any serious condition has been ruled out as the cause, you can address your vertigo with some simple lifestyle modifications like:

• Take your meds: Don’t forget to take your prescription medications. This could include anti-anxiety medicines as well.
• Cut down on alcohol: Alcohol causes dehydration, and vertigo is often linked to the body’s hydration levels. So reduce alcohol intake to maintain fluids balance.
• Customize your diet: Strike the right balance in your daily diet between foods and drinks that cause dehydration and those that lead to water retention.
• Cut down on caffeine consumption: Caffeine can also cause dehydration and even affect the nerves in the inner ear, thus making vertigo symptoms worse.
• Quit smoking: Nicotine not only spikes blood pressure, but also constricts blood vessels, thus impeding blood supply to the inner ear. This can cause or worsen vertigo.
• Beware of pain-killers: Some pain medication like NSAIDs can wreak havoc with your electrolyte balance and impact water retention, raising the risk of vertigo.
• Vestibular rehab therapy: A regular VRT regimen can help treat nerve issues in the inner ear to relieve severe vertigo symptoms.

At Medica we provide comprehensive facilities for diagnosing the condition and treating the underlying condition.