The sensation lasted for about 10 seconds, and because Gerlach, 45, had been prone to bouts of motion sickness in the past, she dismissed the episode.
But in the days following her workout, she felt a little dizzy and unsteady on her feet. Then one night Gerlach awakened from a sound sleep and shot straight up in bed. That's vertigo. Almost 40 percent of adults in the U. A lot of people assume that vertigo has to be a spinning sensation, says Rauch, but it could be rocking, swaying, tumbling, or a feeling of bouncing up, as if you were on a pogo stick.
Many things can bring on a bout of vertigo, including inner ear infections, migraines and even some medications, including those used to treat high blood pressure or anxiety. But one of the most common causes, as Gerlach discovered after a doctor visit, is an inner-ear condition with a tongue twister of a name: benign paroxysmal positional vertigo BPPV. About half of all people over age 65 will suffer an episode of BPPV, according to the Cleveland Clinic, and the Mayo Clinic says women are particularly prone.
Queasiness and vomiting may also be part of the package. BPPV occurs when tiny calcium carbonate crystals, which normally reside in an inner-ear organ called the utricle and help you keep your balance, break loose and travel into the semicircular canals of the inner ear. This may simply be part of the normal aging process.
That means when you move your head in certain ways — dropping it forward to pick something up off the floor or attempting a Downward-Facing Dog yoga pose, for instance — you can cause these crystals to move and bring about an attack of vertigo. It's often triggered when you're lying down: You go to bed feeling perfectly fine, then roll over toward your bad ear to get out of bed in the morning, and wham!
Those dizzy spells typically last for less than a minute but can return anytime you pitch your head and trigger another brief, brisk spin. BPPV usually goes away on its own within weeks of the first episode, though it can last for months or even years. If you want immediate relief from those bouts of spinning, you might consider something called the Epley maneuver. The treatment — typically performed by a vestibular rehabilitation therapist a specially trained physical therapist , occupational therapist, audiologist or ENT — involves moving the head in a series of precise positions, allowing the crystals to migrate out of the semicircular canals back to the original vestibular organ they came from — the utricle.
Usually they are mistaken because of use of the word dizziness. Dizziness can refer to lightheadedness, which is not vertigo and is commonly produced by vascular problems. Dizziness also can mean vertigo, and there are very few causes of vertigo that do not come from the inner ear. Occasionally, rare types of strokes can cause vertigo, but these are usually associated with other neurological symptoms as well.
There are surgical procedures to correct certain types of vertigo. If the vertigo is caused by a disease such as Meniere's disease, where the function of the involved ear changes over time, and these changes do not respond to medical therapy, then surgical intervention may eliminate the vertigo. In forms of vertigo, where the inner ear has suffered damage and the function of that ear is fixed, not changing over time, physical therapy can be quite helpful. When the inner ear is damaged, people commonly experience severe spinning for several days.
If after several weeks the person still has a loss of balance, then physical therapy can help restore this balance. The reason physical therapy is helpful is that it helps train the brain to compensate for the loss of function in the ear. Just as you can make a muscle stronger by exercising it, you can make the balance system in the brain work better by exercising it. It's called vestibular rehabilitation, and it is a relatively new form of physical therapy.
Not all physical therapists are trained in the practice. Typically the exercises consist of movements that initially make the vertigo worse and balance tasks that are quite difficult. By doing these repetitively, the balance system in the brain learns to function better.
Common exercises include moving the eyes from side to side, rotating the head from side to side, rotating the head from side to side while walking down a corridor, and things like this.
Some women with Meniere's disease have worse symptoms during their menstrual period. This is not an uncommon symptom because Meniere's disease is exacerbated by salt retention, and menstrual periods are associated with salt retention. Yes, vertigo causes extreme anxiety in most people. Anxiety, by itself, does not produce vertigo.
However, in association with conditions that do produce vertigo, anxiety can make the vertigo much worse. People with certain anxiety disorders such as panic attacks can sometimes also experience vertigo. BPPV is caused by loose otoconia within the inner ear. Otoconia are small calcium carbonate crystals that are part of the balance mechanism. In BPPV, these crystals break loose from their normal attachments and are free to tumble around the inner ear.
When the involved ear is suddenly put in a downward position, the otoconia stimulate part of the inner ear abnormally. This results in a brief but intense whirling vertigo. Particle position maneuvers are a series of body turns that maneuver the otoconia into a different part of the inner ear where they will not cause symptoms.
It is a very effective maneuver that takes just a few minutes to perform. Labyrinthitis or vestibular neuronitis is a presumed viral infection of the vestibular nerve. Results showed those with RSV-HSN had eye movements, known as "nystagmus," that lasted longer than in others with vertigo. In the study, people with RSV-HSN had attacks that included nausea, vomiting, headaches, and intolerance of head motions.
They experienced symptoms anywhere from a few times a week to once a year. Symptoms of vertigo vary from person to person. Your symptoms might be mild or severe, depending on what's causing the issue. Many people describe vertigo as feeling like the room is spinning. Sometimes these unpleasant sensations are worse if you're standing up, walking, or moving your head around.
Many people describe these feelings as physically exhausting and taxing. Sometimes, the sensations are so severe that you feel nauseated or experience vomiting. Vertigo isn't a disease itself. Instead, it's a symptom of other conditions. You'll need to know what's triggering your dizziness before you can treat it. Identifying specific risk factors and medical conditions can be helpful.
An array of issues can cause vertigo. Less common causes include migraines , medication, head injuries, and stroke. Symptoms of vertigo are often the result of an inner ear vestibular system problem.
Your inner ear plays a big role in helping you feel balanced. Inside your ear is a tiny organ called the vestibular labyrinth, which includes semicircular canals that contain fluid and hair-like sensors. Other structures in the ear, called otolith organs, help monitor the movement and position of your head in relation to gravity.
Otolith organs contain small crystals that make you responsive to gravity. Sometimes, these crystals can break free and move into the semicircular canals. This can irritate the hair cells within the canals and make them more sensitive to head position changes. It can allow for false messages about your body's position to be sent to your brain. Basically, inner ear disorders cause your brain to obtain signals from the inner ear that don't match up with what your eyes and sensory nerves nerves that send messages to your brain receive.
Diagnosing vertigo isn't always simple. In fact, it can be a tricky and involved process, because people with dizziness often have trouble describing their specific symptoms. Each person may require different testing, depending on the suspected cause of vertigo. When choosing a specialist, you should consider his or her education, training, and experience.
You might also want to ask if the specialist's facility has equipment for diagnosing and treating vertigo disorders. While the diagnostic process may seem tedious at times, it's important to stay the course so you can find out what's causing your symptoms. It's also a good idea to see your healthcare provider if you have any type of dizziness that interferes with your daily activities.
In many cases, symptoms of vertigo will resolve on their own within a few days. But for other people, it's chronic. Living with vertigo can be frustrating. Your episodes may be unpredictable and sporadic. Some days, you may not experience any symptoms, while other days, you might have debilitating bouts of dizziness. The good news is there are effective treatment options and most of the time, these treatments can help you control or eliminate your symptoms, so you can enjoy everyday activities.
Other types of physical therapy are used to relieve vertigo caused by inner ear problems. Sometimes medicines, injections, psychotherapy, or surgery are needed. Your doctor can help you decide which options are best for you. Additionally, yoga, tai chi, relaxation techniques, and adequate sleep might help you improve balance and ward off a vertigo episode. Talk to your doctor before performing any at-home remedies.
But knowing and avoiding certain risk factors may help prevent it. For instance, you can protect yourself from a head injury by wearing a helmet when bicycling or playing sports or taking measures to prevent a fall.
Typically, people with persistent vertigo are advised not to drive or operate machinery because these activities can pose dangers to themselves and others. Vertigo is typically more prevalent in older people, but it can affect anyone at any age.
Women are slightly more likely to experience vertigo symptoms than men. Vertigo can affect people of all colors and ethnicities, but some research has shown minorities may have a higher risk for certain types of dizziness. The authors of the study say this may be because diabetes rates are higher in Black Americans. Managing vertigo can seem overwhelming and difficult at first.
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