Causes of Vertigo and How to Cope with It

Do you often feel dizzy and wonder why it happens? Continue reading this article, where we will explain the causes of vertigo and how to cope with this issue.

Causes of Vertigo

Vertigo is the sensation that the world around you is spinning or that you are moving in circles. This condition is often accompanied by feelings of lightheadedness and imbalance. In reality, Vertigo is not a disease in itself but rather a symptom of various health conditions. It is usually associated with other symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, vomiting, loss of balance, and headaches. 

There are two types of vertigo: peripheral vertigo and central vertigo. The underlying causes differ for each type, and here are the details:

• Causes of Peripheral Vertigo

Peripheral vertigo is the most common type and is often due to a problem in the vestibular nerve or inner ear, which controls balance, such as: 

1. Inner Ear Infection: A viral or bacterial infection in the inner ear can interfere with the messages sent to the brain, leading to balance issues and dizziness.
2. Vestibular Neuritis or Labyrinthitis: These conditions involve inflammation of specific nerves in the inner ear, causing vertigo.
3. Vestibular Nerve Inflammation (Neuronitis): Inflammation of the vestibular nerve, which connects the inner ear to the brainstem, may result in vertigo.
4. Pressure on the Vestibular Nerve: Pressure on this nerve, due to non-cancerous tumors like meningiomas, may also cause vertigo.
5. Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV): This condition occurs when small calcium crystals responsible for balance move out of place in the inner ear. People with this condition feel dizzy when they move their heads. There is no known cause, but it is often related to aging.
6. Meniere's Disease: This inner ear disorder results from fluid buildup and changes in ear pressure, causing episodes of vertigo and ringing in the ears.

Peripheral vertigo may also be linked to other causes, such as side effects of medications like diuretics, aminoglycoside antibiotics, cisplatin, or salicylates. It can also result from head injuries, anemia, vitamin and mineral imbalances, or low blood sugar levels.

• Causes of Central Vertigo

Central vertigo occurs due to issues in the brain, specifically the brainstem or cerebellum. It is often accompanied by more severe symptoms such as difficulty walking or severe instability. The main causes of central vertigo include:

1. Blood vessel disease.
2. Multiple sclerosis.
3. Stroke.
4. Seizures.
5. Certain medications like aspirin and anticonvulsants.
6. Tumors (both cancerous and non-cancerous).
7. Vestibular migraine, a type of migraine that involves vertigo. 

Things you can do to help ease vertigo

In most cases, vertigo resolves on its own without treatment, as the brain can partially adapt to changes in the inner ear using other mechanisms to maintain balance. However, the following tips can help prevent worsening symptoms during vertigo episode:

• Keep still and try to sit or lie down in a quiet, dark room when symptoms occur.
• Gradually resume activities.
• Avoid sudden changes in position or posture.
• Avoid exposure to bright lights.
• Refrain from reading during episodes.
• Avoid dangerous activities like operating heavy machinery or climbing.

In some cases, treatment is necessary depending on the underlying cause. Doctors may prescribe medications or recommend physical therapy sessions to improve balance issues, or surgery may be required in rare cases. Diagnosis and treatment usually follow a thorough evaluation through various methods such as:

1. Blood tests to check vitamin, mineral, and blood sugar levels.
2. Imaging tests like MRI or CT scans of the head and brain's blood vessels.
3. Electroencephalography (EEG).
4. Walking tests, head movement tests, or eye movement tests.
5. Caloric stimulation test.

Blazma offers all the tests your doctor may need to diagnose vertigo, including blood tests that help identify any vitamin or mineral deficiencies that may be causing your vertigo (Vitamin and mineral package or Iron and Ferritin tests).