Vertigo

Vertigo (VER-ti-go) is dizziness in which people feel that they or their surroundings are moving, often causing loss of balance.

What Is Vertigo?

Vertigo is different from other forms of dizziness because it is caused by disturbances in the structures that control the sense of balance. These structures include the vestibule and semicircular canals in the ear, the vestibular (ves-TIB-u-lar) nuclei in the brain stem, and the eyes. There are many different kinds of vertigo.

Benign paroxysmal vertigo of childhood

Benign ^* paroxysmal (par-ok-SIZ-mal) vertigo is a condition that sometimes affects toddlers, who may suddenly lose their balance, roll their eyes, and become pale, dizzy, or nauseated for a few minutes. They usually recover quickly and often outgrow this form of vertigo.

Positional vertigo

Positional vertigo may occur following changes in head position, especially when lying on one ear or when tipping back the head to look up. The symptoms tend to appear in clusters that last for several days. The vertigo begins several seconds after head movement and usually stops in under a minute. Some of the causes of positional vertigo are trauma to the ear, an ear infection, ear surgery, or degeneration because of aging inner ear organs that are involved in balance. Surgery can sometimes correct positional vertigo.

Meniere ^* s disease

This is sometimes called Meniere's syndrome ^* or recurrent aural vertigo. It is caused by damage to the balance organs in the ears, although doctors often do not know the cause of the damage. In addition to vertigo, symptoms often include tinnitus (ti-NY-tis), which is a ringing, buzzing, or roaring in the ears. It may also cause gradual deafness in the affected ear. Meniere's disease can be controlled but not cured with medication.

Labyrinthitis

Labyrinthitis (lab-i-rin-THY-tis) is an inflammation of the labyrinth in the inner ear, possibly as a result of viral infection in the upper respiratory tract. The labyrinth is a group of canals in the inner ear that is important for balance. Symptoms of labyrinthitis are sudden onset of severe vertigo lasting for several days, hearing loss, and tinnitus in the affected ear. During the recovery period, which may last several weeks, rapid head movement causes temporary vertigo.

Vestibular neuronitis

Vestibular neuronitis (noo-ro-NY-tis) is sometimes called epidemic vertigo and is thought to be the result of a virus that causes inflammation of the vestibular nerve cells. Vestibular neuronitis usually causes a single attack of severe vertigo with nausea and vomiting that lasts for a few days. There is no hearing loss or tinnitus, and doctors will often prescribe medication to help with the dizziness and nausea.

How the world looks to a young boy with vertigo. It feels like he's spinning and the world around him is spinning, too.

© 1993 jS. Reid/Custom Medical Stock Photo.

Traumatic vertigo

Traumatic vertigo is one of the most common types of vertigo. It usually follows a head injury. The symptoms generally start to improve within several days but may last for weeks. Deafness often accompanies the vertigo on the side of the head that received the trauma. In some cases, surgery may be required to correct damage to the ear structures.

Acoustic neuromas

Acoustic neuromas are benign tumors that form in the vestibular nerve, affecting nerve signals for balance and hearing from the ear to the brain. Symptoms are hearing loss, tinnitus, dizziness, and unsteadiness. Surgery to remove the tumor improves the vertigo.

How Do Doctors Treat Vertigo?

Doctors often prescribe medication to reduce the dizziness, nausea, and sense of motion of vertigo. Other treatments will vary according to the cause of the vertigo.