Vertigo is a condition where the person feels dizzy like he is spinning or the world is spinning. A person can get vertigo due to various reasons. One common reason behind vertigo is any problem with the inner ear. Vertigo is not a disease but more like a symptom of other conditions.
Types of Vertigo
Peripheral vertigo: This occurs when there is some problem in the inner ear.
Central vertigo: Central vertigo occurs when there is some issue with the brain. A few conditions that can cause vertigo are brain tumors, stroke, traumatic brain injury, etc.
Causes of vertigo
Vertigo mainly appears due to any problem in the inner ear. But sometimes vertigo can also occur due to some other reasons.
BPPV: Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo or BPPV occurs when tiny particles get dislodged from the original position and get collected in the ear. Your inner ear sends signals to the brain regarding your body and head movements. It tells your brain about your movements relative to gravity which helps to manage the balance. There is no particular cause for BPPV but can be associated with age.
Meniere’s Disease: It is a type of inner ear disorder that can occur due to fluid buildup or a change in pressure in the ear. This condition can cause episodes of vertigo with ringing ears and hearing loss.
Vestibular Neuritis or laryngitis: Vestibular neuritis is a type of inner ear problem that occurs due to infection. It causes inflammation of the inner ear and nerves. These nerves are crucial for the body’s sense of balance.
Other causes:
Vertigo can also occur due to other conditions such as:
- Head or neck injury
- Certain medications
- Brain issues like tumors or stroke
- Migraine headaches
Common symptoms of vertigo
People with vertigo can feel like:
- Spinning
- Tilting
- Unbalanced
- Swaying
Other symptoms of vertigo are:
- Vomiting
- Headache
- Feeling nauseated
- Sweating
- Abnormal eye movements
- Ringing in ears
These symptoms of vertigo can last for a few minutes to hours.
Treatment options for vertigo
Treatment for vertigo depends on the causes. In certain cases, vertigo goes away without any special treatment. This is because the brain starts adapting to the inner ear changes and starts relying on other mechanisms to maintain the balance of your body.
Vestibular rehabilitation
This is a type of physical therapy that improves the vestibular system. The main function of the vestibular system is to send head and body signals to the brain about your body movements. The doctor recommends vestibular rehabilitation when the person is falling for recurrent sessions of vertigo. This rehab helps to train other senses of the brain to manage the signals.
Canalith repositioning maneuvers
There are certain series of head and body movements to treat BPPV. These movements are used to move the calcium deposits. The main function is to take out the deposit from the canal to the inner ear chamber so it can be absorbed by the body easily. People feel vertigo symptoms as the canalith moves during the procedure. Your doctor will guide you on the correct movements. Canalith repositioning maneuvers are safe and effective.
Medicines
Doctors may prescribe certain medications to reduce the symptoms of vertigo. Lots of people feel nausea or motion sickness with vertigo. Taking medicines helps to ease other symptoms of this condition. When a person is facing vertigo issues due to inflammation or infection then taking antibiotics can help in reducing swelling and other symptoms.
Dynamic medications
Certain dynamic medications such as homeopathy are also available to treat vertigo. Relying on allopathic medicines for a long time is not good as the medicines affect other parts of the body. But natural remedies for vertigo and dizziness are safe and quite effective. You can take natural medicines for vertigo for a long time. These medicines will reduce the symptoms and will also help in treating the condition. Dynamic medicines are safe and do not cause any harmful side effects to the body.
Surgery
There are a few cases where you may need surgery for vertigo. When the condition occurs due to serious conditions like a tumor or injury in the head or neck; the doctor suggests treatment to alleviate vertigo.
Home remedies and exercises for vertigo
Epley maneuver
This is also known as canalith repositioning involves body and head movements that help to remove the crystals out of the canals of the inner ear. This therapy is performed by doctors. But some home exercises for Epley maneuver are also very effective.
- Sit upside with a pillow behind you
- Now turn your head on 45 degrees to the right side
- Lie down quickly on your back while the head is still turned
- Try to hold this position for about 30 seconds
- Turn your head to 90 degrees slowly to the left side without lifting the neck
- Hold this position for 30 seconds
- Turn the whole body and head another 90 degrees to the left
- Wait for about 30 seconds and take rest for a few seconds
You may feel vertigo symptoms while performing the home treatment.
Take healthy diet
You feel dizzier when you are eating unhealthy food items. Eat food items that contain more nutrients. Always have a whole meal to improve your health and weight. Add items such as fruits, lean protein, whole grains, etc. Avoid food items that can trigger the symptoms.
Avoid certain food items
Certain food items trigger symptoms of vertigo. People with Meniere’s disease should avoid certain food items to maintain fluid balance in the ears and body. You should cut food items such as
- Alcohol
- Sugary foods
- Salty food
- Caffeine, etc
People with migraine issues should avoid food items containing amino acids that can trigger the symptoms.
- Yogurt
- Chocolate
- Nuts
- Bananas
- Red wine
- Chicken liver
- Citrus fruits
- Ripened cheeses, etc
Stay hydrated
If you get vertigo symptoms often then you should drink lots of water. You should keep the body hydrated to reduce the symptoms. Drink lots of water throughout the day. Sometimes vertigo symptoms can also appear due to dehydration. Keep the body hydrated to maintain the symptoms. If you can’t drink lots of water; drink fruits and other fluids.