What is true vertigo? True vertigo is the sensation of the environment around you spinning or rotating. It is not just feeling “lightheaded”. People who experience vertigo may also have other symptoms including nausea and vomiting, trouble walking and feeling fatigued.
Vertigo is a very common symptom and up to 40% of the population experience it at least once in their lifetime. It is more common in people over 65 and in women, although it can occur at any age.
The next question to ask is: What causes vertigo? Your physician must determine if your vertigo is “central” or “peripheral”. Central means it is due to some type of condition in the brain or spinal cord and peripheral means it is due to something outside of the brain or spinal cord … usually the inner ear. There are a few tests done in the physician’s office that can determine what type of vertigo that you may have. Occasionally it is necessary to do further testing that may involve blood work or imaging studies (CT Scan or MRI).
Once the cause of your vertigo is determined, then the appropriate course of treatment is designed. Usually, vertigo is a benign condition that can be treated easily. Common causes are benign positional vertigo (where you develop vertigo with a change in head position – commonly laying down in bed and turning over), Meniere’s disease (fluid buildup in the inner ear), labyrinthitis (inflammation or infection in the inner ear), neuritis (inflammation of a specific nerve) and a cholesteatoma (skin growth in the middle ear from repeated ear infections).
Other causes include: migraine headaches, medications, stroke, diabetes, shingles near the ear, low blood pressure and multiple sclerosis.
How do you treat vertigo? If your vertigo is due to infection, antibiotics are in order. If inflammation is the cause, steroids can help. Sometimes, physical therapy can help as well. You may even try some home therapy. Epley maneuvers work spectacularly, especially for benign positional vertigo. This involves laying down and moving your head in certain positions for periods of time. There are a few ways to do these maneuvers and they can be easily found on the internet.
How long will the vertigo last? In general, vertigo due to peripheral causes lasts from a few minutes to a few days. Occasionally, it may last weeks or months, but that is somewhat rare. If you develop vertigo, see your doctor. Usually it is not a serious condition and can be treated easily.
