Spk Dental & ENT Clinic

What is Vertigo and what causes it?

Vertigo:

Vertigo is a sensation or feeling of spinning around and losing one’s balance even though there is no movement in you or environment.

What causes vertigo?

If the vertigo is caused by problems in the brain or central nervous system it is referred as central vertigo and if the vertigo is caused by problems in inner ear, then it is termed as a peripheral vertigo.

The labyrinth of the inner ear has tiny organs that allow messages to be sent to the brain in response to gravity. By intimating our brains about the movement from the vertical position, we are able to maintain balance or equilibrium. Disturbance to this system therefore produces vertigo that can be created by inflammation among other causes.

The inflammation can be observed in the following conditions -

Labyrinthitis:

This is inflammation of labyrinth and vestibular nerve (the nerve that is responsible for encoding the body’s motion and position)

Vestibular neuronitis:

This is due to inflammation of the vestibular nerve.

Meniere’s disease:

It is a disorder of the inner ear that is characterized by episodes of vertigo, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), hearing loss, and fullness in the ear. The cause of Meniere’s disease is unclear but likely involves both genetic and environmental factors. A number of theories exist for why it occurs including constrictions in blood vessels, viral infections, and autoimmune reactions.

Cervical Spondylosis :

Patients having slight degeneration of the cervical spine and presence of osteophytes also have a tendency to develop Vertigo.

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo(BPPV):

(BPPV) is the thought to be caused by a disturbance in the otolith particles. Otolith particles are the crystals of calcium carbonate presnt in the inner ear fluid that pull on sensory hair cells during movement and so stimulate the vestibular nerve to send positional information to the brain. In people with BPPV, endolymph fluid continues to move even after normal head movement has stopped.

BPPV vertigo can also be caused by

• A head injury
• Reduced blood flow in a certain area of the brain
• An episode of labyrinthitis
• Ear surgery
• Prolonged bed rest.

Central vertigo:

Central vertigo occurs by following causes -

• When there is disturbance to the part of the brain (brainstem and cerebellum) that deals with interaction between the senses of vision and balance and,
• Sensory messages to and from the thalamus.
• Migraine headache
• Transient ischemic attack (TIA)
• Multiple sclerosis: The inability to move the eyes to the midline toward the nose.
• Acoustic neuroma: Vertigo causing one sided ringing in the ear and hearing loss.

Symptoms of Vertigo:

Vertigo is normally caused by a change in the position of the head. The following symptoms may be experienced by the people, who are suffering from Vertigo

• Spinning
• Vomiting
• Feeling nauseated
• Unbalanced
• Pulled to one direction
• Ringing in the ears or hearing loss
• Abnormal or jerking eye movements (nystagmus)
• Sweating
• Headache

Treatment for vertigo:

Treatment for vertigo depends upon the type and severity of the problem. Avoiding consumption of substances that can affect circulation, including caffeine, tobacco, or alcohol, drinking plenty of fluids.

Consumption of lavender and vitamin-D rich food.

Physiotherapy exercises include head and body movements done while sitting on bed (It is better to take guidance of physiotherapists for better and fast relief.)

Medications or treatment can be taken only after doctor’s consultation. Homeopathic treatment is fast and the relief will be long lasting. In most of the cases homeopathic medicines cured the disease without surgeries and side effects when conventional medical system suggested surgery.

Common remedies for Vertigo :

1. CONIUM MACULATUM - Conium is an excellent remedy for the treatment of vertigo with difficult gait, trembling, sudden loss of strength while walking. People complain about vertigo when lying down and turning over in bed. Slight noise or conversation of others or even shaking the head slighlty produces vertigo.

2.  COCCULUS INDICUS - Vertigo accompanied by nausea during travelling can be very effectively treated with this Homeopathic medicine. Cocculus gives very good results when the Vertigo is accompanied by nausea.

3. BELLADONNA - Severe throbbing of the head associated with vertigo. Patient feels that he is falling to left side or backwards. It is also effective in patients with Cervical Spondylosis.

4. CALCAREA FLUORICA - Best remedy for treatment of Vertigo due to Cervical Spondylosis where bony tissue is involved.

Therapy for Sleep Disorders

Sinusitis or sinus infections can be quite a debilitating ailment when it becomes recurrent. Sinuses are cavities within our head just behind the nose which extends up to our forehead and to certain areas of the cheeks. These cavities are filled with a mucosal lining which helps you breathe and also filters the air which goes to the lungs. When the mucosal lining gets inflamed, it blocks the normal drainage of the mucus into the nose. This results in headaches, nasal polyps and general discomfort. Homeopathy offers some great remedies for this condition, without side effects. Some of these are discussed below.

Homeopathic remedies for sinus problems

1. Belladonna: This medication is very effective when the sinusitis has resulted in a suppressed discharge from the nose which occurs intermittently. If you have a splitting headache which feels unbearable, Belladonna can help relieve the symptoms quickly. If the infection of the sinus has spread to the throat and results in cough, Belladonna can be equally effective in those circumstances as well.
2. Pulsatilla: If you are experiencing a greenish mucosal discharge from your nose without a painful burning sensation within it, Pulsatilla can be a very effective cure. Another indication where this medication is very effective is when you have headaches centered just above your eyes rather than over the forehead or other parts of your face.
3. Kali Bichrome: This is another commonly prescribed medication to deal with the symptoms of sinusitis as well as to reduce inflammation and cure sinusitis altogether. If you have a lot of mucosal discharge that drops into your throat along with discharges through the nose, Kali Bichrome is the drug to go to. Other indications where it is effective are pain and heaviness in the nose and the inability to breathe with headaches in and around the eyes.
4. Silicea: If you are feeling cold and constantly chilly along with nasal stuffiness, Silicea is the medication to go to. Along with discharges, your nose may form hard mucous crusts within it. Trying to manually remove these crusts may also cause bleeding. Silicea will reduce these symptoms and is also effective in reducing a headache which occurs mostly on the left side of your face.
5. Merc Sol: If you are experiencing a yellowish green discharge from the nose along with a burning sensation and increased saliva secretion in your mouth, Merc Sol is the remedy to turn to. It is also effective wherein the headache has spread all around the head.

The common reason why most of us get throat infections is because they are viral in nature. This means that if one person gets a throat infection then he transmits it to others by touching, coughing and sneezing etc.
Viral throat infections can be managed easily. There are several home remedies that can alleviate your viral infection. However, it is suggested to consult an ENT specialist if the home remedy is not providing any relief to you.

1. Gargling: It is one of the most popular methods of treating viral throat infection. All you need to do is mix one tablespoon of salt in 200 ml of water and warm the solution. When the water becomes lukewarm, take a small portion of it and rinse your throat with the solution. Take care that the solution remains within your throat and does not reach your stomach. Rinse your throat for 5 minutes and repeat the procedure after a rest of 2 minutes. Ensure that the water remains lukewarm for effectiveness.
2. Inhalation: Another common method of ridding yourself of viral throat infections is to inhale steam. Boil some water mixed with eucalyptus oil. When the water starts developing bubbles, take your face near it, cover it and the pot containing water with a dry towel and inhale the steam. This procedure is inconvenient for many people because inhalation results in sweating, but the result is perceptible. You must inhale steam for at least five minutes. Once you are done with inhalation, avoid taking cool fluids like cold water etc., else the effect would be reversed and your infection might get more severe.
3. Take lots of fluids: Strange as it may sound, viral throat infection can also be treated by taking lots of hot fluids. The warm temperature helps in neutralising the viruses, while the fluids prevent the dehydration of the body. Take hot tea, coffee etc. when you have an infected throat.
4. Drink hot milk and turmeric: Many mothers administer this solution to their kids to treat throat infections caused by viruses. This concoction is best taken before sleeping in the night. Turmeric has been found to carry several anti-microbial properties.
5. Avoid smoking: If you are a smoker, you must avoid smoking to alleviate your viral throat infection.
6. Use decongestants and nasal sprays: These substances make breathing easier by contracting the swollen mucous membranes. Nasal sprays also help relieve runny noses and post-nasal drips, which are so irritating and inconvenient to many. However, avoid administering this remedy to small children. Since these sprays contain synthetic drugs, it is advisable to stick to prescribed dosages for different age groups. Please also consult your ENT doctor before administering the nasal sprays to yourself or anybody else.

Causes, Symptoms and the Treatment for Sinus Problems