Are you aware of the causes and symptoms of vertigo? Also known as bhrama, vertigo is a balance disorder. It is also referred to as a spinning sensation and head rush. A sense of spinning of the nearby surroundings is experienced by a person affected by vertigo. Standing in an upright position becomes difficult. The onset of this condition occurs in several ways. Ayurveda has a complex explanation for vertigo or bhrama, which is as follows:
Ayurvedic approach
According to Ayurveda, vertigo is caused because of your pitta and vata doshas.
Factors causing imbalance in doshas
Ayurvedic treatment
It is recommended for you to visit an Ayurvedic practitioner before starting Ayurvedic treatment for vertigo on your own. He will be able to diagnose your condition and severity, and accordingly, prescribe the best treatment.
Dizziness is usually described as a variety of sensations which comprise of a feeling of faintness, unsteady, weak, light-headed, giddy or woozy. When dizziness causes a false feeling of spinning and the moving surroundings is known as vertigo.
Dizziness can be one of the most common reasons for a visit to the doctor. However, the constant feeling of dizziness can affect a person's life drastically, but it is rarely life-threatening. The treatment of dizzy sensation and dizziness mostly depends on the symptoms.
Causes of Dizziness-
The common causes of dizziness are medication, motion sickness and ear problems, especially disturbances of the inner ear. An injury, infection or poor blood circulation can also lead to dizziness. The triggers of dizziness and the sensations it provides are used to evaluate the cause. Also, the duration of the dizziness and the symptoms lead to a clue towards the cause of the same.
Dizziness Caused By the Inner Ear Problems
The balance of the body depends on the combined effort of many parts of the sensory system. These are:
In vertigo, a person might feel that the things around them are moving thus creating a swaying or a spinning motion. Vertigo is usually caused by the problems of the inner ear.
The common causes are:
Treatment of Vertigo Includes:
Vertigo is a feeling that your head or your surrounding is spinning. It is an illusion of movement. People with vertigo cannot bend down to pick up stuff, as they may feel the spinning sensation.
There are two types i.e. objective and subjective. Vertigo is said to an objective when the surrounding seems to be spinning; subjective is when the person feels their head is spinning. Vertigo can be slightly mysterious to diagnose. There are, however, some causes which can help you understand it better. There are two main types of vertigo: Central and Peripheral. Central vertigo is when there is an issue in the brain that is causing vertigo. Middle ear problems leading to vertigo is known as peripheral vertigo.
Central vertigo:
Peripheral vertigo:
Other causes of vertigo include:
Vertigo refers to dizziness, or spells of dizziness, or rotational dizziness, which can be short term or long term. It is a general symptom for a variety of conditions of the brain, inner ear, sensory nerve pathway, and other sensitive organs. Vertigo has the capability of hampering the day to day functioning of the person. Furthermore, due to these reasons, it has the potential to cause anxiety and depression.
Types of Vertigo & Diagnosis:
Vertigo can be categorized into two major types based on the underlying cause:
1. Peripheral Vertigo: It is said to occur if it is related to the problems of the inner ear, such as its inflammation or an infection in its tiny parts or displacement of tiny particles present in the inner ears.
2. Central Vertigo: It is said to occur if it is related to the problems of the brain (the Central Nervous System) or the sensory nerve pathways.
Vertigo can be diagnosed by physical examination, assessing the medical history followed by undergoing a CT scan or an MRI, as required.
Treatment:
It is important to essentially understand the root cause of the condition and then treat that accordingly for best results.
1. A bacterial infection can be addressed through antibiotics.
2. Nausea and motion sickness can be reduced by using anti-emetics and antihistamines.
3. Sometimes, for patients with intractable Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), surgery is performed to block the area triggering Vertigo.
4. Exercises can also help in managing the milder symptoms of Vertigo without visiting to the doctor for the same.
5. Most of the time, in case of BPPV, physiotherapy is the recommended treatment.
6. Certain lifestyle changes and precautions can be adopted to avoid conditions that trigger Vertigo.
7. Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy goes a long way in managing Vertigo.
Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT) for Managing Vertigo:
Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy, abbreviated as VRT, is a program based on exercise that promotes the retraining of the Central Nervous System and repositioning of the free flowing particles in the fluid present in the inner ear. This helps in treating the condition of the inner ear for managing Vertigo. Its application is based on scientific research and evidence. The major goal of this type of treatment is to let the brain establish coordination again with the inner ear, with eye, and with the proprioceptive system for processing information.
The proprioceptive system consists of the sensory receptors which respond to pressure and stretch. Hence, VRT is effective in improving the diminishing quality of life due to Vestibular Disorders like Vertigo, by addressing both, the primary as well as secondary consequences of the condition. Over a period of time, when the patient becomes sufficiently trained under professional guidance, VRT can then be carried out at home at prescribed intervals based on the specific requirement.
Methods for VRT-
Depending on the clinical examination, the three major methods of exercise for Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy can be prescribed, as described below:
1. Habituation exercises are prescribed for those patients who experience dizziness by movement and by visual stimulation.
2. Gaze Stabilization exercises are prescribed for those patients who experience uncontrolled eye movements leading to unclear vision.
3. Balance Training exercises are prescribed for improving steadfastness, to prevent falling, and to restore balance during performing activities like bending, standing and turning, reaching, walking, and running for helping patients return to their daily lives confidently.
Take Away:
Vertigo is the vestibular condition of dizziness that can be managed through methods like Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy for re-training the brain to coordinate with the affected organs. It helps in restoring the quality of life. VRT is mainly practiced through habituation exercises, gaze stabilization exercises, and balance training exercises.
Balance disorder is more prevalent in old people but they are not the only ones who are affected by it. There are many causes that can lead to balance disorder and some of them can be controlled. Balance problem causes spinning of head coupled with dizziness while standing or sitting which can lead to an injurious fall.
Symptoms
The common symptoms of balance disorder include :
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Depression, anxiety or fear
- Blurred vision
- Disorientation
- Tiredness
- Inability to concentrate
- Changes in heart rate and blood pressure
Causes
- Ear infection
If the vestibular system (which is also called the labyrinth) inside your ear gets infected and inflamed, it can cause balance disorder. This is because the inner part of the ear is responsible for coordination and balance. This condition is known as labyrinthitis and it is frequently accompanied by dizziness and vertigo. Viral and respiratory infections can also cause labyrinthitis.
- Poor circulation
Certain diseases associated with the circulatory system such as stroke can cause dizziness and various other balance problems.
- Medications
There are certain medications that can lead to balance disorder. For example: medications to normalize blood pressure can cause dizziness. Ototoxic drugs are infamous for causing ear problems that lead to imbalance. Sometimes its effects are felt only during the period of using but many people have suffered permanent ear damage.
Other causes of balance disorder include head injury, imbalance of chemicals in the brain, arthritis, neurological conditions and aging.
Prevention
- Balanced diet
Meniere's disease is a condition that causes ear problems which lead to vertigo. It is primarily connected to the change in the volume of fluid in the inner ear. Try to eliminate salt from your diet and abstain from alcohol in order to prevent such a condition.
- Prevention of ear infections
Otitis media is a common kind of ear infection seen in children but adults can have it too. It causes dizziness and nausea. Completing the antibiotics course helps prevent this infection.
One can also opt for an annual flu shot to keep away the flu- related infections in the ear.
Vertigo is marked by a feeling of dizziness and disorientation. This feeling could be so bad that even standing up makes a person feel lightheaded. Vertigo can even make a person feel nauseous.
The five most common causes of vertigo are:
Sound travels through different parts of the hearing system to produce the ultimate sense of sound in the brain. People can hear when a sound wave stimulates the neurological component of the inner ear and takes the sound signals to the brain.
When there is a problem with the ear, human beings cannot hear, or hear garbled sounds. Hearing loss may have different reasons. There may be a tumor in the ear, a problem with the eardrum, the inner ear or the neurological structure. Different conditions can plague the hearing system and cause hearing loss. Some of these conditions can be serious and require medical intervention.
Let us discuss 3 such conditions where the intervention of an audiologist is a must.
Tinnitus is a medical term for a sense of ringing in the ears. It’s annoying, to say the least. But more importantly, it could be a sign of hearing loss. This is why people need to see an audiologist if they have a sense of Tinnitus for a prolonged time. An audiologist can first diagnose the condition, and can then treat this problem with the help of specialized hearing aids.
Vertigo and dizziness are the other two problems that result from a hearing system problem. It may create balance disorders. It is said that vertigo originates in the inner ear. Vertigo can also be treated with the help of physical therapy and medicine.
Sudden Hearing Loss
The human ear cannot hear sounds greater than 85 dB in intensity and 20,000 Hertz in tone. If the sound tone is less than 20 Hertz, then too the human ear is not able to hear anything. Between these two polarities, the human ear is able to catch all types of sounds. If human beings are exposed to sound waves of more than 85 dB in intensity, the ears may get damaged. In that case one may suffer from hearing loss. If a person has recently experienced huge changes in air pressure, exposed to blaring music or noise at close quarters, or had an accident causing loss of hearing, one needs to see an audiologist. The ears need to be assessed for trauma, if any, and treated quickly. However, hearing loss may have other reasons too such as reactions to medicines, head injury or some kind of illness that affects the hearing system. An audiologist would be able to make the right determination.
Recurrent Ear Infections
This is common in children, but that does not mean that adults are immune to it. If there is chronic ear pain, difficulty in hearing along with drainage and fever or a feeling of pressure, an ear infection is most likely. Any doctor can detect an ear infection, however, if it is a recurrent one needs to see an audiologist. He has the wherewithal to evaluate the middle ear with different tests. A person may need treatment that only an audiologist can do.
There can be many situations in which a visit to an Audiologist is warranted; the above 3 are just a tip of the iceberg.
Tiding over an attack of vertigo can be quite challenging. Those who have suffered from vertigo know exactly how distressing it can be! It could happen anytime, anywhere and spin your life out of control within minutes.
Vertigo is a term used to describe a sensation as if everything around you is spinning with a feeling of light-headedness, dizziness and/or unsteadiness. It may be associated with symptoms like nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, altered level of consciousness and hearing loss. It can last a few seconds to a few minutes and occasionally longer too. Vertigo is a common medical problem and affects a large number of people at some point or another during their life.
Some people get recurrent attacks of vertigo and the acute attacks when they come – come suddenly and may lead to falls and injuries to the one suffering. If you or your loved one is suffering from vertigo, it is important to know few First Aid tips, which are of great help during an acute attack of dizziness.
Once the acute attack is over it is recommended that you get yourself evaluated for the cause of vertigo. The treatment and management are more successful if you address the cause of vertigo instead of the symptoms. To know more about vertigo
Once the cause is established and you are under treatment, the following steps will help avoid further attacks.
If you are suffering from severe and frequent episodes of vertigo you must take Homoeopathic treatment to get long-lasting and complete relief. Homeopathy is based on natural laws and holistic principles. It takes into consideration the complete history which not only helps to find out the cause but also helps treat the root cause of vertigo. There are more than 50 natural, chemical and side-effect free medicines in the Homeopathic repertoire for vertigo. Consult our expert Homeopathy physicians and get freedom from vertigo today!
A balancing problem often causes dizziness. When you are standing still, you will have a feeling like everything around you is moving and spinning and that is due to dizziness. Labyrinth is one of the organs present inside the ear, which is a part of the balance system. This organ will interact with the other body organs as well like eyes, bones, joints, etc. Along with these organs, the nervous system and brain can also contribute towards your trouble in balancing.
Symptoms:
There are different symptoms that a person with balancing trouble may face Some of them are as follows:
There are some people who also have problems such as nausea, vomiting, blood pressure, change in heartbeat, diarrhea, anxiety, etc. These symptoms usually last for a short time, but in rare conditions, they last really long.
Causes of balancing trouble:
Bacterial or viral infection, blood circulation disorders, and head injury can be some of the reasons for affecting the internal part of the ear. Along with that, aging and some kind of medications can also cause balance trouble. Basically, the four areas mentioned below may lead to a trouble in balancing:
How is the balancing problem diagnosed?
Based on the symptoms and many other factors, the affected individual will be diagnosed. It is not at all easy to detect balancing problems. The following tests are conducted to determine the problem:
Here is how an audiologist can help you
When you are having hearing and balancing issues, it is always good to consult a certified audiologist. Vertigo or balancing problems can be due to many conditions inside the ear; therefore, an audiologic evaluation should be conducted. The basic cause and the possible treatment for it can be suggested with the help of this evaluation only.
Based on the audiologic evaluation results and the medical findings, the audiologist will be able to find a way to treat dizziness. You will be provided more information about Vertigo in order to understand it in a much better way. So, when the cause is clear and you understand the ailment better, it gets easier for the doctor to treat you and you will be relieved from the scary feeling of getting unbalanced and falling.
What Causes Meniere’s Disease?
Meniere's Disease is a disorder that basically affects the sense of balance and hearing of the patient. This condition takes place in the inner ear and it may cause problems like vertigo, where patients experience a spinning sensation and a ringing sound as well. This is a chronic disorder, which requires a number of lifestyle changes so that it can be managed and treated without becoming a debilitating problem.
Read on to know more about the symptoms and causes of the condition.
Symptoms: The various signs and symptoms of this disease include a feeling of fullness in the ear, which has been affected by the condition. Also, most patients have a spinning sensation and a ringing sound in the affected ear. Nausea and vomiting may also be caused by this condition, along with sweating and loss of balance. It is also normal to feel uncoordinated when you are suffering from this condition.
Secondary Symptoms: This condition may also cause many other complications, which are known as secondary symptoms. These include anxiety, depression and stress. This usually happens due to the problems in the ear and even the problem of vertigo. This may cause problems for people who climb heights or ladders for their work or even for other recreational causes. The constant sense of dizziness and spinning may cause a person to become anxious and undertake stress when it comes to carrying out various kinds of functions in day to day living.
Causes: There are various causes of this condition, even though many medical reports suggest that the exact cause has not really been understood so far. As any doctor will tell you, the in the inner ear there is a labyrinth which contains fluids. When there is a problem with the composition and level of these fluids, the patient may develop Meniere’s Disease. This condition specifically affects the inner part of the ear. This part is made up of passages and a cavity as well as soft membrane like structures with hair like sensors. These sensors respond to the fluid’s movement within the ear. When this fluid does not have the appropriate levels, it can lead to many complications like Meniere’s Disease, which affect the nerve impulse that these sensors catch and transmit to the brain.
Stages: This disease progresses over a set of three stages. In the very first stage, the patient will experience much dizziness and nausea, before that progresses to the second stage. In this stage, the patient will have moderate to severe vertigo. This is also known as the middle stage. Finally, this may culminate into the third or late stage, which leads to more frequent episodes of vertigo. The hearing of the patient and the ringing sound in the ears will also get worse in this stage.