The Causes and Symptoms of Vertigo
10-03-2016 | Posted By: Admin | 2601 View(s)
Vertigo and dizziness are reported by every 1 in 5 adults these days, predominantly by the old. The general symptoms of vertigo include Spinning, Tilting, Swaying, a sensation of floating, headache, sweating, ringing in the ear or hearing loss and loss of consciousness in some. When the information provided by the eyes, muscles and the vestibules fails to get balanced by the central nervous system, vertigo occurs. Vertigo is the feeling that you or your surroundings are spinning.We will discuss the various factors which can cause vertigo but just for a snapshot -The various reasons which can cause vertigo are-Usually, trouble with your ear — infections, problems with inner ear fluids (Meniere’s disease), non-cancerous tumours, and damage to the vestibular system — can trigger the spins. Sometimes it’s caused by stroke, migraines, or medication side effects. If you need to know more, please read on!
The Central Nervous System of Balance:
Visual information helps the brain to understand how an object is oriented on its environment. This is acquired with the help of rods and cones present in the retina of our eyes. Information from the muscles treatment is proprioceptive information. This mainly includes information from the neck and ankles. Impulses from the neck help the brain obtain directional information about a person’s head and impulses from the ankle give details on the nature of a surface.
The vestibular apparatus refers to three main organs situated inside both the ears, namely, utricle, saccule and semicircular canals. Utricle and saccule are important for the perception of gravity by the body and also to calculate the linear movement of an object. The semicircular canals are three in number which helps in perceiving the rotational motion of an object. Together, these organs send symmetrical impulses to the brain, which in turn strikes a balance. When this symmetry is lost, vertigo occurs in that person.
This mainly includes information from the neck and ankles. Impulses from neck help the brain obtain directional information about a person’s head and impulses from the ankle give details on the nature of a surface. The vestibular apparatus refers to three main organs situated inside both the ears, namely, utricle, saccule and semicircular canals. Utricle and saccule are important for the perception of gravity by the body and also to calculate the linear movement of an object.
The semicircular canals are three in number which helps in perceiving the rotational motion of an object. Together, these organs send symmetrical impulses to the brain, which in turn strikes a balance. When this symmetry is lost, vertigo occurs in that person.
Deposition of tumour in the inner ear:
Vertigo can occur due to the accumulation of calcium carbonate crystals in the inner ear. These crystals are called as ‘Canaliths’. They are nothing but break down products of utricle which in turn migrate to the semi-circular canals and deposit there. This condition is termed as the ‘Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo’ and has several quick ways of treatment. The treatment procedure takes about 15 minutes, which includes the removal of these crystals from its place of deposition and repositioning them back to the utricle.
Pressure Changes in the Ear:
The inner ear is filled with a fluid named endolymph which is important for hearing and maintaining balance. Sometimes a duct in the ear gets blocked, or excessive fluid gets produced thus resulting in a feeling of fullness. This increased pressure of the ear can result in ringing in that ear and a constant feeling of a headache. This disease usually affects only one ear and is termed as Meniere’s disease. The most common symptom of this disease is vertigo.
Infections of the Inner Ear:
Bacterial and viral infections of the ear can result in vertigo. Viral infections occur more frequently than bacterial. These infections usually affect only one ear and cause great discomfort. The viral infection causes inflammation of the inner ear or the nerves leading to the brain. This may occur as a result of the patient having suffered from measles, rubella, influenza, polio, mumps and other similar viral diseases. Sometimes the infection may appear to go dormant for a while but resurface in no time. In the case of bacterial infections, toxins produced by the bacteria affect the inner ear and cause inflammation of the eardrum thus resulting in vertigo. Lesions in any of the three sensory systems or between the systems can thus cause vertigo or dizziness in a person. Vertigo may also be associated with Head Injury, Stoke or tumour, Medications that can lead to ear damage and Migraine or Headaches.
The Treatment of Vertigo
The Treatment of Vertigo depends upon what is causing the problem, and in quiet a few cases, it could go away without any treatment. A lot of times it goes away with mild medication. If vertigo is caused by an infection or inflammation, antibiotics or steroids may reduce swelling and cure the infection. In some remote cases, Surgery could also be an option if the underlying cause is a tumour or injury to the brain or neck. If it’s not a symptom of an ongoing problem, your doctor may prescribe drugs that block nerve impulses, calm anxiety, and control nausea. Antihistamines, the kind of medicine you take for allergies, can also prevent or lessen motion sickness.
However if symptoms persist it can lead to other complications and as such, it is always advisable to visit a Doctor in case any symptoms of Vertigo are felt.
