Vertigo is often used synonymously with dizziness or motion sickness. While dizziness is the one of the hallmark symptoms of vertigo, not all dizziness is actually vertigo. Vertigo is not the same as lightheadedness. In this post, we’ll look at the different types of vertigo and how each kind differs in their causes and symptoms. Hopefully by the end, you will have a better understanding of what vertigo is.
Vertigo is a term used to describe the feeling that your surroundings are moving or spinning, when in fact they are not. People who experience vertigo may feel like they are falling, even when they are sitting safely in a chair. Since your sense of balance is also affected with vertigo, many people do in fact fall or have a hard time walking when they have vertigo. Severe vertigo can also cause nausea and vomiting. The symptoms of vertigo may last anywhere from a few minutes to several days at a time.
The most common type of vertigo is benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), also know as benign positional vertigo (BPV). BPPV Usually affects middle-aged and older adults, and affects women twice as frequently as men. BPPV can also occur in younger people (under the age of 50) as a result of head injury. BPPV (when not caused by head injury) is caused by small “rocks” that form from debris in the inner ear. BPPV can be aggrevated by changes in position, such as bending over and standing up again or rolling over in bed. The good news is that BPPV often goes away on its own, usually within a couple of months. The symptoms frequently come and go during that time and over-the-counter motion sickness medications can help alleviate them. There are also procedures or exercises that can be done at home or in a doctor’s office that are sometimes effective for treating BPPV.
Other types of vertigo can also be caused by inner ear infections that cause swelling of the inner ear nerves, migraine headaches, and multiple sclerosis. Some drugs (or combinations of drugs) may cause vertigo as a side effect. Stress, mood and anxiety disorders and alcohol abuse can also cause vertigo.
So, as you can see, vertigo is complicated. It can be complicated for doctor’s to diagnose and sometime complicated to treat. There is not one type of vertigo with one treatment. For this reason is it important to consult a knowledgeable, qualified health care practitioner to accurately diagnose and treat vertigo.