What Triggers Vertigo Attacks? – Georgetown Ear, Nose and Throat Center P.A.

August 14, 2020

in ENT

August 14, 2020

Tagged With: Dr. Scott William Franklin; Georgetown ENT; Georgetown Ear, ENT, Vertigo, Vertigo Attacks

People who experience vertigo describe it as a sensation of spinning, or a feeling that your head is spinning. It is more than just feeling dizzy, and it may cause you to lose your balance and fall. The balance issues caused by vertigo can be a significant safety risk.

A vertigo attack can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few days. To ease the symptoms, vertigo sufferers are advised to move slowly and purposefully, and to avoid rapid movements.

This condition may go away on its own without medical treatment – but if it lasts for days or weeks, it may be due to a condition called Ménière’s disease, which is a type of inner ear disorder. If you are experiencing vertigo along with other symptoms, such as loss of vision, hearing changes, and/or speech changes, or if it has gone on for days, see a doctor right away.

Vertigo has certain triggers, so doctors recommend that people with vertigo avoid the triggers as much as possible. Let’s talk about some of those triggers and who you can see about your symptoms of vertigo.

What Are the Common Vertigo Triggers?

Vertigo attacks may be caused by ear conditions, migraine attacks, and some types of medication. You will begin to realize that certain movements trigger the sensations it causes.

In the case of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), which is one of the most common forms of this condition, any movement that can cause a shift in the calcium carbonate crystals (which help you keep your balance) in the utricle (an inner ear organ) can trigger a vertigo attack. This is because the crystals respond to gravity, so they can throw you off-balance if they are thrown off-balance.

For instance, rolling over in bed can trigger the spinning feeling, especially if you roll onto the side whose ear is causing the vertigo attacks. Moreover, positions such as tipping your head backward and bending your head forward might trigger vertigo.

A blow to the head, damage to the inner ear, or remaining on your back for an extended period of time are all common triggers of a vertigo attack. Basically, anything that can cause a shifting of the calcium carbonate crystals can result in feelings of vertigo.

How Is Vertigo Diagnosed?

A doctor can run diagnostic tests that can determine whether your vertigo is indeed caused by an ear disorder or by a medical condition affecting the brain. An otolaryngologist (an ear, nose, and throat [ENT] specialist) can perform a thorough evaluation of your condition to determine the cause of your vertigo. The condition can then be addressed and treated.

ENT Specialist in Georgetown, Texas

Our experienced physicians at Georgetown ENT can perform comprehensive hearing and balance tests to determine the cause of ear, nose, and throat issues affecting adult and pediatric patients. Here in our clinic, we can perform a quick repositioning procedure for patients who have benign paroxysmal positional vertigo for immediate relief from symptoms.

If you have questions or if you wish to schedule a consultation, call Georgetown ENT today at (512) 869-0604 or complete our appointment request form online now. We look forward to helping you take control of your vertigo so you can enjoy your life fully!

Vertigo | nidirect

Vertigo is a symptom, rather than a condition itself. It’s the sensation that you, or the environment around you, is moving or spinning. The sensation of moving or spinning makes vertigo different from simple dizziness.

Symptoms of vertigo

The sensation that you, or the environment around you, is moving or spinning may be:

• barely noticeable
• so severe that you find it difficult to keep your balance and do everyday tasks

Attacks of vertigo can develop suddenly and last for a few seconds, or they may last much longer.

If you have severe vertigo, your symptoms may be constant and last for several days. This can make normal life difficult.

Other symptoms associated with vertigo may include:

• loss of balance – which can make it difficult to stand or walk
• feeling sick or being sick
• dizziness 

When to see your GP 

You should see your GP if you:

• have vertigo that won’t go away or keeps coming back

Ask for an urgent appointment if you:

• also have a severe headache
• are vomiting or feel very sick
• have a very high temperature or you feel hot and shivery

Your GP will ask about your symptoms and can carry out a simple examination to help work out which type of vertigo you may have, and discuss how best to treat it.

Depending on your symptoms, your GP may refer you to a specialist for further tests.

When to go to the emergency department

Go to the emergency department if you have vertigo and:

• double vision or loss of vision
• hearing loss
• trouble speaking
• leg or arm weakness, numbness or tingling

Always take someone who has lost consciousness to an emergency department or call 999.

Causes of vertigo 

Vertigo is commonly caused by a problem with the way balance works in the inner ear. It can also be caused by problems in certain parts of the brain.

Causes of vertigo may include:

• benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) – where certain head movements trigger vertigo
• migraines – severe headaches
• labyrinthitis – an inner ear infection
• vestibular neuronitis – inflammation of the vestibular nerve, which runs into the inner ear and sends messages to the brain that help to control balance
• Meniere’s disease – thought to be caused by increased fluid pressure in the inner ear – it may occur as a result of viral or bacterial ear infections, or metabolic or immune disorders 

Much less common causes include:

• stroke and ‘mini stroke’ (transient ischaemic attack)
• brain (cerebellar) tumour
• acoustic neuroma
• multiple sclerosis

Depending on the condition causing vertigo, you may experience additional symptoms, such as a high temperature, ringing in your ears (tinnitus) and hearing loss.

Treatment for vertigo 

Some cases of vertigo improve over time, without treatment. Some people have repeated episodes for many months, or even years, such as those with Ménière’s disease.

There are specific treatments for some causes of vertigo. A series of simple head movements (known as the Epley manoeuvre) is used to treat BPPV.

If appropriate, your GP may prescribe medication. This can help in the early stages of most cases of vertigo.

If your symptoms are severe or not resolving your GP may refer you to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist.

Many people with vertigo also benefit from referral for vestibular rehabilitation training (VRT), which is a series of exercises for people with dizziness and balance problems.  

Self care 

Depending on what’s causing your vertigo, there may be things you can do yourself to help relieve your symptoms. Your GP or the specialist treating you may advise you to:

• do simple exercises to correct your symptoms
• sleep with your head slightly raised on two or more pillows
• get up slowly when getting out of bed and sit on the edge of the bed for a minute or so before standing
• avoid bending down to pick up items
• avoid extending your neck – for example, while reaching up to a high shelf
• move your head carefully and slowly during daily activities
• do exercises that trigger your vertigo, so your brain gets used to it and reduces the symptoms (do these only after making sure you won’t fall, and have support if needed)

Safety

If you have vertigo, there are some safety issues to consider. For example:

• you should tell your employer if your job involves operating machinery or climbing ladders
• you may be at increased risk of falls – see preventing falls for advice on making your home safer and reducing your risk

Vertigo could also affect your ability to drive. You should avoid driving if you’ve recently had episodes of vertigo and there’s a chance you may have another episode while you’re driving.

If you’ve had or currently suffer from a medical condition or disability that may affect your driving you must tell the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA).

• How to tell DVA about a medical condition

Fear of heights 

The term vertigo is often incorrectly used to describe a fear of heights. The medical term for a fear of heights and the dizzy feeling associated with looking down from a high place is “acrophobia”.

• Find out more about vertigo on the NHS website

More useful links

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        What are the causes of dizziness?

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        Surely this happened to everyone: it swam before their eyes or staggered to the side. In itself, dizziness is, of course, not a disease and can be a completely harmless phenomenon. However, this unpleasant condition can be a signal of the body about a health problem.

        It is very important to be able to recognize the internal signals of the body, because the true cause of dizziness can indicate problems such as:

        1. Spinal problems

           Problems in various parts of the spine are one of the causes of frequent dizziness. The most common problem area is the neck. Even a slight pinching in the cervical spine can disrupt the supply of oxygen to the brain. As a result, a person feels weak, dizzy or even has a headache. When turning or any movement of the head, the symptoms are aggravated.

           You should be aware that getting into an accident can cause pinching or displacement of the vertebrae. In an accident, due to a strong push, the head leans sharply back and then sharply forward, as a result, the victim is threatened with sprain.

           With frequent dizziness caused by any problems with the spine, it is necessary to contact a specialist in manual therapy. An experienced doctor will be able to restore the blood supply by putting the vertebrae in place. It may take some time to wear special orthopedic products, so that after treatment by a chiropractor, the spine “gets used” to the correct position.

        2. Nervous disorders

           Neurotic disorders, depression and even just overwork can cause a strong reaction of the body. The culmination of the disease is migraine – constant and very severe headaches. They may be accompanied by dizziness, tinnitus.

           It is difficult to cure a migraine. This requires an integrated approach, because the causes of the disease can be other diseases that you do not even suspect. A competent neurologist will help you understand them and recommend effective treatment.

        3. Diseases of the vestibular apparatus

           In the body there is a system (vestibular center) responsible for controlling the balance and position of the human body in space. Disturbances in the vestibular center can be the cause of severe dizziness, loss of orientation, swaying. There is a feeling of movement of one’s own body and objects around. Since the vestibular center is located in the ear, in case of problems with it, hearing loss is possible.

           Consultation with diseases of the vestibular apparatus can be given by an otolaryngologist. It also does not interfere with visiting a neurologist. The joint work of two specialists will help overcome the disease.

           Dizziness can also be a sign of such serious diseases as stroke, multiple sclerosis, brain tumor, inflammation of the central nervous system. The sooner you see a doctor, the more likely you are to be helped.

           Among other things, there are many individual cases. For example, diabetic patients may feel dizzy when the concentration of glucose in the blood decreases. With anemia or a malfunction of the thyroid gland, dizziness occurs, which a person feels as a loss of balance. Hypotonic patients note a similar symptom when changing the position of the body.

        4. Vascular diseases

           People suffering from high or low blood pressure often complain of dizziness. Slight pressure surges are possible for everyone, but when too high or too low values ​​are kept for a long time, the arteries of the brain are damaged. They become narrow and inelastic and, accordingly, pass the blood flow worse, so that it puts a lot of pressure on the walls of the vessels. There are dizziness, noise and ringing in the ears.

           A more dangerous vascular disease, the symptoms of which can also be dizziness, is atherosclerosis. Plaques build up on the walls of the arteries, which interfere with normal blood circulation.

           First of all, carefully monitor your blood pressure. In case of problems, do not postpone the visit to the therapist. After diagnosing, he will definitely give a referral to the right specialist.

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        Good afternoon,
        My son (24 years old) has Shaurman Mau disease. About 10 years ago, they underwent treatment in medical clinics, wore a polyurethane corset for 3 months. Now there is no cure.
        Can you help him with something.?

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        Dear Marina Petrovna!

        At the age of your son, 24 years old, illness …

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        Question: Kolosova Olga Igorevna

        Hello! I’m 33 years old. I’ve been worried about 4 months of noise in my head or ears, it’s not clear how it’s like the ear is stuffed up, how it “presses” on the ear from the inside, there are also occasional headaches and my neck hurts as if in a vertebra. We didn’t see any problems with the ENT .Did an MRI of the cervical region: conclusion: osteochondrosis, deforming spondyloarthrosis of the cervical region. vertebral arthrosis 1-2 stages. Asymmetry of the vertebral arteries. There are also problems in the TMJ-manifestations of arthrosis, bilateral synovitis, anterior-external reducible dislocation of the articular disc on the right and left. Tell me, my ear problems can be associated with the neck, can you help? or is it TMJ giving this

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        Olga Igorevna, I can tell you for sure only after the elimination of the atlanto-axial subluxation that you have. This is done at the first appointment. In order to see the cause of your disease, you need to examine …

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        I feel good.

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        Why dizziness: a neurologist named two reasons

        • Health

        Not everything that we usually call dizziness, in fact, is. According to Denis Zakharov, a neurologist at the National Medical Research Center. Ankylosing spondylitis, to understand the cause of true dizziness – vertigo, you do not need an MRI or CT scan – a fairly competent specialist with a hammer. And sometimes you need to urgently call an ambulance, without waiting until it “passes by itself.”

        June 1, 202129

        Source:

        pexels.com

        Dizziness or unsteadiness?

        As Denis Zakharov told “Doctor Peter”, most often the complaints of patients about the ground leaving from under their feet are not actually associated with true dizziness.

        – Often patients refer to all similar conditions as dizziness – from feeling intoxicated to the inability to walk due to the “loss” of the horizon. True dizziness or the so-called vertigo is precisely the sensation of an imaginary rotation, and not instability like when a ship is rolling or something else, says the neurologist.

        If you feel that your head is spinning, it is important to first understand whether it is spinning or instability.

        Read also

        Dizziness does not have a million reasons

        According to Denis Zakharov, true dizziness, unlike a headache, is rarely found in the list of symptoms of some diseases. The reasons why a person suddenly develops vertigo can be globally divided into two groups.

        1. In 90% of cases, real dizziness is associated with damage to the vestibular apparatus. Its “breakage” can occur for various reasons, for example, due to infection or injury. But often, according to the doctor, the initial cause remains unknown – the patient is diagnosed with “benign positional vertigo” without specifying the cause.

        2. In 10% of cases of dizziness are associated with damage to the brain structures responsible for balance. For example, most often this happens with a stroke. As a rule, in this case, other noticeable symptoms join the circling – double vision, a change in sensitivity in an arm or leg or in an arm and leg on one side of the body, vomiting. And then you don’t have to try to lie down in anticipation that everything will pass by itself, but urgently call an ambulance.

        Vestibular apparatus is a paired organ that perceives changes in the position of the head and body in space. It is located in the inner ear. As Denis Zakharov explained, the vestibular apparatus consists of 3 semicircular canals – tubes filled with a colloidal solution with floating crystals. When tilted, these crystals fall on one or another channel wall. Severe dizziness to the point of loss of balance occurs when 5 crystals conditionally fall, and a person feels them like all 500. In fact, this can be compared with a breakdown of the analyzer – instead of one signal, it starts to give out 500.

        Source:

        pixabay.com

        Instead of tomography, a neurologist with a hammer

        Ankylosing spondylitis, in order to identify true dizziness and understand its main cause, no expensive examination methods are needed, including CT and MRI – they still won’t show anything.

        – Patients are often prescribed unnecessary costly research methods that will not show anything in this situation. Dizziness always frightens a person, besides, it often causes nausea and vomiting. The man only turned his head in bed, and everything was gone to nowhere. What is he thinking about right now? About a stroke. He is then given a CT scan or MRI – they will not “see” anything, as well as most other research methods. To clarify the diagnosis and level of damage in any dizziness, all you need is a qualified doctor and a neurological hammer. You can even do without a tool. Already at the first appointment, an experienced neurologist with a probability of 99% can diagnose and prescribe the correct treatment. An ambulance doctor, if a stroke is suspected, can also immediately determine whether the patient really has an acute cerebrovascular accident, whether he needs to be hospitalized or nevertheless referred for a consultation with a neurologist, Denis Zakharov believes.

        Vestibular problems that cause dizziness are not fatal and are usually treated successfully. The patient is prescribed drug therapy for 1-6 months. In addition, while taking medication, it is necessary to perform vestibular exercises, which will contribute to the fastest recovery.

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        How to train the vestibular apparatus

        The number of people suffering from dizziness is growing, which, according to the doctor, is quite understandable.

        – People lead a sedentary lifestyle, making head movements maximum “desk – monitor screen”. Therefore, it is necessary to train the vestibular apparatus not only for those who already have dizziness, but in principle for everyone, says Denis Zakharov.