VERTIGO is a type of dizziness felt as a shift in a person’s relationship to the normal environment (a feeling that the room is spinning is common) or a sense of movement in space. It differs from dizziness in that vertigo describes an illusion of movement. When you feel as if you yourself are moving, it’s called subjective vertigo, and the perception that your surroundings are moving is called objective vertigo. Although dizziness and vertigo are often used interchangeably, they are not the same thing.
While all vertigo is dizziness, not all dizziness is vertigo.
Known causes
Vertigo can be caused by problems in the brain or the inner ear. Labyrinthitis refers to a variety of conditions within the inner ear. It may be associated with inflammation, an upper respiratory infection or nerve deterioration. Central nervous system disorders that can cause vertigo as a symptom include multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, neck injuries, certain forms of migraine, acoustic neuroma, cerebellar and brain stem tumors, and transient ischemic attacks. Migraine headaches can also cause vertigo.
Identify it
A patient may experience severe vertigo for days or weeks. Nausea, vomiting, and involuntary eye movements are common. The condition gradually improves, but symptoms can persist for weeks or months. The effects of vertigo may be slight. In severe cases, it may give rise to difficulties with standing and walking.
Prevention
Benign positional paroxysmal vertigo (BPPV) is a disorder of the inner ear.
The cause usually is unknown, but an upper respiratory tract infection or a minor blow to the head may be responsible.
This type of vertigo occurs abruptly when you move your head up and down, or when you turn over in bed.
Avoiding positions that bring this on may reduce its occurrence. People whose balance is affected by vertigo should take precautions to prevent injuries from falls. Those with risk factors for stroke should control their high blood pressure and high cholesterol and stop smoking.
Treatment
Treatment depends on the diagnosis.
Tests of vestibular system (balance) function include electronystagmography (ENG), rotation tests, caloric reflex test , and computeried dynamic posturography (CDP). Tests of auditory system (hearing) function include pure-tone audiometry, speech audiometry, acoustic-reflex, electrocochleography (ECoG), otoacoustic emissions (OAE), and auditory brainstem response test. Other diagnostic tests include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computerised axial tomography (CAT or CT).
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