Vertigo can make it feel as if the room is spinning, tilting or moving when it is not. Recent research cited in the article found that one in five people experience vertigo; peripheral vertigo accounts for about 80% to 90% of cases, according to the American Medical Association.
What Is Vertigo?
Vertigo is a specific type of dizziness involving a sensation of movement when no movement is happening, said Rebecca Andrews, a physical therapist who specializes in vertigo and vestibular conditions at Gaylord Specialty Healthcare in Connecticut.
Dizziness is a broader term. It can describe lightheadedness, imbalance, disorientation, a floating feeling or feeling “off.” Distinguishing vertigo from other kinds of dizziness can help identify what may be causing the symptoms.
Possible Causes of Vertigo
Some causes involve the vestibular system, which helps the body maintain balance. Peripheral vestibular disorders affect structures in the inner ear, including the vestibular organs and labyrinth. Central vestibular disorders involve the brain and its balance pathways.
Other conditions may produce dizziness or vertigo-like sensations. These include vitamin deficiencies, thyroid or adrenal disorders, dehydration, low or high blood sugar, and dysautonomia. Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or POTS, can cause dizziness when standing and, for some people, sensations described as vertigo.
How BPPV Can Cause Spinning
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, or BPPV, is one common peripheral type. Small calcium carbonate crystals, called otoconia, can move from their normal location in the inner ear into one of the semicircular canals. That can trigger brief spells of positional vertigo, often when someone rolls over in bed, lies down or looks up.
Other possible causes include vestibular migraine, one of the more common causes of spontaneous episodic vertigo. Anxiety can worsen existing dizziness and may contribute to persistent postural-perceptual dizziness, or PPPD, which can involve ongoing unsteadiness or non-spinning vertigo.
Allergies that contribute to eustachian tube dysfunction and increased middle-ear pressure may worsen BPPV, said Dr. Jason Bellak, a clinical research investigator at the Allergy and Asthma Center in Las Vegas. Depending on the cause, evaluation may involve specialists such as vestibular therapists, allergists or neurologists.
If you have recurring spinning or balance symptoms, a health care professional can help assess what may be causing them.
Add a Comment