Vertigo

What is vertigo?

Dizziness is a common symptom of many medical conditions. Most people feel a little dizzy from time to time, but there are many different types of dizziness, and some are more dangerous than others. Vertigo is one type of dizziness. If you have vertigo, you may often feel like the room is spinning around you.

Left untreated, vertigo symptoms can be debilitating. You might have trouble standing, walking, or driving. Stubborn cases of vertigo can even keep you out of work or school. Vertigo can also increase the risk of falls, especially in older adults.

A visit to Beach Cities ENTS can help you get to the bottom of your vertigo and get back on the road to recovery. Your Beach Cities ENTS physician performs an in-depth evaluation to get to the root cause of your symptoms. 

What causes vertigo?

There is often a link between vertigo and problems in your ears. The inside of your ear is responsible for balance and provides your brain with important information about gravity and physical motion. 

If you have a problem with your ears, it can interfere with the balance signals sent to your brain, and result in vertigo symptoms. Common causes of vertigo can include:

  • Ear infections

  • Ear or head injuries

  • Inner ear inflammation or swelling

  • Tumors within the ears

  • Meniere's disease

  • Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)

BPPV is one of the most common causes of temporary vertigo. BPPV stands for:

  • Benign (non-life threatening)

  • Paroxysmal (sudden onset with short duration)

  • Positional (triggered by head position)

  • Vertigo (the room is spinning)

This condition is caused by tiny balance crystals inside your ears. In your inner ear, you have balance canals (that detects movement) and as balance organs (that detect gravity). Inside the balance organs are tiny calcium carbonate crystals. 

A change in your head position sometimes shifts these tiny crystals out of place, and when the crystals are dislodged and pushed against the balance canal, they can place pressure on your ears, triggering vertigo. 

At Beach Cities ENTS, you can receive a simple in-office test for BPPV. Once your doctor identifies the cause of your vertigo, they create a personalized care plan. Your care plan is designed to relieve your symptoms so you can live without stubborn vertigo.

How is vertigo treated?

If you have BPPV, specialized maneuvers can help. The Epley Maneuver is a simple in-office procedure that repositions the crystals inside your ear. The Beach Cities ENTS team can also teach you exercises to control your symptoms at home and use canalith repositioning techniques to move the crystals back in place.

Sometimes, another ear problem causes vertigo symptoms. A stubborn infection or fluid build-up can make you feel sick or dizzy. If you have one of these conditions, Beach Cities ENTS provides specialized care to help you get better. 

Physical therapy also addresses balance problems. Your physician may refer you to a therapist who specializes in treating vertigo. A therapist can help you improve your balance and feel steady on your feet.

In rare cases, you may need surgery for vertigo. The board-certified surgeons at Beach Cities ENTS have the expertise you need to achieve lasting relief. 

Need help managing vertigo? Call Beach Cities ENTS today or schedule an appointment online.