Vertigo

Symptoms

Vertigo is a symptom that can occur from a number of different medical conditions. The term vertigo refers to the sensation of spinning or whirling that occurs as a result of a disturbance in balance. Most of the time vertigo is not a grave condition, but it is very important that you have a full evaluation by your doctor to make sure there are no serious causes. This is particularly true if the vertigo persists over several weeks or months or you have a sudden onset of vertigo associated with other symptoms such as double vision or symptoms of a stroke.Vertigo often occurs as a result of a disorder in the inner ear or the vascular system. The health of these systems reflects, in many ways, the health of the rest of the body.

Causes

• Vertigo can be caused by peripheral and central disorders. Vertigo is usually associated with a problem in the inner ear balance mechanisms (vestibular system). It can also be caused by problems with the nerve that connects the inner ear to the brain, or there could be problems in the brain that cause vertigo. When the problem is in the inner ear, it is called peripheral vertigo. Peripheral vertigo is often associated with hearing loss or tinnitus (ringing in the ears).
• Having a bone mineral density below normal, osteopenia, or having an even greater loss of bone density resulting in fragile porous bones, osteoporosis, which are both predominantly caused by a lack of calcium, are more common in men and women who also have benign positional vertigo. Dr. Ji Soo Kim, from Seoul National University College of Medicine in Korea, said ""These findings suggest a problem with calcium metabolism in people with vertigo. Women most often have their first case of vertigo in their 50s, when they are also having a drop in bone mass due to loss of estrogen. Estrogen is one of the main hormones that influence calcium and bone metabolism." Neurology, March 2009.
• Peripheral vertigo causes more severe vertigo but is less serious. Peripheral, in this case, refers to the inner ear, behind the ear drum.
• Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is the most common cause of peripheral vertigo. This type of vertigo occurs when you move the position of your head in a sudden manner. The attacks last up to a minute. This kind of vertigo results from the dislodgement of normal crystalline structures in the ear's balance detectors. Vestibular rehabilitation exercises may help in this condition. They consist of having you sit on the edge of a table and lie down to one side until the vertigo resolves followed by sitting up and lying down on the other side, again until the vertigo ceases. This is repeated until the vertigo is no longer inducible. Your doctor may offer other exercises for you to do. I am not sure if or how diet or lifestyle changes influence the health of the inner ear, but I would not be surprised if there is a connection.
• Ménière's disease results in severe vertigo, ringing in the ears [tinnitus], and progressive hearing loss).
• Vestibular neuritis (inflammation of vestibular nerve cells; may be caused by viral infection).
• Labyrinthitis is inflammation within the inner ear.
• Ototoxicity - Some medications and environmental chemicals (e.g., lead, mercury, tin) can cause ototoxicity (i.e., ear poisoning), which may result in damage to the inner ear or the 8th cranial nerve (acoustic nerve) and cause vertigo. For a list of medications that can cause vertigo, see several paragraphs below. Many medications are prescribed for high cholesterol, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, or heart problems. Many of these conditions can be helped with dietary and lifestyle changes, hence the additional importance of diet in the long term approach to vertigo treatment. Also, some NSAID medications such as ibuprofen are prescribed for pain, and it is possible that these medications cause damage to the inner ear. Pain is sometimes due to inflammation in the body due to prostaglandins and leukotrienes, and these can be reduced by adopting a healthy diet that reduces overall inflammatory markers. Thus, your need for pain medications can be lowered.
• Central vertigo causes include the following: Migraine headaches, Decreased blood flow to the brain, Brainstem problems and tumors, Cardiovascular disorders such as bradycardia (slowed heart rate), tachycardia (rapid heart rate), or a sudden drop in blood pressure. Orthostatic hypotension (sharp decrease in blood pressure upon rising from a lying or sitting position to a standing position may be caused by diabetes, dehydration, and anemia), Strokes and brain hemorrhage, Head trauma
• Multiple sclerosis can cause vertigo.
• Systemic diseases (e.g., kidney disease, thyroid disorders)
• Tumors that affect the central vestibular system, such as acoustic neuroma. Acoustic neuroma leads to vertigo, along with ringing in the ear on one side, not both ears.
• Medications that can cause vertigo are numerous : In some people symptoms of vertigo can be caused by medications such as chemotherapy drugs, certain antibiotics, some cold and flu medicines, painkillers, antidepressants, antipsychotics, as well as drugs prescribed for high blood pressure, cardiac disorders, diabetes, thyroid disease, depression and anxiety. A partial list of these drugs includes, in alphabetical order: alpha blockers, aspirin, gentamicin, Flomax, Lariam used for malaria prevention, mefloquine used for malaria prevention, Naproxen, phenytoin, and many, many others.
• Other causes of vertigo : Alcohol, in excess, can cause damage to the cells in the ear and cause vertigo.
• Diet - Elevated blood lipids, obesity, and diabetes increase the risk for vertigo. A low calorie, high-protein, low-simple carbohydrate diet may improve symptoms in many patients after a few months of dietary changes.
• Cerumen impaction. If you have trouble hearing, ask you doctor to check your ear canals to make sure there is no wax occlusion.
• Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo may be due to cupulolithiasis and canalolithiasis. The vertigo disorder is treated with training. Trauma and inflammation in the head and neck region may be regarded as possible causes.

Home remedies

To help reduce the symptoms of vertigo, several natural remedies are available.

• Gingko biloba increases blood flow to the brain and may ease dizziness. Emily Kane, ND, LAc, recommends the following: "Start with 250 mg of gingko daily until the vertigo seems significantly diminished in severity and frequency, then reduce to a maintenance dose of 40-60 mg daily."
• Another helpful herb is Valerian : one teaspoon of the tincture once or twice daily.
• Homeopathic remedies for vertigo include: Apis, Baptisa, Belladonna, Bryonia, Cannabis, Cocculus, Conium, Digitalis, Ferrum metallicum, Gelsemium, Lycopodium, Phosphorus, Silica, Rhus-tox.
• Vertigo has been associated with both high cholesterol and high blood sugar (diabetes).
• Diet : Since atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and high blood pressure can directly or indirectly be a cause of vertigo, make dietary changes. These include getting rid of junk foods and simple sugars and white bread, and switching to eating more fish, along with fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Stop or reduce sugared drinks and switch to fresh vegetable juices. For healthy diet suggestions, see this diet web page. If you have high blood pressure, see this hypertension page for ideas on how to lower blood pressure. Dietary changes can reduce your risk for cardiovascular conditions and stroke, and they can reduce your need for heart or blood pressure medications which can be a cause of vertigo. If you have high cholesterol, see this cholesterol page. To lower blood sugar, see the page on diabetes. Diabetics have a much higher risk of developing hearing loss as are nondiabetics which indicates high blood sugar levels to be a potential factor in inner ear disease.Another possible benefit of eating a healthy diet is that it reduces overall inflammation in the body, which could possibly reduce inflammatory problems within the inner ear.
• Smoking - If you are a smoker, do your best to reduce or quit. Smoking causes hardening of the arteries.
• Exercise : Try to take a half hour walk every day if you are able to.
• Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, BPPV, is a common cause of severe dizziness. A series of gentle head and neck movements known as the canalith repositioning procedure is the fastest, easiest way to cure BPPV. Ask your doctor regarding BPPV treatment with a canalith repositioning procedure.

Medical Disclaimer

This information is not meant to be substituted for medical advice. Always consult a medical professional regarding any medical problems and before undertaking any treatment or dietary changes.