Many of us remember this feeling, when the child sleeps around and around on the playground until dizziness, and even when we stopped turning, it seemed that everything around us was still spinning? This is what looks like dizziness.
Dizziness is a common symptom reported by adults during visits to their doctors. The average level of vertigo is 3 percent in people under 60 years of age and 1 in 10 people over 60 years old. The relapse rate is between 40-50% over 5 years. Almost every person experiences a few seconds of disorientation at some point, but frequent episodes of vertigo, whether only a few seconds or days, are the primary sign of vestibular dysfunction, especially when they are associated with changes in head position. Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is the most common form of vertigo and is characterized by a sensation of movement caused by sudden movements of the head or movement of the head in a particular direction. About 1 in 5 people who have dizziness will have BPPV. This number increases in the elderly or in risk groups. Dizziness is a sensation of lightness, lack or instability. Unlike vertigo, vertigo has a rotational, rotating component and represents the perception of movement, be it self or surrounding objects. Diffusion simply means instability, an imbalance that is often accompanied by spatial disorientation.
Vestibular system 101:
The vestibular system includes parts of the inner ear and brain that process sensory information related to controlling balance and eye movements. If the disease or injury damages these treatment areas, vestibular disorders may be present. The vestibular apparatus, a series of channels located inside the ear, includes a structure that contains tiny crystals of calcium carbonate. These crystals help the body detect gravity, tilt, and rate of change of linear movements, such as stopping and starting at a traffic light. BPPV occurs when some of the crystals exit their normal chamber and enter one or more channels. Symptoms of dizziness are mainly caused by confusion of signals to the brain.
Benign Paroxysmal Positioning Vertigo (BPPV) Checklist:
- My dizziness lasts only a few seconds, not hours or days.
- I can identify the symptoms with certain head positions.
- It looks like the room or my body is spinning.
- My dizziness is not associated with a change in hearing or tinnitus.
The causes of dizziness are either central, associated with the brain or central nervous system, or peripheral, associated with organs of the inner ear. The central causes are associated with the brain itself such a tumor or stroke, or are associated with external conditions that indirectly affect the brain like drugs and alcohol. Other disorders that indirectly affect the brain include heart disease and rhythm disturbances that interrupt the supply of oxygen to the brain and can cause dizziness.
Peripheral causes include:
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) - common in the elderly or after head injuries and car accidents. BPPV is characterized by a sense of rotation or dizziness, which occurs when certain movements of the head and lasts a few seconds or minutes. This is caused by small crystals that are free in semicircular canals, transmitting signals of movement to the brain.
Degeneration of the vestibular system. With age, the function of the inner ear decreases, which can cause problems such as loss of balance or disequilibrium. This can be complicated by mobility problems, such as arthritis, leading to a fall. A good balance depends on the three systems of the body that work together: the eye, the inner ear and the joints (the ankles, the knees, the hips and the neck). Therefore, if one area is under management, the other two can help.
Vestibular dysfunction caused by infection (labrintitis, vestibular neuritis, Meniere's disease), ototoxicity (from medicine), barotrauma (such as an explosion), vascular insufficiency or acoustic neuroma. The brain receives confusing signals that can lead to symptoms such as nausea or motion sickness.
Head injury and whiplash injuries are the most common causes of vestibular disorders in people under 50 years of age.
Elderly blessings have their own set of problems for the vestibular system. In many cases, the underestimating cause of vestibular disorder cannot be determined.
Dizziness is often a symptom of multiple sclerosis. Migraine, a severe form of headache, can also cause dizziness. Complications of diabetes can cause arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), which can lead to a decrease in blood flow to the brain, causing symptoms of dizziness.
Treatment:
The most common treatment, called Epley Maneuver, involves rotating the patient’s head and body through four separate movements at different times, each of which is held for approximately 30 seconds. The head and body of the patient are manipulated so that the displaced crystals move along the canal and fall back into the correct chamber of the inner ear. Treatment is 98.4% after three treatments.
Cognitive impairments, such as poor concentration, problems with spatial perception and coordination, as well as short-term memory loss, are often known to clinicians in patients with vestibular anomalies. Vestibular dysfunction also correlates with many disorders, including ataxia; back pain; pain in the neck; cervico-shoulder syndromes; ankle instability; knee instability and osteoarthritis.
Medications and nutraceuticals can also help in reducing movement sickness, dizziness, and nausea. This may include antihistamines, anticholinergics and benzodiazepines of either a nutraceutical or pharmaceutical approach. Dietary changes may include increased water intake and lower intake of beverages containing alcohol and caffeine.
Home Safety Tips:
Get rid of the carpet area and anything that can lead to slipping
Install grille and shower seats in the bathroom
Sleep in a slightly bent position (use extra pillows). This will help prevent your head from being angled, which will further aggravate your condition.
Get in and out of bed very slowly.
Pass as if you have a book on your head. This minimizes the movement of the head and helps to avoid moving the crystals.
