Do you regularly experience the sensation of spinning or dizziness? Does this happen especially when looking down from a great height? If you answered yes to one or both of these questions, then you may be suffering from an inner ear or brain condition called ‘vertigo’. Vertigo is a type of balance disorder that is not associated with a fear of heights. A feeling that your surrounding environment is spinning or having bouts of rotational dizziness with no other underlying cause are just two of the many symptoms of a person that may have a neurological disorder.
Symptoms of Vertigo
- sudden off-balanced movement
- feelings of motion sickness
- tinnitus or ringing in the ear
- feelings of faintness
- nausea and vomiting
- headaches and/or ear aches
If you are experiencing one or more of these symptoms, you should consider an appointment at a neurology Brooklyn medical center for a full exam and diagnosis.
What Causes Vertigo?
There are a few distinct types of vertigo that have different medical causations. The most common, peripheral vertigo throws you off-balance and is usually caused by a problem in the inner ear. Central vertigo is usually caused by an injury to the brain, such as a stroke, an infection, multiple sclerosis, or brain tumors. Central vertigo is characterized by spinning episodes that come on without warning, are typically more intense and will last longer than peripheral vertigo symptoms.
Treatment Options for Vertigo
Depending on the type and the cause of your vertigo symptoms, treatment options will vary. If the underlying cause is a middle ear infection, then antiviral drugs, steroids, or antibiotics are prescribed. When vertigo is a symptom of a chronic illness such as MS, the emphasis may be on managing the symptoms of nausea and prescribing drugs that reduce the sensations of spinning or movement.
When vertigo is presented along with migraine headaches, reducing stress and treating the symptoms of the migraine will often alleviate vertigo symptoms. For some, treating the condition that is causing vertigo is the solution. For others, vertigo can be a primary illness that is the result of a traumatic brain injury and may require the treatment of balance problems.
Maintaining balance is the ability of a person to keep their body centered directly over their feet. After an accident or major illness that has resulted symptoms of vertigo, increasing the patient’s physical strength, and improving their coordination and sensory perceptions are the focus of rehabilitative efforts.
If you or a loved one is suffering from vertigo or balance disorders, contact Maimonides Medical, a neurological center in Brooklyn. We specialize in neurological disorders that often the underlying cause of vertigo symptoms, including strokes, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease, and migraines.
