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Vertigo and Dizziness
By Ruth | October 10, 2008
Vertigo and dizziness are symptoms of balance disorders. They are also often accompanied by motion sickness and lightheadedness. Balance disorders are generally caused by problems with vision, the inner ear, the brain, or other general sensory elements.
Dizziness is typically used by patients to describe feelings of unsteadiness on foot, similar to that of being drunk. Sometimes there is a feeling of imbalance without any true feeling of turning. This sort of feeling is generally not caused by any inner ear problems.
Vertigo describes a set of very peculiar sensations which are typically the result of problems with the inner ear. Sufferers hallucinate motion in a variety of directions, and frequently feel as though either they are spinning, or the world around them is.
Evaluating vertigo and dizziness
The most important part of the evaluation of someone who has a balance disorder is the patient’s description of the symptoms. The doctor will ask many questions to obtain more precise information which helps in correct diagnosis and treatment. Factors which may trigger or cause the disorder will also be explored. In certain cases one particular bit of information can be more important that others. For example, in the case of vertigo the duration of the attack is very useful in finding the exact cause.
The ears, head, and neck will all be evaluated and the balance functions will undergo special testing in order to further diagnose the cause of the problem. Treatments can then be recommended.
Treating vertigo and dizziness
There are a variety of treatments available, both medical and surgical, to help with balance disorders. Once the worst of the disorder has been treated physical therapy in the form of rehabilitation exercises can be very useful.
Topics: Medical Conditions |
October 10th, 2008 at 8:39 am
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