What is vertigo and how it can be treated

Causes may be multiple and differ depending on the type of vertigo that may be of central origin, may be benign paroxysmal of position or peripheral. Vertigo of central origin causes a lesion located in the brain. Therefore, this type of vertigo differs from that associated with an internal ear lesion and is called peripheral vertigo. The most common causes of this type of vertigo are of neurological origin such as: multiple sclerosis, cerebral tumors, or head trauma. Signs and symptoms: - Permanent sensation of dizziness - Feeling black in front of your eyes - Persistent balance disorder - Movement disorders - Abnormal eyeball movements called nystagmus (spontaneous and involuntary rhythm oscillation . Investigations needed to detect the condition should include an imaging investigation, preferably computerized tomography or MRI, but also investigations of the ENT sphere to exclude the peripheral cause.

Evolution and complications of vertigo of central origin vary depending on the initial cause, sometimes vertigo being a component of the previous affection. If we are talking about a partial brain injury, then the evolution can be encouraging, and the recovery through various special programs reduces the sensation of dizziness, but to say that this sensation does not disappear. Treatment is the primary affection and includes neurological drugs, comorbidities, plus anti-vertigo drugs that reduce vertigo. The benign positional paroxysmal vertigo is triggered by the rapid rotation of the head towards the affected part of the ear and has a close connection with an anomaly present in the inner ear where a component called the vestibule plays an important role in the function of equilibrium. The most common cause is related to some small concretions present at this level, called otolites that remain stuck in contact with nerve endings at this level.

In half of the cases, no cause is identified, but in other cases there is a cranial trauma, or a history of viral infection, either ear surgery. It is the most common cause of vertigo, it affects most of the 50-year-olds, especially female sex. It is manifested by episodes of short duration less than 30 seconds and occurring a few seconds after changing the head position. These are often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, palpitations, sweating and fainting sensation. The diagnosis is confirmed by the ENT physician after triggering maneuvers and after performing the vestibular tests.

Evolution is a favorable one for patients, the disappearance of the disorder can take place within a few weeks or months depending on the degree of the condition, but relapses are common. The treatment consists of short recovery sessions in which he learns to show the trigger positions and make certain maneuvers of release, and if they do not work or there are special forms of disability, surgery may be indicated. Peripheral Vertigo Represents a false sense of movement of the body or surrounding objects, the patient having the impression that it is spinning or that the surrounding objects turn around him. Originally, it is the same as in the case of paroxysmal vertigo, but causes differ slightly, such as: Meniere syndrome, toxins, ototoxic antibiotics, temporal rock fracture, tumors (acoustic neurinoma). Vertigo develops in seizures, accompanied by nausea, vomiting and hearing disorders, and sometimes occurring.

The balance includes investigation of hearing function (audiogram, auditory evoked potentials) and vestibular function (Barany sample: irrigation of the auditory conduit with cold water, then warm and observation of nystagmus). Computed tomography and MRI exam are useful in some situations for looking for a possible cause such as chronic otitis, temporal rock fracture, acoustic neurinoma. Frequent progress towards chronicling may be invalid and may have consequences for socio-professional life or mental health. It is possible and can become permanent. Treatment is primarily the case when it is possible.

During the crisis, anti-vertigo drugs are used, and drugs with anxiolytic effect are of great importance and recovery techniques are extremely useful. An effective balance is required to perform motor skills and patient safety, but in the elderly this safety is fragile by the loss of ability to generate responses, to control body movements and to sense dangers. Furthermore, we can say that some medicines used to treat other patients' conditions can lead to an imbalance related to instability and daily activities. Controlling these imbalances requires an interdisciplinary approach based on collaborative work between several specializations including vestibular rehabilitation. .