Vertigo is closely related to dizziness, but involves the perception of
actually seeing the room spin about you, similar to what happens when you spin
around rapidly and then stop. Often, vertigo is accompanied by nausea and a loss
of balance. Vertigo may pass quickly, or it may last for hours or even days.
There are many possible causes of vertigo including motion sickness, infection in the inner ear, vision problems, head injury, insufficient blood supply to the brain, and brain tumors. A condition called benign paroxysmal positional vertigo leads to attacks of vertigo triggered by certain head positions; its cause is believed to be deposits of calcium in the inner ear. Another condition, Menieres disease, is characterized by sudden, intense attacks of vertigo often accompanied by nausea and vomiting, along with ringing in the ears and progressive deafness. Its cause is unknown.
Conventional treatments for vertigo depend upon the cause and severity of the condition. Drugs for motion sickness and mild vertigo of any cause include meclizine, dimenhydrinate, and perphenazine. Scopolamine is prescribed for severe motion sickness. Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is often treated through a series of exercises which help to alleviate symptoms. For Menieres disease, changes in diet are often recommended (including limiting sodium, sugar, and alcohol intake), sometimes in combination with diuretic drugs.
There are many possible causes of vertigo including motion sickness, infection in the inner ear, vision problems, head injury, insufficient blood supply to the brain, and brain tumors. A condition called benign paroxysmal positional vertigo leads to attacks of vertigo triggered by certain head positions; its cause is believed to be deposits of calcium in the inner ear. Another condition, Menieres disease, is characterized by sudden, intense attacks of vertigo often accompanied by nausea and vomiting, along with ringing in the ears and progressive deafness. Its cause is unknown.
Conventional treatments for vertigo depend upon the cause and severity of the condition. Drugs for motion sickness and mild vertigo of any cause include meclizine, dimenhydrinate, and perphenazine. Scopolamine is prescribed for severe motion sickness. Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is often treated through a series of exercises which help to alleviate symptoms. For Menieres disease, changes in diet are often recommended (including limiting sodium, sugar, and alcohol intake), sometimes in combination with diuretic drugs.