Feeling off-balance can be a major safety hazard. Dizziness, vertigo and other balance disorders can significantly increase your fall risk, which can lead to serious injury. They’re also rather common: approximately 15–20% of adults experience dizziness each year, and 5% experience vertigo. Let’s discuss dizziness and vertigo, and when it might be time to see a health professional about your balance.
What Is the Difference Between Dizziness and Vertigo?
Dizziness is a broad term that encompasses any feeling of lightheadedness, wooziness or unsteadiness on your feet. Vertigo falls under the category of “dizziness,” but it is a specific medical condition. It’s characterized by a sensation that your body or the room around you is spinning out of control.
Dizziness can occur often. You may feel dizzy after spinning around, standing up too quickly, if you’re dehydrated or have low blood sugar, to name a few common causes. Dizzy spells usually subside when you sit or lie down, or they settle on their own after some time.
Vertigo is usually caused by a disorder or dysfunction within the inner ear, which is the seat of the vestibular (or balance) system. These dysfunctions can come about as a result of labyrinthitis, migraines, balance disorders (such as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) or Ménière’s disease), head trauma or a stroke.
When Should I Seek Help?
Dizziness can be uncomfortable or even irritating, but dizzy spells are usually mild, one-time occurrences. However, if your dizzy spells are frequent (e.g., happening almost every time you stand up), it may indicate an underlying medical condition, such as a change in blood pressure, blood sugar, iron levels or other disorders. If they’re accompanied by other symptoms, such as a headache, trouble breathing, numbness, confusion or an irregular heartbeat, seek emergency medical assistance right away.
Since vertigo is an indication of a disorder of the vestibular system, speak to your doctor right away if you have a spell of vertigo. A doctor may want to perform a CT scan or MRI, depending on your symptoms and frequency of vertigo attacks.
How Are They Treated?
Treatment for dizziness and vertigo depends on the cause of the condition. As mentioned above, vertigo can be diagnosed with a CT scan or MRI, which may also help identify the cause of vertigo. In the case of dizziness that is not vertigo, your care team will work to find the underlying cause through medical examinations.
Dizziness and some cases of vertigo may be treated successfully with medication. Over-the-counter options are dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) or meclizine (Antivert, Dramamine Less Drowsy). Medication doesn’t always help, however. Other cases may need to be treated with physical therapy, occupational therapy or vestibular training.
If you have questions about dizziness, vertigo or the treatment of each, or if you think it’s time to see an audiologist (who specializes in the inner ear), call Audiology Associates of Redding for more information.