Vertigo or Dizziness? How Your Inner Ear Could Be Involved

Fast Facts

• Vertigo is a spinning feeling, dizziness is a feeling of light headedness or imbalance.
• Your inner ear helps keep you balanced and move your body.
• Vertigo can be caused by BPPV, labyrinthitis and Meniere’s illness.
• Some inner ear diseases can lead to ringing in the ears, alterations in hearing, or a feeling of fullness in the ear.
• Talk to your health care provider if you suddenly or persistently feel dizzy.

Introduction

Ever get that room-spinning sensation while you’re just standing there?

It might be vertigo, a sort of dizziness that can be related to problems with the inner ear. You have a balance mechanism in your ear that notifies the brain about movement and position. If these impulses are interrupted, you may feel dizzy or unbalanced.

Knowing the likely signs can help you know when to seek medical treatment.

How the Inner Ear Causes Dizziness?

Your inner ear contains the vestibular system, which helps your brain sense head movement and retain your balance. When this system becomes injured it might lead to vertigo, dizziness or problems with balance.

Common Inner Ear Causes of Vertigo (BPPV)

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) When little crystals in the inner ear are displaced.

You can have vertigo when:

• Turn your head.
• Get out of the bed
• Go to sleep
• Up/down navigation
• Inner Ear Infections

Inflammation of the inner ear occasionally after an infection can cause:

• Dizziness
• Difference
• Feeling sick
• Changes in hearing

Meniere’s Disease

This inner ear disorder can produce bouts of:

• Dizziness
• Ringing in the ears
• Changes in hearing
• Pressure or fullness in the ears

Vertigo vs. Dizziness

Vertigo: Feeling that you or your surroundings are spinning.

Dizziness is the feeling of being dizzy, light-headed or unsteady.

Both can have several causes, therefore you need a full examination.

When to visit your doctor?

If you have: get medical treatment

• Recurrent or constant vertigo.
• Balance problems that affect activities of daily living.
• New alterations in hearing or ringing in the ear.
• Intermittent dizziness.

Your doctor can prescribe hearing or balance tests to find out what’s wrong.

Is dizziness an emergency room?

Seek medical treatment immediately if any of the following significant side effects occur:

• Numbness and weakness
• Trouble speaking
• Severe headache.
• Loss of awareness
• Sudden alterations in vision.
• Serious walking problems.

Any of these signs may be warning that you have some sickness that needs urgent care.

What Can You Do?

If you feel dizzy:

• Rest or lie down until symptoms resolve.
• Move places slowly.
• Do not drive if you feel dizzy.
• Monitor what provokes your symptoms.
• Do not self-medicate.
• If the symptoms continue or return, get medical help.

Expert Insights

Vertigo doesn’t necessarily come from the inner ear, but if you have balance issues with changes in hearing, ringing or a feeling of pressure in the ears, you may need to see an ENT.

Prof. Dr. M N Shankar

Key Points

• Inner ear helps us balance.
• Vertigo causes: BPPV, labyrinthitis, Ménière’s illness.
• Some inner ear issues can cause ringing and alterations in hearing.
• Do not overlook dizziness that recurs or persists.
• Sudden onset dizziness with neurologic signs is an emergency.

About the Reviewer

Prof. Dr. M N Shankar

Make an Appointment

Do you suffer from recurrent dizziness, spinning or loss of balance?

Don’t disregard recurring symptoms. An ENT professional can help you discover the problem and offer the proper therapy.

Schedule an appointment with MGM Healthcare.