About vertigo
Vertigo is characterized by a feeling of spinning dizziness. Individuals with acrophobia, the fear of heights, have a similar feeling when they are on high positions. As such, many people confuse this with acrophobia. It is not unlikely for people to suffer from both conditions.
Vertigo, however, is different from acrophobia in that vertigo is usually not a condition by itself but a symptom of another illness. One such condition is Meniere’s illness in which the sufferer has a problem with balancing as a result of a sensory nerve problem in the inner ear.
Tinnitus (Ringing in the ears) is a condition associated with the onset of hearing problems or hearing loss. Continued tinnitus may lead to vertigo.
Other illnesses that are associated with vertigo include benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and vestibular neuritis (labyrinthitis). Both of them affect the parts of the ear concerned with maintaining balance.
For easy reference, your doctor may refer to various illnesses that cause the characteristic spinning dizziness, such as Meniere’s disease, as vertigo. That should, however, not worry you because the treatment is quite similar.
Symptoms
It affects people of different age and gender equally. It can also affect you temporarily or for an extended period of time. Persistent long term vertigo can interfere with your ability to do some of the normal daily activities. This in turn lowers your quality of life leading to mental health problems including anxiety and depression.
It is therefore important to identify the condition early enough so you can seek medical attention.
If you notice any of these symptoms, have your doctor check you for vertigo or related medical conditions.
- Feeling like there is some fluid in your ear
- Problem establishing body balance e.g. when in motion or standing
- A sensation in the inner ear that causes dizziness
- Unexplained motion sickness and feeling lightheaded
- The persistent dizziness causes nausea and vomiting
- Headache
- A feeling of dropped blood pressure and temporary blurred vision when your head moves fast
- Other sudden movements such as rising up from your seat fast also cause dizziness
- In severe instances, you may experience difficulty concentration and maintaining focus
- Spontaneous feeling that the objects around you are spinning uncontrollably
The diagnosis of vertigo
Vertigo attacks are usually triggered by activities that cause a sudden movement of your head or when you are in a position that requires you to desperately maintain balance. Other times, however, the attacks are spontaneous and the dizziness disappears in a few seconds or minutes.
Attacks that lead extreme reactions such as vomiting may last longer.
As mentioned earlier, vertigo is a symptom of other illness. As such, once you notice that inexplicable dizzy spells, it is imperative that you seek medical attention for proper diagnosis. Do not try to treat yourself because this could delay the diagnosis and treatment of a very serious illness.
Vertigo treatment and control
The treatment varies depending on the causative illness. If the doctor notes that there is no underlying illness, he or she may treat the problem itself. Other times the condition may improve without medical treatment.
You can also apply some of these techniques to control the dizziness and other symptoms that come with vertigo attacks.
- Prop your head higher when sleeping
- Sleep on your back
- Minimize unnecessary head movements
- Bend from the knees instead of bending from the waist
- Exercises prescribed by a trained physical therapist
- If the attacks are so severe that they interfere with your daily activities, carry a walking stick to support yourself and avoid falling
These self-help control techniques are designed mainly designed to minimize the impact of any ear illness on the balance mechanisms in the inner year.
Hypnotherapy for vertigo patients
Other than the physical illnesses, the problem may also be caused or exacerbated by other conditions. Long-term stress, depression, anxiety, and unresolved intense trauma are possible triggers of the vertigo symptoms.
In such instances, you can treat the illness by undergoing hypnotherapy under the guidance of a qualified hypnotherapist. You will be guided to access your subconscious mind to determine the root cause of the stress or trauma.
Once the psychological issues are resolved, the attacks will either disappear altogether or become less intense. By resolving the root cause, you will not only have treated the symptoms but also improved your quality of life.
