What is vertigo?

Vertigo is the feeling that the world is moving, even when it’s not. People with vertigo often feel like the room is spinning around them. Vertigo may be accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

Causes

Vertigo is a symptom rather than an illness. It has many potential causes. They include:

• Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV): Unwanted movement of small stones (otolith) in the inner ear during head movement
• Labyrinthitis
• Vestibular neuritis
• Ménière’s disease
• Concussion
• Migraine

Effects

People with vertigo are at a higher risk of falling and the consequences thereof (injury, fear of falling again, etc.). Vertigo can affect a person’s quality of life. It can limit their ability to do certain everyday activities, like walking, bathing or getting dressed.

Recommendations

If you are experiencing vertigo, it is recommended to consult a healthcare professional. In most people, vertigo will disappear on its own, before the underlying cause is treated.

Depending on the underlying cause, your doctor may recommend treatments to help you handle the vertigo. In some cases, medication or vestibular rehabilitation (performing movements that cause vertigo in the presence of an audiologist) may be needed.

An ent specialist or an audiologist will be able to give you advices.