Vertigo is feeling of a spinning, swaying, tilting or dizziness and feeling like everything is spinning around. Those feelings may be brief or last for a long time. Head or body position, cough, or sneezing can make it worse. Nausea, vomiting and loss of balance are often present too.
“Vestibular system” problems may cause vertigo. Also, benign paroxysmal vertigo (extra calcium deposits are formed in the inner ear), Meniere disease (fluid builds up in the inner ear), labyrinthitis (viral infections of inner ear and/or nerve in the inner ear), vestibular migraines, medications, injuries, neurological conditions like stroke or multiple sclerosis may also cause dizziness and vertigo.
Meniere disease also may cause vertigo as well as hearing loss and ringing in one or both ears.
It is important to sick medical attention if severe headache, high fever, difficulty seeing, speaking or walking, confusion, passing out, weakness or numbness in arm or leg or one-sided facial drooping are present.
Evaluation is done by thorough physical exam, imaging like MRI of the brain (an imaging test that creates pictures of the inside of your body), laboratory evaluations and possibly other tests.
Treatment involves medications, vestibular rehabilitation (physical therapy that helps remove calcium deposits in the inner ear and helps to cope with vertigo and improve balance).
