There are a multitude of causes of dizziness which may have nothing to do with the balance organ in the inner ear. Fainting attacks, heart problems, thyroid problems and brain problems can all give rise to feelings of light-headedness, giddiness and general imbalance.
One form of dizziness is vertigo which is the specific complaint of either the environment moving in relation to the patient or the patient moving in relation to the environment. It is usually a spinning or rotatory sensation. Vertigo is specifically linked to problems with the inner ear.
Inner ear disease and vertigo
Many different factors can affect the inner ear and cause vertigo. One way to distinguish them is by the duration of the dizziness.
Types
Benin Paroxysmal Positional vertigo
Menière’s disease
Labyrinthitis
Investigations
Types of test that may be requested include: audiological tests, tests of balance, blood tests, and radiological examinations such as an MRI scan or CT scan.
Treatment
In general the treatment of vertigo is symptomatic, i.e. treatment is given to control the symptoms without regard to the specific cause of the vertigo. The body is very good at overcoming the imbalance experienced during inner ear disease, and so symptomatic treatment should be short because it can delay this natural compensation.
Rehabilitation -Exercises
There are specifically targeted exercises to speed up the brain’s natural compensation after inner ear disease. Recovery can be hastened by these exercises which can be organized by your local ear nose and throat or physiotherapy department.
Vestibular sedatives
The inner ear may be ‘suppressed’ (or made sleepy) by the use of drugs such as Stemetil or Stugeron. These drugs reduce the overactivity of the balance organ and so reduce the dizziness and vomiting that can occur in inner ear problems.
However, they are not a long-term solution and should be used for as short a time as possible because they prolong the time taken for the body to readjust after the vertigo.
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