Vertigo is the feeling when you experience dizziness & a sudden feeling of fainting out of nowhere. You might feel as if the world around you is spinning even when it is perfectly still, & may get migraine headaches. Vertigo symptoms are not frightening or medical emergencies, but they can interfere with your everyday activities if the symptoms are severe.
Hence, even though it is not a fatal condition, it might be smart to get treatment for Vertigo as soon as possible.
Vertigo causes:
Vertigo causes can range from a variety of things. Usually, the reason is some underlying cause or illness, whether diagnosed or undiagnosed. Inner ear infections like Meniere’s Disease, labyrinthitis, & Vestibular Neuritis can lead to Vertigo symptoms. Dehydration, mini-strokes, Multiple Sclerosis, inner ear surgery, head or neck injuries, any blunt trauma to the head, etc., can all be Vertigo causes.
BPPV Vertigo, which is a type of dizziness caused by the deposition of loose calcium crystals in the inner ear, is also a known Vertigo cause.
In some cases, there are no known or determinable Vertigo causes.
Vertigo treatment:
Your Vertigo treatment depends on the exact Vertigo cause & the condition that’s causing your Vertigo symptoms. Your Vertigo treatment can include everything from dizziness exercises, Vertigo medicines, to surgery, & home remedies. Oftentimes, your doctor designs a Vertigo treatment plan for you that incorporates all these elements in it.
Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy for Vertigo treatment
Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy helps restore the body’s natural balance in the face of a loss in the vestibular system. It is a set of exercises & activities designed to train your body to compensate for the loss of balance by incorporating the various body parts & nerves in it. They include eye & head movements, balance training, & other specific maneuvres depending on the exact Vertigo causes. Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy can be performed on an outpatient basis or in a hospital setting.
The Epley Maneuver, also known as the Canalith Repositioning Maneuver
The Epley Maneuver is a well-known dizziness exercise that helps relieve the symptoms of BPPV Vertigo. You can perform the Epley Maneuver by yourself at home, or have a professional medical practitioner do it on you.
To perform the Epley Maneuver, follow the steps below:
-Sit upright on a flat surface & place a pillow behind you. Outstretch your legs.
-Turn your head 45 degrees in the right direction.
-Now quickly recline back your head on the pillow with your head still tilted. Maintain this position for about 30 seconds.
-Now turn your head to the left a full 90 degrees slowly, without lifting your neck.
-Now turn to your left side completely & engage your whole body in the movement.
-Return to your original position slowly & sit up, looking in the forward direction.
Repeat the exercises 5 times a week, about thrice every day for optimal results.
You can either perform the Epley Maneuver at your home by yourself or do it with someone’s help. You can also have a licensed practitioner perform the Epley Maneuver on you for Vertigo treatment. The Epley Maneuver can bring on dizziness when performed, so it’s important to not participate in any activities that need you to fully focus & concentrate whilst doing it.
The Epley Maneuver has shown close to 90 percent success rate in Vertigo treatment, with most patients reporting that they feel immediate relief from their dizziness symptoms after doing it. Before starting the Epley Maneuver, you should inform your doctor if you have the following conditions:
- A neck issue
- A back issue
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- A detached retina in the eyes
- Blood vessel or problems with the heart
Vertigo medicines
Vertigo medications also help vertigo patients get relief from their vertigo & dizziness symptoms. Your doctor will prescribe you effective Vertigo medicines depending on what excatly are the vertigo causes. If Meniere’s Disease is a vertigo cause in your case, then your doctor may recommend diuretic medicines, or water pills, to reduce the amount of water in your ears.
If infections like Vestibular Neuritis, Labyrinthitis, etc. are your vertigo causes, then your doctor may prescribe you antibiotics, steroids &/or antiviral medications for effective vertigo treatment.
Some popular & most recommended Vertigo medicines include:
Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines, also sometimes called anti-anxiety medications, are a class of well-known vertigo medicines. These include medicines like lorazepam, diazepam, & clonazepam, which act via the central nervous system, suppressing its natural vestibular responses. These vertigo medicines are useful in reducing the anxiety of dizziness patients, & help them sustain a healthy mindset.
However, these should not be continued for a long time as they can interfere with the body’s natural central nervous system.
Vertin tablets
Vertin tablet is another vertigo medicine, specifically used in the treatment & management of Meniere’s Disease. Vertin helps treat Meniere’s Disease & dizziness symptoms by reducing the amount of fluid inside the ears, a common vertigo cause that makes the patient feel pressure inside the ears, a ringing sound also called tinnitus, & dizziness along with nausea & vomiting. it’s should be taken with water, preferably after eating a meal.
Stugeron Forte tablets
Stugeron forte tablets are a type of vertigo medicine that falls under the category of antihistamines. They are used to treat dizziness symptoms, motion sickness, nausea, vertigo, Meniere’s Disease, & some auto-immune disease in patients. They should be taken with food to avoid an upset stomach, & should only be taken in doctor-recommended dosages.
Stemetil tablets
Stemetil tablets come under a category of medicines called Phenothiazine antipsychotics, & are used in the treatment of dizziness symptoms, Meniere’s Disease, labyrinthitis, & Vertigo. They can also help in cases of nausea, vomiting, motion sickness, & migraines, & can also be used for anxiety.
Other Vertigo medicines used in Vertigo treatment include:
-Bonine
-Promethegan
-Phenergan
-Meclizine
-Phenadoz
Etc.
Surgery for Vertigo treatment
If dizziness exercises & other vertigo treatment methods don’t work, then your doctor may recommend Vertigo surgery to you. The surgical process may involve removing the additional liquid from your ears in the case of Meniere’s Disease, treating the infection or removing its source in case of labyrinthitis, Vestibular Neuritis, & surgically removing the loose calcium crystals from the semicircular canals of the inner ear. If all goes well, surgical procedures for vertigo have a high success rate of treating vertigo permanently, without any relapses.
However, surgery can also cause some side effects, which in most cases, can be managed at home. If the side effects get worse or your condition worsens, reach out to your doctor immediately.
Conclusion:
It is also important to remember that some cases of Vertigo can & do get better on their own, without any vertigo medicines or dizziness exercises. When they don’t, it’s always best to reach out to a vertigo & dizziness specialist so that they can accurately diagnose your vertigo.
They will then work closely with you to determine a proper vertigo treatment strategy for you, depending on your exact vertigo causes, the intensity of your dizziness symptoms, & your medical history.
