Various health problems that can cause vertigo

Vertigo is a condition in which the sufferer feels a spinning sensation which is often described as dizziness in the head. This is a symptom commonly experienced by adults. The causes of these symptoms can vary, depending on the type of vertigo you are experiencing.

Various health problems that can cause vertigo

In general, vertigo is divided into two types, namely peripheral and central. Peripheral vertigo is caused by problems in the inner ear that controls balance, which is called the vestibular labyrinth. Meanwhile, central vertigo occurs because of a problem in the brain, which usually occurs in the brain stem or the back of the brain (cerebellum).

Various disorders or diseases in these parts of the body are generally the main cause of vertigo headaches. If this disease is not controlled, vertigo will often recur, which of course can hinder your activities. Therefore, it is important for you to know what causes vertigo, including the various factors that cause this symptom to recur.

Different causes require different vertigo treatment. Here are some health problems or diseases of the ear and brain that may be the cause of dizziness in yourself:

1. BPPV

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is the most common cause of vertigo, which causes a sudden sensation of spinning or dizziness. The dizziness that appears can be mild, but it can also be very strong or intense, and is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and loss of balance.

The BPPV condition usually appears when you make sudden changes in head position. This condition can occur when you move your head up and down, lie down, or when you turn your body or sit up from a sleeping position.

The cause of the condition is not known. However, as reported by the Mayo Clinic, this condition is often associated with a blow or minor to severe injury to the head or disorders that damage the inner ear, such as damage that occurs when performing ear surgery.

2.Ménière's Disease

Another cause of vertigo is Ménière's Disease, which is an inner ear disorder that affects balance and hearing. Apart from vertigo, this condition is usually characterized by a sensation of ringing in the ears or tinnitus, temporary hearing loss or sensorineural deafness, and a feeling of fullness and pressure in the ear.

On the inside of the ear, there is a tube filled with fluid, which, along with the nerves and skull, helps hearing and maintains balance. When these tubes produce excess fluid, this fluid can interfere with the signals that the brain will receive, so vertigo can occur.

The cause of the condition is unknown. However, several factors may play a role in causing excess fluid in the ear, such as problems with fluid drainage, abnormal immune response, viral infection, genetic disorders, or a combination of these factors.

3. Labyrinthitis

Labyrinthitis is inflammation of the inner ear, which is called the labyrinth. The labyrinth consists of fluid-filled ducts, which together with nerves help control balance and hearing. If one of the nerves or labyrinth becomes inflamed, vertigo and hearing loss can occur.

Labyrinthitis is usually caused by viruses or bacteria. Several viruses known to cause labyrinthitis include influenza, herpes, measles, rubella, polio, hepatitis, or varicella. However, in rare cases, meningitis or head injury can also cause labyrinthitis.

4. Vestibular Migraine

Migraine and vertigo are different. However, if you have a history of migraine disease, vestibular migraine can be the cause of vertigo to happen to you.

Unlike regular migraines, vestibular migraines do not always cause pain in the head. The main symptom is dizziness that comes and goes, and can occur due to sudden head movements. This condition is also related to the inner ear which regulates the sense of hearing and balance.

The causes and processes of vestibular migraine are not known with certainty. The provisional presumption of this disease is a failure between the nerves of the brain causing dilation of blood vessels in and around the brain, including the vestibular arteries in the inner ear.

5. Vertebrobasilar TIA

Also known as vertebrobasilar insufficiency, this disease attacks the vertebrobasilar artery system which is located at the back of the brain. These arteries supply blood, oxygen and nutrients to the most important brain structures including the brain stem, occipital lobe, and cerebellum.

In vertebrobasilar insufficiency, the arteries develop a condition called atherosclerosis which blocks blood flow to the brain. This is caused by the formation of plaque due to cholesterol and calcium buildup in the blood vessels.

This disease has symptoms such as stroke and can cause vertigo to recur suddenly. People who are prone to vertebrobasilar insufficiency are usually the elderly or have a high risk of hypertension and hyperlipidemia (increased levels of fat in the blood).

6.Autoimmune inner ear disease (AIED)

The immune system works to eradicate germs and bacteria that are bad for the body. On disease autoimmune inner ear disease (AIED), the immune system wrongly attacks and considers cells in the inner ear as germs.

In these conditions, autoimmune reactions appear. Apart from vertigo, possible reactions include ringing in the ears (tinnitus), balance problems, or a feeling of fullness in the ears.

7. Stroke

Problems with the brain, such as a stroke, can also cause vertigo to happen to you. Stroke is a condition when the blood supply to a part of the brain is interrupted or reduced. This condition causes brain tissue not to get enough oxygen and nutrients, so brain cells begin to die within minutes and several symptoms, including dizziness and vertigo, can appear.

8. Multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that attacks the central nervous system, namely the brain and spinal cord. This condition occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks the protective sheath (myelin) covering nerve fibers, thereby interfering with communication problems between the brain and the rest of the body.

This condition can cause various problems with body movement, such as tremors. However, this condition can also cause dizziness and vertigo in sufferers.

9. Brain tumor

Brain tumors can also cause vertigo to occur in you. This condition occurs when a tumor grows and develops in the cerebellum (cerebellum), which is the part of the brain that controls movement. This condition is usually characterized by balance problems, a spinning sensation, or other symptoms of a tumor.

10. Acoustic neuroma

Acoustic neuroma or also known as vestibular schwannoma is a benign (non-cancerous) tumor that grows on the vestibular nerve, which is the nerve that leads from the inner ear to the brain. Benign tumors in this area can affect your balance and hearing, which can cause hearing loss, ringing in the ears, and vertigo.

In addition to the various diseases and health problems above, taking certain drugs can also cause vertigo. Some of them are antibiotics, aminoglycosides, cisplatin, diuretics, or salicylates, which affect the structure of the inner ear. Then, anticonvulsant drugs, aspirin, and alcohol can also be the cause.

Therefore, if you experience vertigo due to these drugs, taking them can cause vertigo to recur or recur in the future. On the other hand, avoiding or adjusting the dosage can be one way of dealing with this condition.

Various risk factors can cause vertigo

Apart from the causes above, various factors can also increase a person's risk of experiencing vertigo. Here are some of these factors:

• Old age. Vertigo is more common in the elderly, especially over 50 years.
• Have an accident that can lead to head injury.
• Have a family history of vertigo or the disease that causes it.
• Drinking alcohol.
• Taking certain drugs, such as anticolvus, aspirin, antibiotics, diuretics, and others.
• Have a history of high blood pressure or hypertension.
• Smoke.

Having the risk factors above does not mean you will definitely experience vertigo. However, avoiding some of the above factors may lower your risk of developing vertigo and its recurrence in the future. On the other hand, you can also try various movements to prevent the vertigo from recurring, such as the Epley maneuver and so on.