Most small children enjoy twirling around until they feel a momentary giddiness and loss of balance. They are experimenting with disrupting the normal sensory input that governs physical orientation, and find the new sensations exciting and different. Vertigo takes that normal dizziness to unpleasant extremes, creating the feeling that an individual or the environment is uncontrollably spinning. Vertigo treatment in Toronto, ON helps victims find relief.
When they are not voluntary, dizzy sensations can actually be dangerous. They are a primary contributor to falls that can cause not only short-term injury, but also longer-lasting disabilities for many elderly people. While not confined specifically to the aged, a combination of normal aging, decreased flexibility and mobility, and many commonly prescribed medications can exacerbate the problem.
For many, the main culprit is a disease or medication that changes the function of the inner ear. The joints, muscles, soles of the feet, eyes, an inner ear all transmit data to the brain regarding body position. The primary structure within the inner ear is filled with fluid, and is called the labyrinth. When changes or movements occur, the liquid shifts, helping the brain automatically compensate for the imbalance.
When signals and information become distorted, the eyes may begin to move back and forth in a way that imitates normal response to motion, but which instead causes a feeling of intense vertigo. The initial problem can be benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, or BPPV, which condition characterized by harmful calcium clumps within the inner ear. It occurs at any age.
Another related ailment is Meniere's disease, whose hallmark also includes generalized hearing loss. The problem creates a buildup of fluids, and the appearance of tinnitus, or hearing a constant underlying noise, can be a sign of possible future issues. In many cases, people have suffered a previous viral infection that triggered inflammation surrounding the inner ear structure, creating long-term damage.
Previous injuries affecting the neck and head, stroke, brain tumors, and even chronic migraines also contribute to the problem. During an attack, many people become nauseous or begin to sweat uncontrollably. They may be unable to hear or understand normal speech, which only adds to the disorientation. Some experience intermittent symptoms, but they can last for several hours. Effective treatment relies on identifying and singling out the causes.
A treatment termed vestibular rehabilitation is designed to compensate for incorrect sensory information. It can be effective for those who have ongoing issues by intentionally circumventing the normal physical responses to movement. Patients find relief through individual training that creates specific body and head motions proven effective in dislodging calcium deposits, and which can be easily learned.
Nausea can be reduced by certain medications that relieve motion sickness, and inflammation reduced by steroid or antibiotic use. In the most severe cases, surgery may be required. Although an attack may pass, repeated incidents should not be ignored. Although many cases resolve on their own, the potential for further injury and deterioration makes medical attention not only advisable, but essential.
When they are not voluntary, dizzy sensations can actually be dangerous. They are a primary contributor to falls that can cause not only short-term injury, but also longer-lasting disabilities for many elderly people. While not confined specifically to the aged, a combination of normal aging, decreased flexibility and mobility, and many commonly prescribed medications can exacerbate the problem.
For many, the main culprit is a disease or medication that changes the function of the inner ear. The joints, muscles, soles of the feet, eyes, an inner ear all transmit data to the brain regarding body position. The primary structure within the inner ear is filled with fluid, and is called the labyrinth. When changes or movements occur, the liquid shifts, helping the brain automatically compensate for the imbalance.
When signals and information become distorted, the eyes may begin to move back and forth in a way that imitates normal response to motion, but which instead causes a feeling of intense vertigo. The initial problem can be benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, or BPPV, which condition characterized by harmful calcium clumps within the inner ear. It occurs at any age.
Another related ailment is Meniere's disease, whose hallmark also includes generalized hearing loss. The problem creates a buildup of fluids, and the appearance of tinnitus, or hearing a constant underlying noise, can be a sign of possible future issues. In many cases, people have suffered a previous viral infection that triggered inflammation surrounding the inner ear structure, creating long-term damage.
Previous injuries affecting the neck and head, stroke, brain tumors, and even chronic migraines also contribute to the problem. During an attack, many people become nauseous or begin to sweat uncontrollably. They may be unable to hear or understand normal speech, which only adds to the disorientation. Some experience intermittent symptoms, but they can last for several hours. Effective treatment relies on identifying and singling out the causes.
A treatment termed vestibular rehabilitation is designed to compensate for incorrect sensory information. It can be effective for those who have ongoing issues by intentionally circumventing the normal physical responses to movement. Patients find relief through individual training that creates specific body and head motions proven effective in dislodging calcium deposits, and which can be easily learned.
Nausea can be reduced by certain medications that relieve motion sickness, and inflammation reduced by steroid or antibiotic use. In the most severe cases, surgery may be required. Although an attack may pass, repeated incidents should not be ignored. Although many cases resolve on their own, the potential for further injury and deterioration makes medical attention not only advisable, but essential.
