Often incorrectly used to describe a fear of heights is the term "vertigo". People often will mistakenly say "vertigo" when they mean fear of heights or simple dizziness. However in medical circles, vertigo refers specifically to a false sensation of movement. Rather than vertigo the medical term for a fear of heights and the dizzy feeling associated with looking down from a high place is called "acrophobia".
Rather than a condition itself, vertigo is a symptom. Vertigo is that sensation that you, or the environment around you, is moving or spinning. In some cases this feeling may be barely noticeable, while in others it may be so severe that you find it difficult to keep your balance and do everyday tasks.
Vertigo episodes can develop suddenly and last for a few seconds, or they may last much longer. Your symptoms may be constant and last for several days if you have severe vertigo, making normal life very difficult. There are other debilitating symptoms associated with vertigo which may include loss of balance, which can make it difficult to stand or walk. Other effects are feeling sick and dizziness.
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) occurs when tiny calcium particles (canaliths) clump up in canals of the inner ear. Our inner ear sends signals to the brain about head and body movements relative to gravity and therefore helps us keep our balance. This vertigo known as BPPV may be associated with age or can occur for no known reason.
Vertigo makes someone have a sense that their head, or their surrounding environment, is moving or spinning. While vertigo can be a symptom of other conditions it can also have its own set of related symptoms. Symptoms of vertigo may include headache, a feeling of fullness in the ear, tinnitus, nausea and vomiting,a sense of motion sickness, balance problems and lightheadedness.
Vertigo is a rotational dizziness and not just a general feeling of faintness. While there are some types of vertigo that may resolve without treatment any underlying problem may need medical attention. Such a case would be a bacterial infection that would likely need antibiotic therapy. The condition of vertigo can be temporary, or it might be long-term. In some cases vertigo has been linked to mental health issues and a psychiatric problem may cause the dizziness. In many instances vertigo can affect a person's ability to function in daily life, and this can lead to depression or anxiety.
Certain medicines and problems with your inner ear as well as certain medications may cause dizziness, as can motion sickness. There are times when dizziness can be a symptom of other disorders. When we age we may have more health problems and take more medicines which can make us more likely to have problems with dizziness and balance. While sometimes dizziness gets better by itself or is easily treated,if you are dizzy often you should see your health care provider to find the cause.
Even though certain cases of vertigo might improve over time, without treatment, some people have repeated episodes for many months, or even years. For some causes of vertigo there are specific treatments. The Epley maneuver is a series of simple head movements used to treat BPPV. Prochlorperazine and some antihistamines are medicines which can help in the early stages or most cases of vertigo. A series of exercises for people with dizziness and balance problems is vestibular rehabilitation training (VRT), which many people with vertigo also benefit from.
Our Physical Therapy Department offers individualized treatment plans that suit each patients needs. The purpose of our Physical Therapy team is to improve quality of life while educating our patients on how to prevent further injuries.
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