Dizziness is a condition that makes a person feel as if the world is spinning, dizzy, and have difficulty standing. External factors, certain medications, certain diseases can cause dizziness. In order to fully treat dizziness, the factors that cause this condition may also need to be determined. In cases where this cannot be determined, although dizziness momentarily loses its effect, it may be likely to recur.
Balance is achieved by the brain evaluating the information coming from the eyes, the balance organs in the inner ear, and the musculoskeletal system. A disorder in one of these systems disrupts the harmony between these systems and may cause imbalance or dizziness .
Symptoms and treatment methods of dizziness vary according to the underlying condition.
The feeling of imbalance is the inability to maintain one's balance in relation to one's surroundings. Dizziness and imbalance are very common complaints. It is more common in middle and older age groups. It is very rare in childhood.
What are the Symptoms of Dizziness?
Symptoms of dizziness usually manifest themselves physically with various symptoms. Some of these symptoms are as follows;
- Visual disturbances
- Intense attacks
- Severe pressure in the ear and inside the ear
- Nausea and vomiting
- Ringing in the ear
- Some imbalances in the body
- Unstable and low blood pressure
What Causes Dizziness?
The causes of dizziness are usually due to the following reasons. We can list these reasons as follows;
Causes related to the ear: Most of the real dizziness is caused by diseases related to the ear.
Position-related dizziness: It is the most common cause in clinics dealing with dizziness. It is responsible for 50% of vertigo cases in older age groups.
Typical symptoms: Vertigo that occurs with head movements, lasts for seconds and is characterized by rotation of the circumference, as well as a feeling of imbalance and nausea. In most patients, these complaints resolve periodically and then recur. The diagnosis is based on the response of the semicircular canals in the inner ear to certain maneuvers during tests. The treatment is based on the reinsertion of the crystals that have been displaced in the semicircular canals.
Meniere's disease: It is characterized by episodes of hearing loss, ringing in the ears, a feeling of fullness and dizziness. It is caused by an imbalance of fluids in the inner ear.
Dizziness may be caused by ear diseases due to the balance nerve being affected after a viral infection, acute and chronic middle ear infections, ear diseases with hearing loss, and sometimes dizziness due to rupture of the membranes in the inner ear for no apparent reason.
The most important step in the evaluation of a patient complaining ofdizziness and imbalance is to note the complaints in detail and subject them to a systematic examination. This may sometimes require a team work (otolaryngology, neurology, cardiology).
Many technological tools can often be used in differential diagnosis (audiometric tests, videonystagmography, caloric tests, routine biochemistry, electrocardiography, MRI, neck doppler, ultrasonography, etc.).
If the examination and the patient's history suggest an ear-related disease, the patient's hearing should be checked with an audiometric examination. VNG (videonystagmography) is another test that shows inner ear functions. It is based on recording eye movements induced by visual or caloric stimuli. Its important feature is that it can provide information about the location and side of the lesion causing dizziness and provides documentation, especially in the computerized system.
Traumas causing dizziness: Dizziness with hearing loss may occur after a fracture of the skull, often with hard blows to the head, which also causes damage to the inner ear. Sometimes dizziness may occur even without a skull fracture due to concussion of the inner ear structures.
Neurological diseases: Migraine, nutritional disorders due to bleeding or blockages in blood vessels in the central nervous system consisting of organs such as the brain and cerebellum, multiple sclerosis, various brain tumors, Parkinson's disease, etc. diseases can cause impaired balance.
Internal diseases: Heart failure, heart valve disease, diabetes, thyroid gland diseases, anemia, uncontrolled high blood pressure, low blood pressure due to position, heart rhythm disorders, sudden and severe dehydration (diarrhea, vomiting) can cause dizziness. Psychogenic dizziness can also be seen.
How is dizziness treated?
Treatment of dizziness in dizziness is directed towards the cause. In position hand dizziness, treatment is possible with maneuvers that correct the pathological condition detected during the tests.
The treatment applied in Meniere's disease aims to eliminate the complaints of the disease, primarily dizziness during the attack. In the inter-attack period, it is also important to identify and eliminate the triggering stress factors of the patient, to encourage the patient to leave a sedentary lifestyle and engage in occupational and sports activities, and to seek professional psychological help when necessary.
In Meniere's disease, factors such as stress, fatigue, smoking, alcohol and caffeine can trigger attacks. It is recommended to avoid salty foods and not to add salt to food after cooking.
The fact that there are individual differences in the natural course of the disease makes the choice and method of treatment difficult. However, in general, 85% of patients benefit from medical treatment, with the remainder requiring interventional treatments.
These include intratympanic treatments, local high pressure application, ventilation tube application, endolymphatic sac surgery and vestibular neurectomy.
If dizziness is due to acute or chronic otitis media, these diseases should be treated appropriately.
Other causes of dizziness are treated with various methods after the correct diagnosis is made by the relevant branch physicians.