Vertigo associated disorders

Intermittent sensation of loss of balance or chronic illusions of motions is the indication of vertigo which is felt by those who have had a history of cold viruses, head trauma or Meniere’s disease.

Vertigo can make life difficult as the person feels dizzy and is not able to balance the body due to this sensation. The incidence is found to increase after 40 years of age in those people who have suffered from the history of ear infections, vestibular neuronitis, pain in the neck and also migraine associated dizziness.

Vertigo is classified into two broad categories central and periphery. Central one originates from the central nervous system while periphery comes from inner ear pathology. Vertigo is found to affect any age group but the incidence is being seen largely after 40 years of age due to multiple physiological factors.

Dr Srinivas Kishore, senior ENT surgeon explained, “Mental stress can aggravate any kind of vertigo. The dizziness that the patient feels is aggravated due to the mental trauma. Dizziness is the result of fluid build-up in the ears that puts pressure on the eardrum and inner ear. It affects the vestibular labyrinth leading to dizziness.”

Many believe that vertigo is a problem related to the brain, but this is entirely a misconception. Dr N Vishnu Swaroop Reddy, senior ENT surgeon explained, “The pain is in the head but the problem lies essentially in the neck or spine region. Vertigo needs immediate medical attention.”

Treatment involves physical therapy and also surgical procedure. The patient needs to take medicines to lessen the pain and the characteristic dizzy feeling. Yoga practise of karna dhauti kriya — a ear cleansing ritual is found to be helpful. After taking a bath, take the smallest finger and twist it in the ear and give it a slight massage. This kriya will prevent any wax formation in the ear and keep it healthy. This is one of the first steps to keep the balance of the ear intact. Another technique is neuro-muscular co-ordination which will help the body maintain its balance and help it to master its muscles but these exercises need to be carried out under supervision of a physiotherapist so that it is effective.