Vincent Cumberworth BSc FRCS Consultant Ear, Nose and Throat Surgeon

Clementine Churchill Hospital Sudbury Hill Harrow Middlesex HA1 3RX
Private Secretary: Tel: 020 8872 3866 Fax: 0208872 3861

Information is supplied only upon the condition that the viewer will make their own determination as to the suitability of the information for its purposes prior to use. There will be no responsibility for information that is misused or misinterpreted and the information should not be used as a substitute for consultation with a health care professional. It is not possible to answer questions regarding individual cases or to enter into individual correspondence.

COPING WITH VERTIGO

What is vertigo?

Attacks of vertigo are something that many people suffer especially as they grow older. It is a sensation of movement when the head and body are actually still. The sensation may be one of falling or, more commonly that you or the room is spinning round. This vertigo, or dizziness, may be accompanied by nausea or vomiting.

Whilst vertigo is distressing, you can be assured that it is not dangerous, and that your doctor is doing what he can to treat the underlying cause.

What causes vertigo?

The inner ear contains a sensitive mechanism filled with liquid. Moving the head causes movement in this liquid, which results in messages being sent to the brain. This is how the brain can tell if and how the head is moving, even in the dark or when the eyes are shut.

One cause of vertigo is the result of this mechanism not working properly. The pressure of the fluid increases, so that the brain has a sensation of movement even when the head is still. This conflicts with messages from the eyes, which say that the head is still, and the result is the unpleasant sensation known as vertigo.

What can I do about it?

It is important for an ENT Surgeon to see you; hearing tests and a scan may be required.
There are certain measures which you can take to avoid vertigo attacks, or at least make them less frequent or severe. If you suffer from vertigo you should try to stop smoking. Cigarette smoking causes spasm in the blood vessels, which can aggravate the condition. Try not to make any sudden changes in your position. For example, when you wake up in the morning, get up slowly. Do not spin around or move your head around quickly as this could trigger off an attack of vertigo. Low salt diets are advised by some doctors. It is important that you seek your doctor’s advice on the subject. If you are recommended to follow a low salt diet, you should reduce the amount of salt used in cooking or substitute it with an artificial salt. Do not add extra salt to your food. An excessive amount of alcohol can induce vertigo even in a healthy person. You should refrain from drinking large quantities of alcohol or ideally not drink at al. There are certain exercises which have been designed to help sufferers to build up tolerance to vertigo. Choose one or two of these and practise them three times a day for at least five minutes for as long as the vertigo persists.

How is it treated?

There are a number of effective treatments for vertigo and your doctor will want to try you on one or more of these.

Medication

It is important that you take the full course of treatment which your doctor has prescribed even if you think it may not be working. Some medication is a treatment for the underlying condition, which is the cause of the vertigo. Because of this, it may take some time before you notice an improvement in your symptoms.
 

© Vincent Cumberworth 2005