Each year more than 2 million people visit a doctor for dizziness, and an untold number suffer with motion sickness, which is the most common medical problem associated with travel.
What Is Dizziness?
Some people describe a balance problem by saying they feel dizzy, lightheaded, unsteady or giddy. This feeling of imbalance or dysequilibrium, without a sensation of turning or spinning, is sometimes due to an inner ear problem.
What Is Vertigo?
A few people describe their balance problem by using the word vertigo, which comes from the latin verb "to turn". 'They often say that they or their surroundings are turning or spinning.
Vertigo is frequently due to an inner ear problem.
What Is Minere's Disease?
Minere's disease, also called idiopathic endolymphatic hydrops, is a disorder of the inner ear. Although the cause is unknown, it probably results from an abnormality in the fluids of the inner ear. Minere's disease is one of the most common causes of dizziness originating in the inner ear.
In most cases only one ear is involved, but both ears may be affected in about 15% of patients. Minere's disease typically starts between the ages of 20 and 50 years. Men and women are affected in equal numbers.
Experiencing spinning sensations, imbalance, or unexplained dizziness? Get checked by the best ENT specialist in Hyderabad at DECC Clinic — a trusted name in vertigo and inner ear disorder management
What Is Motion Sickness And Sea Sickness?
Some people experience nausea and even vomiting when riding in an airplane, automobile, or amusement park ride, and this is called motion sickness. Many people experience motion sickness when riding on a boat or ship, and this is called sea sickness even though it is the same disorder.
Motion sickness or sea sickness is usually just a minor annoyance and does not signify any serious medical illness,
But some travelers are incapacitated by it, and a few even suffer symptoms for a few days after the trip.
The Anatomy Of Balance
Dizziness, vertigo, Minere's Disease, and motion sickness all relate to the sense of balance and equilibrium. Your sense of balance is maintained by a complex interaction of the following parts of the nervous system.
The inner ear, which monitors the directions of motion, such as turning or forward, back, side-to-side, and up-and-down motions.
The eyes, which monitor where the body is in space (i.e., upside down, right side up, etc.) and also directions of motion.
The skin pressure receptors, such as those in the joints and spine, which tell what part of the body is down and touching the ground.
The muscle and joint sensory receptors, which tell what parts of the body are moving.
The central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord), which processes all the bits of information from the four other systems to make some coordinated sense out of it all. The symptoms of motion sickness and dizziness appear when the central nervous system receives conflicting messages from the other four systems.
Symptoms Of Minere's Disease
The symptoms of Minere's disease are episodic rotational vertigo, hearing loss, tinnitus (a roaring, buzzing, or ringing sound in the ear), and a sensation of fullness in the affected ear. Vertigo is usually the most troublesome symptom of Minere's disease.
The vertigo of Minere's disease occurs in attacks of a spinning sensation and is accompanied by dysequilibrium (an off-balance sensation), nausea, and sometimes vomiting. Vertigo lasts for 20 minutes to two hours or longer.
During attacks, patients are usually unable to perform activities normal to their work or home life. Sleepiness may continue for several hours, and the off-balance the sensation may last for days.
There may be intermittent hearing loss early in the disease, especially in the low pitches, but a fixed hearing loss involving tones of all pitches commonly develops over time. Loud sounds may be uncomfortable and appear distorted in the affected ear.
Tinnitus and fullness of the ear may come and go with changes in hearing, occur during or just before attacks, or be constant.
The symptoms of Minere's disease may be only a minor nuisance or may become disabling, especially if the attacks of vertigo are severe, frequent, and occur without warning.
What Medical Diseases Cause Dizziness?
Dizziness can be a symptom of all sorts of disorders. Most common are vestibular disorders—problems in the inner ear, particularly in the vestibular system, which controls our sense of balance.
Other underlying disorders could be in the central nervous system—or brain—resulting from disease or injury. Dizziness can be a sign of cardiovascular problems like high blood pressure or anemia. Dizziness can be a symptom of an infection—bacterial or viral.
Dizziness can also be a reaction to some medications. Sometimes no specific cause for dizziness can be identified, but by eliminating the more serious possibilities, you and your physician can confidently deal with the symptoms and allow the body's self-correcting capabilities time to take effect.
How Is A Diagnosis Made For Vertigo,Dizziness, And Minore's Disease?
The physician will take a history of the frequency, duration, severity, and character of your attacks, the duration of hearing loss or whether it has been changing, and whether you have had tinnitus or fullness in either or both ears. You may be asked whether there is a history of any illness in the past.
You may be asked questions about your general health, such as whether you have diabetes, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, thyroid, neurologic, or emotional disorders.
Tests may be ordered to look for these problems in certain cases. The physical examination of the ears and other structures of the head and neck is usually normal, except during an attack.
An audiometric examination (hearing test) is recommended. An ENG may be performed to evaluate balance function. A CT scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be needed to rule out a tumor occurring on the hearing and balance nerve.
What Can I Do To Reduce Dizziness?
- Avoid rapid changes in position.
- Avoid extremes of head motion.
- Eliminate or decrease the use of nicotine, caffeine, and salt, which impair circulation
- Minimize your exposure to circumstances that precipitate your dizziness, such as stress and anxiety or substances to which you are allergic.
- Avoid hazardous activities.
What Can I Do For Minor's Disease?
- Avoid caffeine, smoking, and alcohol. Get regular sleep and eat properly.
- Remain physically active, but avoid excessive fatigue.
- Avoid driving, swimming, and ladders.
What Can I Do For Motion Sickness?
- Always ride where your eyes will see the same movement that your body and inner ears feel.
- Do not read while traveling.
- Do not watch or talk to another traveler who is having motion sickness.
- Avoid strong odors and spicy or greasy foods.
- Take one of the varieties of motion sickness medicines before your travel begins, as recommended by your physician.
Struggling with dizziness, vertigo, or symptoms of Meniere's disease? Don’t let it affect your quality of life. Consult the experts at Dr Deenadayals ENT Care Centre for accurate diagnosis, advanced treatment, and long-term relief you can trust."