VERTIGO! What causes it? How is it treated? Who here has had it?

Answer 1

I've had it, and it's a brute. In my case it was caused by a defect in my ear structure, and the doctor helped me sort it out by teaching me positioning exercises. Go see an ear doctor!

Answer 2

I have vertigo, caused by the middle ear and the associated tubes. The meclizine basically treats the motion sickness associated with the dizziness, but there is a warning label on the prescription that says "May cause Dizziness". Doesn't make any sense. The doctor is treating me for a middle ear infection with antibiotics . The dizziness comes and goes, but we're still working on it.

Answer 3

I had it a couple of years ago from riding in a helicopter. The doc said it comes from a fluid imbalance in the ear. Had to sleep in a recliner for 3 nights with a towel around my neck to keep from moving my head. It's a funny story now. Rode the helicopter at the county fair at 3pm. At 3 am the next morning got up for a bathroom visit and ended up face first against the wall with no memory of how I got there. Ended up in the emergency room throwing up. They gave me a sedative shot and some med called Antivert. Took several days to really recover.

Answer 4

I have slight vertigo. Think its due to imbalance of the water in the ear. Gotta ask my doc next time I see him.

But you can read up more on http://www.ivillage.com for heath related issues.

Answer 5

My mother had a bad case. She had to be taken to the hospital. It usually has to do with the ear. My mother apparently had an extra piece in her ear floating around, causing her to be off balance. Try checking Webmd for more info.

Answer 6

A sensation of whirling and loss of balance, caused by looking down from a great height or by disease affecting the inner ear.


My sister had it last year ....

Surgical Procedures Used to Treat Vertigo due to Vestibular Dysfunction

When vertigo and the other assorted symptoms of vestibular dysfunction are not satisfactorily controlled by medical treatment, surgery may become an option. Some of the procedures sketched here may be meant primarily to preserve or improve hearing; however, they are included because of their intended control of vertigo/disequilibrium as well.

The specific surgical treatment offered depends upon the problem being treated, the medical and physical condition of the individual, and the preference and experience of the surgeon.


Simple mastoidectomy: Surgical removal of bone from the mastoid area behind the ear to allow visualization of the inner ear.

Tympanotomy: The tympanic membrane (eardrum) is folded forward to gain access to the middle ear.

Labyrinthectomy: Balance end organs are removed so that the brain no longer receives signals from the parts of the inner ear that sense gravity and motion changes.

Gentamicin (or streptomycin) ear treatment: An antibiotic called gentamicin is introduced into the middle ear and absorbed via the round window. The drug destroys the vestibular hair cells so that they cannot send signals to the brain. (Also known as intratympanic gentamicin infiltration, chemical vestibulectomy, chemical labyrinthectomy, intratympanic application of gentamicin, pharmacologic labyrinthectomy, and intratympanic gentamicin therapy.)

Vestibular nerve section: The vestibular branch of the acoustic nerve is cut to stop the flow of balance information from the ear to the brain. The brain can then compensate for the loss by using only the opposite ear to maintain balance.

Pneumatic equalization (PE) tubes: A tube is inserted through the tympanic membrane (eardrum) with one end in the ear canal and the other in the middle ear, to equalize the air pressure on the two sides of the eardrum.

Perilymph fistula repair: Accessed through a tympanotomy (see above), openings (fistulas) in the oval and/or round windows are patched with tissue taken from the external ear or from behind the ear so that perilymph fluid does not leak through the fistulas.

Posterior canal partitioning (canal plugging): The posterior semicircular canal is partitioned or plugged with small bone chips and human fibrinogen glue to stop the movement of endolymph and foreign particles within the canal so that the canal no longer sends false signals to the brain due to BPPV.

Microvascular decompression: This procedure is performed to relieve abnormal pressure of the vascular loop (blood vessel) on the balance nerve (vestibular branch of the eighth cranial nerve).

Stapedectomy: Through a tympanotomy, the stapes bone is removed and a prosthesis is put in its place for the treatment of otosclerosis.

Acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma) removal: Removal of a noncancerous tumor that grows from the tissue of the vestibular branch of the eighth-cranial nerve (the balance nerve).

Cholesteatoma removal: Removal of a skin growth (cholesteatoma) that starts in the middle ear and that can secrete enzymes that destroy bone and surrounding structures.

Endolymphatic sac decompression procedures
▪ Endolymphatic sac decompression: After a simple mastoidectomy (see above), bone surrounding the endolymphatic sac is removed, allowing the sac to decompress. (The endolymphatic duct and sac are not entered in this surgery.)
▪ Endolymphatic sac–to–mastoid shunt: After a simple mastoidectomy (see above), one end of a tube or strip is inserted into the endolymphatic sac and the other end in the mastoid cavity, where excess endolymph can drain.
▪ Endolymphatic sac–to–subarachnoid–space shunt: This is similar to the sac–to–mastoid shunt, except that one end of the tube is placed into the endolymphatic sac and the other into the area containing cerebrospinal fluid surrounding the brain.

Endolymphatic valve: After a simple mastoidectomy (see above), a pressure release valve is implanted in the endolymphatic duct (connecting the inner ear to the endolymphatic sac).

Cochleosacculotomy: After a tympanotomy (see above), the saccule is ruptured to decrease the amount of endolymph in the endolymph spaces

Sacculotomy (tack procedure or Cody tack): Accessed through tympanotomy (see above) a metal tack is placed so that it ruptures the saccule and releases endolymph when the amount of endolymph in the inner ear increases so that the saccule enlarges.

Cryosurgery: After a simple mastoidectomy (see above), an opening is created with a freezing-cold probe between the perilymph and endolymph areas, allowing endolymph to escape from either the horizontal or the posterior semicircular canal.

Ultrasound surgery: Ultrasound is applied to the ear to destroy the balance end organs that send information to the brain.

Cochlear dialysis: A tympanotomy (see above) and the scala tympani, a chamber of the inner ear that contains perilymph fluid is filled with a chemical solution to promote movement of fluid out of the endolymph-filled space of the inner ear.

From VEDA publication T-6: Inner Ear Surgeries Meant to Control Vertigo/Disequilibrium, which has further information about each procedure, including the advantages, disadvantages, and possible outcomes.

Answer 7

Check for it on WebMD.com