Dizziness - causes and therapy

Dizziness - causes and therapy /

Dizziness (vertigo) and balance disorder

When people are dizzy, they feel that the ground is shaking, everything is spinning, or the ground is slipping away beneath them. According to the descriptions of those affected dizziness is usually associated with the sensation of disturbed balance and insecurity and can be perceived, for example, as Schwankschwindel or even more diffuse. The causes and accompanying symptoms of dizziness are manifold. The onset of spontaneous, seizure-related or persistent dizziness does not always have its cause in the sense of balance. Other causes of dizziness are usually benign and readily accessible to various forms of therapy.


contents

  • Dizziness (vertigo) and balance disorder
  • The most important facts about dizziness
  • forms of vertigo
  • Systematic dizziness
  • Unsystematic dizziness
  • Causes and triggers
  • Cause in the equilibrium apparatus
  • VR's disease
  • Cause beyond the sense of balance
  • Dizziness and cervical spine
  • Dizziness due to head movement
  • Psychogenic dizziness
  • Age dizziness
  • Diet as a trigger
  • therapy
  • Self-help through avoidance
  • Naturopathy
  • Homeopathic methods

The most important facts about dizziness

  • Dizziness can have many other causes in addition to disturbing the sense of balance.
  • The dizziness can be spontaneous, seizure-like or permanent.
  • Dizziness is the second most commonly reported symptom of patients.
  • There are several forms of dizziness.
  • By avoiding or treating the causes dizziness can disappear.
After a carousel ride most people are dizzy, but the dizziness usually disappears quickly (Image: Comofoto / fotolia.com)

forms of vertigo

Dizziness is usually classified according to different criteria, for example

  • after the subjective perception,
  • by duration,
  • after trigger
  • or the origin of the complaints.

Of course, one finds the symptoms in practice are not always so clearly separated from each other, hybrids and transitions occur well. The various forms of dizziness are defined by their causes and the specific way in which they manifest themselves.

Systematic dizziness

The following forms of dizziness are called systematic dizziness. The cause of the systematic dizziness is usually in a disturbance or irritation of the sense of balance:

  • vertigo
    Do you know the feeling you have when, for example, you get off after a fast carousel ride? This is how the rotary swindle feels.
  • vertigo
    Schwankschwindel is said to be when the ground seems to move underfoot, as occurs physiologically after longer boat trips.
  • lift dizziness
    In doing so, those affected feel as if they are moving up and down, as they are known from lifts.

Unsystematic dizziness

In unsystematic dizziness, the apparent movements of the environment are less clear. Under the generic term of diffuse dizziness, various sensations are summarized, such as:

  • Empty feeling and turning in the head,
  • blurred vision,
  • Flicker and blackening in front of your eyes,
  • nausea seizures,
  • unsteady gait,
  • faintness,
  • imminent impotence or dizziness
  • and a sense of unreality.

It usually occurs in cases of dizziness, which originate outside the organ of equilibrium.

In addition to the perceptions described, there are often one-way inclinations, nystagmus, and a variety of vegetative symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, sweating, palpitations, and anxiety. Due to the large number of additional symptoms, there is talk of a dizziness syndrome.

Whether the trigger for dizziness lies in the inner ear, can be determined in an ENT practice. (Image: Supak / fotolia.com)

Causes and triggers

In order to orient ourselves with our body in space, the central nervous system must constantly process and coordinate sensory stimuli that come in from the vestibular apparatus in the inner ear, from the eyes and receptors of the muscles and tendons and to the respective requirements (rest, movement, change of position). be adjusted. Many people are well aware of the effects of irritating this processing as a motion sickness (travel sickness) or vertigo. The symptoms can also be a side effect of medication, alcohol or drug use. Not least, organic and functional disorders in circumscribed areas lead to dizziness as well as stress, anxiety and mental imbalance.

Cause in the equilibrium apparatus

The equilibrium organ in the inner ear consists of atrial labyrinth, bow apparatus and the vestibular portion of the VIII cranial nerve (equilibrium nerve). For a series of dizziness syndromes, the cause is a disturbed sense of balance. If peripheral parts of the labyrinth or a nerve are damaged, and the dizziness is caused by head movements or changes of position, the symptoms may be a sign of frequent but benign positional vertigo (BPPV) or a symptom of Meniere's disease, a condition associated with vertigo and dizziness Tingling (tinnitus) goes along. However, bacterial or viral inflammation, for example, the structures of the inner ear (labyrinthitis) or the balance nerve (neuritis), herpes zoster infection in the ear and an infarct in the labyrinth come as a cause in question. Lesions of central nerve tracts or the cerebral cortex can also lead to (above all systematic) dizziness. Furthermore, this is sometimes found in the context of migraine, multiple sclerosis, acute circulatory disorder in the brain (TIA), poisoning or tumor diseases (acoustic neuroma).

VR's disease

A special form of motion sickness is the VR disease or VR motion sickness. There are modern PC, console and mobile games, but also professional applications in which the event is not on a conventional monitor, but by means of a Virtual Reality glasses, short VR glasses, perceived. With this it is possible for the users to act virtually in a 3D environment. In some cases, symptoms such as dizziness, nausea and disorientation occur. These symptoms disappear after a short time by themselves.

It is thought that these symptoms are triggered by the discrepancy between the movements that are visually transmitted to the brain, but not by the sense of balance. As a result, VR disease plays a special role. Although the sense of balance is responsible for the symptoms, but there is no disturbance of the same. Many get used to the VR world after some time and the symptoms of VR illness subsided. For others, these symptoms reappear every time they are used.

Dizziness can also be triggered by the use of VR glasses (Image: adam121 / fotolia.com)

Cause beyond the sense of balance

In dizziness with causes beyond the sense of balance (non-vestibular dizziness), the origin may lie in various organs and functional areas. For anemia, for example, there is a shortage of oxygen, which can lead to dizziness. In addition, vitamin deficiency, hypoglycaemia, hyperventilation and a low blood pressure with dizziness symptoms directly after getting up and possible weather sensitivity should be taken into account.

Disorders of vision, such as latent strabismus, reduced cerebral blood flow through calcification, epilepsy or head injury may also be considered in the area of ​​the head. The cervical vertigo, whose origin can be found in the area of ​​the cervical spine, plays an important role.

Dizziness and cervical spine

In so-called cervical vertigo, there is a suspicion of a connection between dizziness and the cervical spine. If other structural causes are ruled out, conventional methods such as osteopathy, chiropractic or Rolfing often refer to tissue qualities and everyday use of the body in diagnosis and treatment.

It is assumed in osteopathy that in the muscles at the back of the head equilibrium receptors could sit, which are clamped at a hard stretch of these muscles and dizziness can trigger. When Rolfing the statics of the entire organism is taken into account to ensure adequate symptom-free function without vertigo. Underlying these concepts is that balance for the human organism can also be the relationship of the head to the body. If this is disturbed or inharmonious, it can consequently lead to complaints. Therefore, in the diagnoses even after not necessarily as associated with dizziness, recognizable symptoms such as:

  • neck tension,
  • stiff neck,
  • Pain on the scapula,
  • shoulder stinging
  • or asked headaches on the back of the head.

Structural representatives from the medical industry suspect behind the connection between cervical spine and dizziness rather degenerative processes on the cervical vertebrae as the cause. By these it should come to movement restrictions, blood supply and nerve conduction problems and thus functional limitations of organs of balance.

Dizziness due to head movement

According to statistics, the occurrence of dizziness is most common in a so-called benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). It can come in certain movements or changes in position spontaneously to vertigo attacks, which are very unpleasant, but in itself harmless. This is due to small stones that are located in the inner ear and sometimes clump together to form larger structures. In certain movements, especially the head, they can now reach unfavorable positions with the lymphatic fluid and cause dizziness. Various positioning exercises help to prevent the complaints or to stop them early after they start. Alternative physicians see a possible connection with the diet of those affected. More on this in the section on diet as a trigger.

Stress can also lead to dizziness. (Image: Henrie / fotolia.com)

Psychogenic dizziness

Dizziness can occur as part of many mental disorders, such as depression, pyschosis and particularly anxiety disorders. Vertigo and other specific phobias such as agoraphobia with or without panic attacks are often associated with dizziness, which is usually described as diffuse and unsystematic dizziness. It often takes a long time for a psychogenic cause to be accepted by those affected. After all organic causes have been excluded, the recommendation for psychotherapy is often pronounced with the medical diagnosis of the "phobic swindle".

Age dizziness

The likelihood of dizziness increases significantly with age. There are indications that between 40 and 50 percent of over-75s should be affected. Very often, no definite organic cause for the onset of dizziness in old age is found. Presumably, various age-related factors come together, which promote dizziness symptoms. These include, for example

  • heart failure,
  • Heart stumbling and cardiac arrhythmias,
  • Blood pressure fluctuations,
  • Circulatory disorders (especially of the brain and ears),
  • Disorders of vision,
  • ear Infirmary,
  • Anemia,
  • strong fluctuations in blood sugar levels
  • and exsiccosis.

Older people usually feel less and less thirsty, drink too little and are thus at risk of internal dehydration. Aging is processual, so that older people do not want to admit and ignore their limitations, for example through dizziness. To avoid falls, therefore, a suitable tool, such as a rollator, is useful. Regular balance exercises, a vitamin-rich alkaline diet and adequate hydration can stop dizziness. Naturopathy recommends ginkgo biloba preparations as well as physical water treatments such as facial glands.

Dizziness can have organic or psychological causes. (Image: pathdoc / fotolia.com)

Diet as a trigger

Alternatively, nutrition is also discussed as a trigger or important factor in the development of dizziness syndromes. In particular, electrolytes, in particular saline, potassium, calcium, magnesium and phosphate, should play a role. The endolymph, a fluid that plays an important role in the ear canal, can be altered by diet in its mineral composition and may impair the function of the sense of balance. In addition, food intolerances and food allergies are suspected to cause dizziness, because the symptoms improved in individual outlet attempts or the omission of the suspected allergens. As a precautionary measure, a basic diet should always be preferred, especially if complaints already exist.

therapy

Complaints that last a long time or recurrence should first be clarified by a specialist - for example, in a practice for ear, nose and throat (ENT), neurology or cardiology. In case of severe vertigo attack, emergency medical help is useful, not least because of the possibility of a stroke.

Conventionally, according to the medical history and findings, the main focus is on the treatment of the underlying disease as well as symptomatic relief of dizziness, for example with dimenhydrinate or pentoxyfellin. In storage vertigo, however, different storage exercises show better results. Psychotherapeutic is initially mostly worked with behavioral therapy or depth psychology procedures, but can be supplemented by alternative methods by agreement.

Self-help through avoidance

If the cause of the dizziness is known, such as a food allergen, alcohol or drugs, these substances should be avoided. Who tends to long-lasting dizziness in carousel rides, should not use such rides. Similarly, the use of VR glasses should be restricted, if it causes dizziness.

Naturopathy

Especially with chronic complaints, natural remedies can create improvement. Depending on the cause of the dizziness, acupuncture, ear candles (which also help with cold and stress) and procedures according to Kneipp are used. When the cervical spine is involved, manual therapies, rolfing, osteopathy or craniosacral therapy are suitable.

Craniosacral therapy can help to resolve the dizziness causes in the cervical vertebrae. (Image: SENTELLO / fotolia.com)

For stress and psychogenic causes, for example:

  • yoga,
  • meditation,
  • Progressive Muscle Relaxation,
  • hypnotherapy,
  • Psychokinesiology,
  • acupressure
  • or autogenic training

To remedy the situation so that those affected gain "firm ground under their feet" and "find their footing" again.

Phytotherapeutics with ginkgo extractions are often used, especially for seniors.

Homeopathic methods

Dizziness in motion sickness can be treated with ear acupuncture and homeopathically prepared coccus grains (Coccolus). Bach flower remedies can also be used and there are other homeopathic remedies in use such as Aurum, Viscum album and Tabaccume, the application of which should ideally be preceded by an individualized professional history. (jvs, ok, updated 28/12/2018)