What Causes Vertigo?

Posted on Mon, 3 Feb 2014

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Mon, 3 Feb 2014 Answered on

Wed, 26 Feb 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : Hi I have vertigo since before Christmas. I basically felt like I was tilting. I went to my doctor and eye doctor because I'm scared of how long it's been. He gave me an anti biotic to help with antivert and when I was on the anti biotic I felt better then once I got off of it this week some of my symptoms came back. Is it ok that I have some small eye movement if I stare at something and at night time I feel worse. like if I'm going for a walk at night or driving. I don't have vomiting or nausea. I'm just scared I still feel this way since Christmas. thanks. XXXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Manjeth Kumar G (1 hour later)

Brief Answer: waiting for your response. Please reply. Detailed Answer: Hello, I have gone through your query and understand your concern. There are plenty of causes for vertigo. I have some questions Do you have or had any ear discharge in past or now? Do you have met any accident or head injury? Do you hear any ringing sound in ears? Do you have fullness in ear or fever? Did you just feel lightheaded or did you see the world spin around as though you had just got off a playground roundabout? Any family history of similar illness? Have you remember the associated symptoms with vertigo when it started? Waiting for your response.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Manjeth Kumar G (8 minutes later)

Hi and thank you for responding. I don't have any of those type symptoms. I have mainly like a light heading feeling no spinning. it does feel like my eyes are slightly moving but my eye doctor said they are not. If I move me head back and forth it just feels funny. If I move to fast i get dizzy but just for a second. The feeling is just weird. There is no family illness that has these symptoms. I first started out when I woke up from sleeping about a week or less before Christmas with the room spinning. Once it stopped my head started to feel like this now with some tilting feeling and eyes seeming to move very slightly when I focas hard. I'm just still scared.

Answered by Dr. Manjeth Kumar G (4 hours later)

Brief Answer: Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo. Epley's XXXXXXX Detailed Answer: Hello, Thanks for your reply. You are suffering from Benign Paroxysmal Positional vertigo. It is not a serious condition to concerned about. It will go off on its own in few weeks to months. This is due to problem in your inner ear. In our inner ear, there are fragments of calcium carbonate crystals lining in a part of inner ear called vestibule of labyrinth. Some times these these crystals may broken down and move into the another part of inner ear called semicircular canal. We all know that inner ear is important in maintaining the equilibrium of our body position. In this condition, the fragments that lie in semicircular canal sends additional signals to brain and cause this vertigo and dizziness. But as the days and weeks goes on, these fragments dissolves and the symptoms disappears. If the symptoms are worse, ENT specialist will perform a procedure called Epley's manoeuvre to replace the fragments from semicircular canal to vestibule of labyrinth. This is done by a series of four movements of the head. After each movement, the head is held in the same place for 30 seconds or so. Thus you need the ENT specialist to perform the procedure. We usually advice the following after this procedure. 1. Do not lie flat for 48 hours. During this time sleep sitting in a chair. 2. Do not lie on the affected side for one week. 3. Ideally, try to avoid bending over (such as to tie shoelaces) for a week. If the first try did not work, you may need to repeat the same treatment. Thus this is nothing to be concerned about. The eye movements you feel during these episodes are to maintain the balance to dizziness. Hope this helps. Please write back for further queries. Wishing you good health.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Manjeth Kumar G (6 hours later)

Thank you. I have one more question. Can the slight eye movement seem to be a constant thing? my eye doctor said that they weren't doing it last week but it seems like they are. Thank you for your help.

Answered by Dr. Manjeth Kumar G (1 hour later)

Brief Answer: No. Not permanent. It will goes off later. Detailed Answer: Hello, Thanks for your reply. These eye movements called Nystagmus is temporary and goes off, Once you get treated by the above said Epley's Maneuver. Else it may goes off as the fragments of the crystals dissolve. You need not to worry about this. Hope this helps. Please write back for further queries. Wishing you good health.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Manjeth Kumar G (5 minutes later)

Ok thank you. They just seem to always be slightly moving recently. I guess they will go away in time is what you are saying? thank you for all your help

Answered by Dr. Manjeth Kumar G (24 minutes later)

Brief Answer: Yes. It will go away. Detailed Answer: Hello, Yes. It will go away in some weeks or shortly after the maneuver. Please write back for further queries. Wishing you good health.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar