Vestibular Syndrome: Causes and Signs of Disorders

Vestibular syndrome is an umbrella term for balance disorders and dizziness whose source lies in the inner ear or the vestibular nerve. The mechanism is simple: the balance organ sends false signals about movement to the brain, and the person feels rotation where nothing is moving. Let us look at where this malfunction comes from and how to distinguish it from ordinary nausea.

Vestibular Syndrome: What It Is

The inner ear is responsible for balance, and its problems are the most common cause of vestibular disorders. The brain receives distorted information and cannot reconcile it with vision and signals from the muscles. Hence instability, nausea, sweating, and difficulty walking. There are two different sensations that are often confused.

Vestibular Dizziness: Symptoms and Vestibular Crisis

Vertigo, or true dizziness, is the feeling that you or the room is spinning even when nothing is moving. It intensifies when walking, standing up, or turning the head. An attack may last from a few seconds to hours, and in severe cases, for days and months. Dizziness is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, increased sweating, tinnitus, and impaired coordination.

Non-systemic dizziness is distinguished separately — a feeling of nausea, light-headedness, instability without rotation. Its causes lie outside the labyrinth: a sharp drop in blood pressure, dehydration, getting up from bed too quickly, taking certain medications, motion sickness, migraine. Ear fullness may be a symptom of Meniere's disease.

Causes of Vestibular Apparatus Disorders

Among the causes of vestibular dizziness, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is most often cited — the most common cause of vertigo, in which symptoms are triggered by certain head movements. Next are labyrinthitis (inflammation of the inner ear after a cold or flu) and vestibular neuritis — inflammation of the vestibular nerve. The list also includes Meniere's disease, migraine, and the side effects of certain medications. Sometimes the cause cannot be established.

• BPPV — the most common cause of vertigo
• Labyrinthitis and vestibular neuritis
• Meniere's disease
• Migraine and medication side effects

Meniere's Disease: What It Is and How It Manifests

Meniere's disease is a non-suppurative disease of the inner ear in which the volume of endolymph increases and intralabyrinthine pressure rises. It is a rare condition: according to various data, from 20 to 200 cases per 100,000 population. The disease was described by the French physician Prosper Meniere (1799—1862), and since then the condition has borne his name. It affects predominantly people of Caucasian race, with a mean age of 20 to 50 years, although the disease also occurs in children.

It manifests as attacks of systemic dizziness, balance disorder, nausea and vomiting, tinnitus, ear fullness, and hearing loss. In the first 2—3 years, hearing loss may be transient, but over time hearing declines up to deafness. The course is unpredictable: in some patients, attacks subside after 7—10 years.

Diseases of the Middle and Inner Ear and Non-Systemic Dizziness

Labyrinthitis is an infection of the inner ear caused by a cold or flu virus. Diagnosis is based on asking about symptoms and medications, examination, and testing of hearing, balance, and gait. The doctor may perform a simple test with a rapid change from a sitting to a lying position, and if stroke or head injury is suspected, refer for imaging.

When Dizziness Requires Urgent Examination

You should see a doctor if dizziness does not go away or returns and interferes with daily life. Urgent examination is needed for severe headache, vomiting, high fever, chills. Signs requiring immediate help are distinguished separately.

Dizziness alone is not a reason to call an ambulance; 103 or 112 — if with vertigo there appear double vision or vision loss, hearing loss, speech impairment, weakness, numbness, or tingling in an arm or leg.

This material is for reference purposes and does not replace a doctor's consultation: only a specialist can determine the cause of your dizziness.

This content is for reference and does not replace a doctor's consultation. Medical disclaimer