Vertigo

Vertigo is the feeling that you or your environment is moving when no movement occurs. Imprecisely called dizziness, the term vertigo is the specific term used to describe an illusion of movement. Unlike nonspecific lightheadedness or dizziness, vertigo has relatively few causes.

Vertigo can be caused by problems in the brain or the inner ear.

• Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is the most common form of vertigo and is characterized by the sensation of motion initiated by sudden head movements.
  

  Vertigo Symptoms

  It is very important to determine if vertigo truly exists. Vertigo implies that there is a sensation of motion either of the person or the environment. This should not be confused with symptoms of lightheadedness or fainting.

  • To determine if true vertigo exists, you must describe a sensation of disorientation or motion. In addition, you may also have any or all of these symptoms:
    
    
    • Nausea or vomiting
      
      
    • Sweating
      
      
    • Abnormal eye movements
    
    
  • The duration can be from minutes to hours and can be constant or episodic. The onset may be due to movement or change in position. It is important to tell your doctor about any recent head trauma or whiplash injury as well as any new medications you may be taking.
    
    
  • You may have hearing loss and a ringing sensation in your ears.
    
    
  • You might have visual disturbances, weakness, difficulty speaking, decreased level of consciousness, and difficulty walking.

That said, I am sick to death of this vertigo.  It is a pita.  What they don't say in the literature is that it never really goes away.  When I am about to have an "attack", I get an aura, sorta.  That is also not in the literature.  Next thing I know, my eyes roll up in my head (no, not a seizure!) and the whole world swings back and forth.   I get all of the above symptoms.  Since the first nasty attack which sent me to bed for 2 days, I have never had one so severe.  But, now it is chronic.  I call it the vertigo hangover.  I have an attack, which lasts a very short time, sometimes as long as a few hours, then, for weeks, or even months after I cannot turn my head to the right or look up, or my world starts to swing again.  Like I said, a real PITA!

Just a little Sunday morning rant as I try not to turn my head to the right!