DECEMBER 2018 The Therapy Bulletin The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body HEAD COLD VS. VERTIGO SIGNS YOUR “COMMON COLD” ISN’T AS COMMON AS YOU THINK
The most common causes of vertigo are: • Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo – also known as BPPV. While this sounds like a scary, long-winded diagnosis, it is essentially a type of vertigo that can be easily corrected in often times 1-2 visits. This type of vertigo occurs when microscopic calcium particles, called otoconia, are floating in the semicircular canals of the vestibular system. The vestibular system is responsible for telling us where our head is in space in relation to positioning. When the otoconia travels into the canals, it sends incorrect message to the brain resulting in a spinning sensation or dizziness that lasts a few seconds to a minute. A person may feel like they are walking on boat following the spinning episode. • Meniere’s Disease – This is a disorder of the vestibular system caused by fluctuating pressures within the canals of the vestibular system creating a microscopic hole in the membrane of the canal. This results in severe constant dizziness or vertigo that does not stop with changing positions and can last hours or days. Meniere’s Disease can also cause tinnitus, commonly referred to as ringing in the ears, and even hearing loss in extreme cases. • Vestibular Neuritis – Also known as labyrinthitis, is caused by inflammation along the vestibular nerve causing vertigo symptoms. Loss of balance is often seen with quick movements of the head, closed eyes, or at night with poor lighting. Inflammation along the nerve often follows a viral infection such as shingles. As you can see, the most common causes of vertigo are due to issues with the inner ear. However, some less common causes of vertigo can include:
Do you find yourself getting dizzy doing everyday tasks, such as getting out of bed or walking down the driveway to get the mail? Do you find it hard to focus on one thing for long periods of time? Do you feel fatigued, lightheaded, or nauseous at any given time of the day? If so, some of these can be signs of a common head cold – but they can also be signs of vertigo. A head cold, also referred to as the “common cold” is exactly that - it is one of the most common ailments people experience each year. On average, an adult will typically get 2-3 head colds a year. You know the feeling - stuffy nose, sore throat, dry cough, achiness… the overall feeling of wanting to stay in bed and drink herbal tea all day. Luckily, for head colds, that’s actually the best remedy! Most of these “common colds” will go away on their own (with a little relaxation and maybe a cough drop or two) within a week. However, if your fatigue becomes severe, you begin feeling nauseous, or you start experiencing an overwhelming feeling of dizziness or imbalance, there is a chance you could have vertigo. If so, our physical therapists at Physical Therapy & Rehab Specialists can help relieve your symptoms. What is Vertigo? Before you can determine whether or not you have vertigo, as opposed to a head cold, it is important to understand what exactly it is. People who experience vertigo typically report an overwhelming sensation of feeling “off balance.” It can make someone feel dizzy or a spinning sensation, which can lead to nausea, loss of balance, and fatigue. Imagine standing still and feeling as if the rest of the world is spinning around you – remember those fun-houses with the uneven floors you used to go in as a kid? That’s essentially what vertigo feels like. But what exactly causes it?
• Injury to the head or neck • Migraines • Medications
• Stroke • Brain tumor
The most common symptoms of vertigo are: • Dizziness – this is the most commonly reported symptom of vertigo, also referred to as swaying, spinning, tilting, or even the sensation of being pulled to one direction. • Nystagmus – this is the phenomenon of experiencing uncontrollable eye movements, commonly referred to as “eye jerks.” • Tinnitus – this is commonly referred to as “a ringing of the ears.”
• Headaches • Nausea • Vomiting • Fatigue • Sweating • Fainting • Hearing loss
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