Vertigo (When It's Not In The Ear)

Vertigo is often described as dizziness by people who have this sometimes debilitating condition. Most frequently, vertigo comes from the shifting of crystals in the inner ear that is easily relieved by head maneuvers. But vertigo is sometimes more challenging to manage than the well known BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo) that is corrected with manipulation of the head. At such times, vertigo can markedly impact the lives of people with this complaint. Diagnosis of these less common types of vertigo, require careful history taking and extensive imaging and electrophysiologic testing. Even with the use of modern diagnostic techniques, it is still sometimes a struggle to get a clear diagnosis of vertigo rapidly. Practitioners who encounter vertigo of this nature are aware that rapid diagnosis can be crucial, as often, effective therapy must be administered in a timely fashion. People who develop these rarer types of vertigo are often unaware of this need for urgency. Central vertigo can pose an emergency and being aware of this can help prevent lost opportunities and ensure better outcomes in people with these types of vertigo.
Images Courtesy of: Blausen.com staff (2014). "Medical gallery of Blausen Medical 2014". WikiJournal of Medicine 1 (2). DOI:10.15347/wjm/2014.010. ISSN 2002-4436.