Vertigo is the sensation that either you or the room is spinning in circles. It is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, sweating and/or abnormal eye movements. This is different from dizziness, which is the term that describes a sensation of generalized lightheadedness. Both conditions have very different root causes.

Dizziness is a less specific symptom that has a wide variety of causes, and usually additional related symptoms must be understood to diagnose the underlying problem. The sensation of movement known as vertigo is exclusively caused by problems in the inner ear or the brain, so diagnosis or the underlying condition is usually easier to achieve.

CAUSES OF VERTIGO

The body senses our location in space by sensing the fluid level and movement of the water in our inner ear. This process is called proprioception, and distortions in it are the cause of conditions like motion sickness, and vertigo. There is a wide variety of ways that proprioception can become distorted:

Dehydration
Because the inner ear is filled with fluid, and that fluid is required for proper sensation of body positioning, dehydration can quickly cause vertigo. The lack of sufficient fluid can cause improper sensation by the nerve cells, resulting in the symptoms of vertigo.

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
This is the most common form of vertigo. It is initiated by the movement of the head in certain directions, or by sudden head movements. This is also the diagnosis given to people for whom no underlying cause can be found for their vertigo.

Inner Ear Inflammation
The space inside the skull that holds the inner ear is called the labyrinth. Bacterial or viral infection of the inner ear can cause a condition known as labyrinthitis, which is an inflammation of the inner ear. This condition creates sudden vertigo that is also associated with hearing loss. For more information on hearing loss, please click here.

Inflammation of the Vestibular Nerve
The vestibular nerve is responsible for sensing the positional information that the inner ear provides. Inflammation of this nerve can also produce the symptoms of vertigo. In some cases this inflammation is caused by an autoimmune attack, as is the case in multiple sclerosis (MS). For more information on multiple sclerosis, please click here.

Nerve Damage
Any damage of the vestibular nerve can cause the symptom of vertigo. This damage can be caused by brain or skull trauma from an accident or blow to the head. It can also be caused by a tumour of the nerve called an acoustic neuroma. Other symptoms of an acoustic neuroma are one-sided tinnitus, and hearing loss. For more information on tinnitus, please click here.

Decreased Blood Flow
Insufficient blood flow to the region of the brain responsible for position sense can trigger a number of symptoms, the most common of which is vertigo. Other notable symptoms are headache, and difficulty walking. This can be caused by hemorrhage or stroke. For more information on stroke, please click here. This change in blood flow can also be the cause of a migraine, which is why vertigo is occasionally associated with migraines. For more information on migraines, please click here. Interestingly, the cause of reduced blood flow can also be from arteriosclerosis. For more information on this condition, please click here.

Drug Side Effects Some drugs can damage the vestibular system when they are used in excessive doses or with prolonged use. Examples of these are: some antibiotics, aspirin, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, sedatives, tranquilizers, and some illegal drugs.

Treating the Underlying Cause Because of the wide variety of conditions that can cause vertigo, it is important to determine the correct underlying cause of the symptom to rule out more serious conditions. If you are experiencing ongoing vertigo, it is important that you get examined by your health care provider. If you are experiencing double vision, weakness, difficulty speaking, abnormal eye movements, difficulty walking or an altered level of consciousness, please seek emergency medical attention.

Conventional Treatments
Depending on the underlying cause, conventional medicine will treat vertigo with antibiotics, or anti-inflammatory, and anti-nausea medications. Some cases may be treated with re-positioning maneuvers and head tilting exercises in order to reset the vestibular system (Epley maneuver), or dislodging foreign material that may be triggering problems (particle repositioning maneuver).

NATURAL TREATMENT OF VERTIGO

Hydration
The most common cause of vertigo is dehydration. This condition can quickly be fixed simply by taking in a few glasses of water or electrolyte solution and resting. Be sure to stay hydrated every day by drinking at least 8-10 cups of water daily, and increase your intake if you are sweating or exercising a lot. For more information on electrolytes, please click here.

GABA
One of the major inhibitory neurotransmitters involved in the vestibular nerve system is gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Supplementation with this substance can help to reduce vertigo, and especially help to reduce the associated vomiting. For more information on how to use GABA, please click here.

Ginkgo biloba
This herb helps to improve blood flow to the body’s periphery and the brain. This can help to increase circulation to the vestibular nerve and the parts of the brain that sense body positioning. For more information on Ginkgo, please click here.

Hawthorn
Another herb that alters blood flow is Hawthorn. It dilates the blood vessels and helps to promote better circulation to all of the body tissues, including the brain. For more information on Hawthorn, please click here.

Homeopathics
A number of homeopathic remedies can be used to treat vertigo. The specific remedy depends on your unique case. For the best possible remedy, please see your homeopath or naturopath for prescription of the remedy with the best fit for your case. If you cannot see a practitioner, combination homoepathics are often extremely useful for treatment, especially in cases where the underlying cause is not yet known. For more information about homeopathy, please see our Homeopathy 101 article.

Massage and Acupressure
Both full body and localized massage of the head have been found to help relieve the symptoms of vertigo. Acupressure stimulation can help to regulate the flow of blood to the brain and reduce the symptoms. Acupuncture performed by a licensed acupuncturist or naturopath can also have great benefits to the treatment of vertigo.

Lifestyle and Movement
Stay still during attacks and avoid rapid body movements, especially of the head. Try to reduce your stress levels and get enough sleep.