A Comprehensive Guide for Dizziness: Causes and Treatments

Dizziness can be a disorienting and distressing experience, affecting your balance and overall well-being. Whether it's a sudden episode or a persistent issue, understanding the underlying causes and available treatments is crucial. In this blog post, we'll explore common causes of both acute and chronic dizziness, what they feel like, and how they can be treated effectively.

Common Causes of Acute Dizziness

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)

Description: BPPV involves brief episodes of vertigo triggered by changes in head position.

What It Feels Like: Sudden, intense spinning sensation when moving the head, often described as if the room is spinning around you.

Specific Treatments:

• Epley maneuver
• Semont maneuver
• Brandt-Daroff exercises

Additional Considerations: Recurrence is common; education on self-treatment is beneficial.

Vestibular Neuritis

Description: Inflammation of the vestibular nerve, often following a viral infection.

What It Feels Like: Constant, severe vertigo with nausea and imbalance, but without hearing loss.

Specific Treatments:

• Vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT)
• Medications (corticosteroids, antiemetics, antivirals)

Additional Considerations: Gradual recovery over weeks to months.

Labyrinthitis

Description: Infection or inflammation of the inner ear affecting both hearing and balance.

What It Feels Like: Severe vertigo with nausea, vomiting, and hearing loss in one ear.

Specific Treatments:

• Antibiotics (if bacterial)
• VRT
• Medications (antihistamines, antiemetics)

Additional Considerations: Hearing loss may be permanent in some cases.

Migraine-Associated Vertigo (MAV)

Description: Vertigo occurring with or without headache in migraine sufferers.

What It Feels Like: Episodes of spinning or rocking sensation often accompanied by migraine symptoms such as light and sound sensitivity.

Specific Treatments:

• Migraine prophylaxis (beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, antiepileptics)
• Acute migraine treatment (triptans, NSAIDs)
• VRT

Additional Considerations: Identifying and avoiding migraine triggers.

Common Causes of Chronic Dizziness 

Chronic Subjective Dizziness (CSD)

Description: Persistent dizziness without a clear cause, often related to anxiety.

What It Feels Like: Continuous or almost continuous sense of unsteadiness or non-spinning vertigo, often worsened by complex visual environments.

Specific Treatments:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
• SSRIs or SNRIs (for anxiety)
• VRT

Additional Considerations: Addressing underlying anxiety and stress.

Meniere’s Disease

Description: Inner ear disorder causing vertigo, tinnitus, and hearing loss.

What It Feels Like: Sudden episodes of severe spinning vertigo, often accompanied by hearing loss, tinnitus, and a feeling of fullness in the ear.

Specific Treatments:

• Low-salt diet
• Diuretics
• Intratympanic injections (steroids, gentamicin)
• Surgical options (endolymphatic sac decompression, labyrinthectomy)

Additional Considerations: Lifestyle modifications and stress management.

Cervicogenic Dizziness

Description: Dizziness arising from neck issues.

What It Feels Like: Dizziness or a sense of unsteadiness often triggered by neck movement or sustained awkward neck positions, usually accompanied by neck pain.

Specific Treatments:

• Corrective Movements
• Manual therapy
• Postural exercises
• Neuroplasticity Retraining
• Functional Training

Additional Considerations: Ergonomic adjustments and cardiovascular training

Additional Considerations for Both Acute and Chronic Dizziness

Medication-Induced Dizziness

Description: Dizziness as a side effect of medications.

What It Feels Like: Lightheadedness or a sensation of floating, which may vary depending on the medication.

Specific Treatments: Review and adjust medications with a healthcare provider.

Additional Considerations: Monitoring and managing polypharmacy.

Cardiovascular Causes

Description: Dizziness related to blood pressure or cardiac issues.

What It Feels Like: Lightheadedness or fainting sensations, often triggered by standing up quickly or exertion, sometimes accompanied by palpitations or chest pain.

Specific Treatments:

• Addressing underlying cardiovascular condition
• Medications (antihypertensives, antiarrhythmics)
• Lifestyle changes (diet, exercise)

Additional Considerations: Regular monitoring and follow-up with a cardiologist.

Psychological Factors

Description: Anxiety, depression, or panic disorders contributing to dizziness.

What It Feels Like: A sense of unreality or lightheadedness, often accompanied by symptoms of anxiety or panic attacks.

Specific Treatments:

• Psychotherapy (CBT)
• Medications (SSRIs, SNRIs)

Additional Considerations: Holistic approach including lifestyle modifications.

Conclusion

Understanding the various causes of dizziness and their associated treatments is vital for managing this condition effectively. Here at Physioloops we find that cervicogenic dizziness is incredibly common, and when it is not the primary cause, it is at minimum contributing to some significance of symptoms.  For those who are confused about what is causing their dizziness, in Dr. Joe Damiani's opinion, cervicogenic and neuroplasticity treatments will always create some form of improvement.  Even better, if you have a true form of 'cervocigenic dizziness' it can completely eliminate symptoms!  So if you've had past treatment failures and are frustrated, it's worth a shot!

“I feel so much better, I feel recovered, I feel fearless and unstoppable. I got my life back from dizziness, harsh neck pain, constant ear fullness, headaches… I just felt off all the time.”

Irana was suffering from debilitating dizziness and could not figure out the cause so she decided to try the Physioloops Revitalization Program and was shocked at the 100% resolution of her symptoms.  Check out what she had to say about it: Click To Watch.