Vertigo

Please remember the advice we give is general and not meant to be used as a substitute for professional medical or health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you want specific advice then please seek help from your doctor or local physio.

What is vertigo? 

Vertigo describes the unpleasant sensation of spinning. This sensation may feel as though you are spinning or that the world is spinning around you. It is often accompanied by dizziness, nausea, vomiting and/or a loss of balance. 

Types of vertigo and things to look out for 

Vertigo is a symptom which can be caused by a number of conditions. These conditions might stem from a peripheral origin (i.e. the inner ear or vestibular system) or the central nervous system (i.e brain or cranial nerves). 

Peripheral causes of vertigo include: 

• Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) 
• Labyrinthitis or vestibular neuritis 
• Meniere’s disease 
• Traumatic head or neck injury 

Peripheral causes of vertigo are often of rapid onset, are often related to head movement or are associated with acute illness. 

Central causes of vertigo include: 

• Stroke 
• Brain tumour
• Traumatic brain injury 
• Multiple sclerosis 

Indications of central vertigo include vertigo in addition to loss of coordination, motor function, sensation or gait instability. 

How do you treat it? 

Many of the causes of central vertigo represent a medical emergency. Should you experience symptoms suggestive of central vertigo you should seek urgent medical attention.

The treatment of peripheral vertigo is often less urgent and depends on the specific cause. 

Some treatments include: 

1. Epley Manoeuvre 
   1. Used to treat BPPV 
   2. A sequence of movements designed to shift crystal in your inner ear back to their correct position
   3. Can be performed by a vestibular physiotherapist or trained health professional 
2. Medication
   1. To treat inner ear infections 

Exercise and vertigo

Should you experience vertigo or dizzy spells, exercise is commonly one of the first things you avoid due to your symptoms. This can particularly be the case should your vertigo be triggered by head position.  

However, for many of the causes of vertigo, the continuation of a regular exercise program is encouraged in conjunction with any additional treatments you may receive. 

How to make the program exercises tolerable

Here are some practical tips to improve your tolerance to exercise and avoid aggravating your vertigo symptoms: 

1. Avoid tilting your head, lying down or rapid head movement:
   1. To assist in reducing head movement during exercises try to visually focus on a mark at roughly eye level throughout the movement.
2. Focus on resistance and balance training:
   1. Resistance training is often well tolerated as it typically avoids rapid head movements. Additionally, slow (tempo) exercises may be better tolerated than fast, power-based exercises. 
   2. Balance training also often avoids head movement and can be effective in combating the deleterious effects of vertigo.
3. Start low and go slow:
   1. For resistance training, choose weights that you know you can manage easily, then build up as you feel comfortable.
   2. For balance training, begin with exercises or positions which you can maintain for 30 seconds without a loss of balance. As you feel comfortable with the positions, increase the challenge so that you begin to wobble or lose your balance every 15-30 seconds. 

More information 

If you would like further reading on this topic - click here to head to our blog on Vertigo