My husband and I have a lot in common. While most of these commonalities can be considered good attributes, there’s an odd one out that causes much trouble – we’re both prone to dizziness. We have consulted our doctor-friend about this and yet another commonness was found in our respective conditions. My husband’s case of dizziness has been identified specifically as motion sickness, while my particular case of often feeling dizzy was found to be caused by the condition called vertigo. Our doctor-friend then informed us that both vertigo and motion sickness are related to problems in the inner ear, the specific part of the body where the balance centers are situated.
A viral infection has been tagged as the culprit in my particular case of vertigo. This infection has been found to cause hearing impairment, which probably explains the mild dizziness I’ve been feeling lately as I have been experiencing hearing problems of late, too. I am now receiving treatment for this particular condition, lest my hearing becomes impaired permanently.
Being a vertigo sufferer, I can tell you that the place where you are seem to be whirling around you whenever the condition strikes. Some cases of vertigo have been determined to occur as a side effect of some medications. But a continuing occurrence of fits of severe vertigo is often considered a symptom of Meniere’s disease. This condition is characterized by excessive fluid which plugs the inner ear, disturbing the sense of balance. An attack of vertigo may take place without warning. In severe conditions, paroxysms can be very alarming, with such consequences as losing one’s balance, being overwhelmed by nausea and vomiting, sweating profusely, and experiencing intermittent hearing loss. This last symptom is particularly disconcerting inasmuch as it can persist between occurrences and may become more serious in time.
In my husband’s case, dizziness sets in, as if automatically, when he sits in a moving vehicle. As in vertigo, motion sickness is linked to problems in the inner ear which, in part, controls the person’s sense of balance. A person prone to motion sickness begins to feel dizzy while sitting in, say, a moving car because of the shifting of the fluid in the inner ear. This causes jumbled impulses to be sent to the balance center of the brain. Similarly, the person’s inability to focus his eyes on a fixed range of perception may cause discomposing messages to be sent to his brain. It’s when some of these impulses get to the specific area that controls nausea and vomiting that a person experiences dizziness.
In any case, it is always best to consult your doctor about the dizziness you are experiencing. Your doctor, for example, may prescribe any one of several drugs available, or suggest certain surgical techniques to treat your vertigo. The latter treatment may be especially necessary if your particular case of vertigo is determined to be a symptom of Meniere’s disease. For motion sickness, there are certain drugs you can take before a trip to help prevent, or at least reduce, the effects of the condition. The one prescribed to my husband is a drug that is based on the antihistamine dimenhydrinate.
