The Four Most Common Causes of Dizziness

Dizziness and vertigo can significantly impact your quality of life, making it difficult or impossible to complete basic everyday tasks. Dizziness can be caused by a range of complications, most often affecting the inner ear. Below are four of the most common causes of dizziness.

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)

BPPV is a problem in the inner ear that causes false signals of movement to the brain. This is due to dislodged calcium carbonate crystals known as otoliths finding their way into the wrong part of the inner ear. With BPPV, we typically feel the sensation of dizziness when we lay down, turn over in bed, lift our head up, or look down.

Meniere’s Disease

Meniere’s Disease is a chronic inner ear condition that affects both hearing and balance. Typically, patients only experience Meniere’s disease in one ear, though both may be affected over time. The condition is most common in patients who are in their 40s-50s, and episodes are prolonged but may last less than 24 hours. Meniere’s disease is caused by an abnormal amount of fluid in the inner ear, which can be due to a viral infection, immune response, or blockage.

Labyrinthitis

Labyrinthitis is a condition typically caused by a viral or bacterial infection that results in vertigo, dizziness, or nausea. It may occur at any age and is typically caused by respiratory illnesses like bronchitis, viral or bacterial ear infections, herpes, or Lyme disease. Labyrinthitis not only causes significant vertigo, but it also causes hearing loss.

Vestibular Neuritis

Vestibular neuritis is caused by inflammation in the vestibular nerve, which is a nerve within the ear that sends information about balance to the brain. Inflammation in the vestibular nerve causes improper communication and subsequent vertigo or dizziness. This condition is commonly confused with labyrinthitis, in which both the vestibular and cochlear nerves are inflamed. A key differentiator is that vestibular neuritis will not cause hearing issues or ringing in the ears.

Dizziness and Vertigo Treatment in Midtown Manhattan

At NYHD | Institute for Hearing & Balance, our Doctors of Audiology offer comprehensive balance assessments to determine the cause of your dizziness and vertigo and offer effective treatment options to relieve your symptoms. Treatment for vertigo ranges from medication for infections to clinically accepted maneuvers and rehabilitation. Contact our office by calling (212) 774-1971 or reaching out online.