Dizziness is a disruption in your sense of balance. It can come in many different forms. Dizziness caused by problems in the inner ear may feel like a whirling or spinning sensation (vertigo), unsteadiness or lightheadedness and it may be constant or intermittent. It may be aggravated by certain head motions or sudden positional changes. To understand how dizziness occurs, it’s important to know how the balance organ and vestibular system work:
The Balance Organ
There are three tiny semicircular canals in your inner ear filled with fluid and crystals. The crystals float and move around in the fluid in response to your body’s position. Two other sac-like structures detect vertical and horizontal movements. Together, these structures are called your balance organ because they help your body differentiate up from down, left from right, as well as forward and backward motion.
The Vestibular System
The balance organ coordinates with your eyesight, the muscles and joints in your body to provide you with a sense of balance and orientation in your environment. This is medically known as the vestibular system.
Dizziness is divided into four main categories:
- Vertigo: a false strong sense of motion or spinning.
- Disequilibrium: feeling off-balance, unsteady or wobbly.
- Presyncope: a feeling of losing consciousness or about to faint.
- Lightheadedness: a vague sense of being disconnected with your surroundings.
Some of the most common causes of dizziness arise from issues in your inner ear. This is caused by a disturbance in the blood circulation or fluid pressure in the inner ear, such as a cold. Additionally, your balance and hearing are linked and share a common pathway to the brain. This is why severe allergies, bacterial or viral infections of the inner ear, and medication side effects can cause both dizziness and hearing loss. Furthermore, medical conditions such as Meniere’s disease, and rarely, acoustic neuromas can trigger tinnitus and dizziness.
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is a common balance disorder that causes sudden dizziness upon moving and can be linked with head injuries and migraines. Although not a cause for hearing loss, the trauma caused by BPPV may result in hearing loss and needs to be evaluated and treated accordingly. Treatments such as head maneuvering positions will be provided by a physician or clinician in the management of BPPV symptoms.
Treatment options for dizziness range from one or a combination of medication, diet and lifestyle changes. If you experience any or sudden dizziness in addition to hearing loss that doesn’t go away, you should immediately seek medical advice from your physician or a hearing care provider.