Do you feel like the room is spinning or swaying?
That unsettling sensation is known as vertigo, a specific type of dizziness that creates a false sense of motion. It often comes on suddenly and can interfere with your ability to walk, drive, or focus. In most cases, vertigo stems from a balance disorder within the inner ear, also known as the vestibular system.
What causes vertigo and balance disorders?
There are several conditions that can affect your sense of balance and lead to episodes of vertigo, including:
- BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo): occurs when small calcium crystals in the inner ear become dislodged, causing brief but intense spinning sensations triggered by head movement
- Ménière’s disease: a chronic condition that causes recurrent vertigo, hearing loss, tinnitus, and a feeling of fullness in the ear
- Vestibular migraine: a type of migraine that presents with episodes of dizziness or imbalance, often without a headache
- Vestibular neuritis: inflammation of the vestibular nerve, usually after a viral illness, causing sudden and severe vertigo
- Labyrinthitis: an inner ear infection affecting both balance and hearing, leading to ongoing dizziness and instability
- Vestibular dysfunction: a general term that includes a range of inner ear issues disrupting your body’s ability to stay balanced
Each condition affects the vestibular system in a different way. That’s why a tailored treatment plan, based on a clear diagnosis, is key to improving your quality of life. At King’s, our specialists use advanced techniques like vestibular testing and targeted therapies, including the Epley manoeuvre or other positional manoeuvre treatments to help you feel steady again.
How Is Vertigo Diagnosed?
A proper diagnosis begins with a detailed clinical history and physical examination. To identify the exact cause of your symptoms, our ENT and audiology specialists use a range of vestibular tests, which may include:
- Hearing evaluations
- Eye movement tracking
- Head position testing
- Balance platform assessments
These tests help pinpoint the specific issue in the vestibular system and guide appropriate treatment.
Can Vertigo Be Treated Without Surgery?
Many cases of vertigo, especially BPPV, respond well to physical repositioning techniques. The Epley manoeuvre is a safe and effective procedure that helps move displaced ear crystals back into position. Other positional manoeuvre techniques may be used based on the type and cause of vertigo.
For more complex conditions like Ménière’s disease or vestibular migraines, medical therapy, lifestyle modifications, or vestibular rehabilitation may be recommended.
When Should You See a Specialist for Dizziness?
You should seek medical care if your symptoms are:
- Persistent or worsening over time
- Associated with hearing loss or ringing in the ears
- Triggered by certain head positions
- Causing difficulty with walking or daily activities
The earlier a balance disorder is identified, the easier it is to manage. At King’s College Hospital London in Dubai, our team offers comprehensive evaluation and treatment options tailored to your condition.
Who are the best Treating Vertigo doctors in Dubai?
Faqs
الأسئلة الأكثر شيوعا
Not always. Feeling faint or woozy can have lots of causes. Vertigo, though, usually feels more like the world is spinning—or like you’re moving when you’re not. If it’s a sense of motion, especially when you turn your head, it could be vestibular-related.
In most cases, no. BPPV can be disruptive, especially if it catches you during everyday movement, but it isn’t life-threatening. Still, it can throw off your balance and increase your fall risk, so don’t ignore it.
Some people feel better almost right away. For others, it takes a couple of tries. The Epley manoeuvre is designed to reset how your inner ear responds to movement, so results vary a bit from person to person.
Definitely. While stress alone doesn’t usually cause vertigo, it can heighten how dizzy or off-balance you feel. Some people also confuse anxiety-related symptoms with a vestibular disorder, so a proper checkup is always a good idea.
They can, even though it’s less common than in adults. Things like vestibular migraine or an ear infection can affect balance in children. If your child seems unusually clumsy or mentions spinning sensations, it’s worth getting them looked at.
BOOK AN APPOINTMENT
New Genetic Form
BOOK AN APPOINTMENT
Related Doctors
No tabs configured.
