Dizziness: Lightheadedness, Imbalance or Vertigo?
Your ears do more than just help you to hear. They also make up part of the vestibular system that helps us maintain balance. Part of the inner ear contains three semi-circular canals. These are full of fluid that reacts whenever you move your head. As the fluid shifts within the canals, small cilia (or hair-like protuberances from a cell) are activated and send messages to the brain. These messages tell your brain which direction the head is moving.
You know that feeling of dizziness after you have been spinning around? Well, the fluid in your inner ears was also spinning. That made the cilia move in all different directions and briefly confused your brain. When a person has a vestibular disorder, disruptions somewhere within the inner ear structures or along the nerve or brain pathways may occur. We offer many ear services, including these that help with dizziness, lightheadedness, and vertigo.
What Is the Difference?
Dizziness is often used to describe either lightheadedness, Imbalance or vertigo, so it is important to know the difference in symptoms to help narrow down the list of possible problems.
Vertigo is the illusion that you or your surroundings are moving (rotating, spinning, leaning, falling) without actual movement. Vertigo describes a symptom but is not a final diagnosis. Severe vertigo can cause nausea or even lead to vomiting. You may physically lose your balance or even have trouble walking. Vertigo is not the same as motion sickness, though, as this feeling is not actually triggered by repeated motion. When patients present with vertigo, our goal is to determine if it is ear related or not.
Imbalance is a state of being off centered or loss of spatial awareness. It can be caused by your ears, headaches, neuropathies, muscle weakness among other things. It could be side-stepping, veering, or running into walls.
Lightheadedness is the sensation of almost fainting or passing out, but without the feeling that your surroundings are moving. It often disappears when you lie down. When lightheadedness gets worse, it can feel like almost fainting and may sometimes cause nausea to the point of vomiting. It is not uncommon for people to get a bit lightheaded, and it usually is not caused by an inner ear problem (i.e. it could be a momentary drop in blood pressure caused by getting up too quickly).
At Midwest ENT Centre, we work with patients who may be experiencing dizziness, imbalance or vertigo episodes. Depending on the patient’s symptoms, the doctor may recommend further assessment of the inner ear balance system. This is called a vestibular evaluation.
Sources: The National Dizziness and Balance Center
Vestibular Function: Evaluation and Treatment (2004) Alan Desmond, AuD
Vestibular Disorders Association and American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
Call Midwest ENT Centre at (636) 685-8250 for more information or to schedule an appointment.