Vertigo Treatment

When to Seek Medical Care

Any signs and symptoms of vertigo warrant an evaluation by your doctor. The majority of cases of vertigo are harmless. And although vertigo can be extremely debilitating, it is easily treated with prescription medication. Have your doctor check out any new signs and symptoms of vertigo to rule out any potentially serious or life-threatening causes.

Certain signs and symptoms of vertigo may require evaluation in a hospital's emergency department:

• Double vision
  
• Headache
  
• Weakness
  
• Difficulty speaking
  
• Abnormal eye movements
  
• Altered level of consciousness, not acting appropriately, or difficulty arousing
  
• Difficulty walking or controlling your arms and legs
  

Exams and Tests

The evaluation of vertigo consists primarily of a medical history and physical exam.

• The history is comprised of 4 basic areas. The doctor will ask you about the following areas:
  
  
  • During the exam, the doctor will want to find out if true vertigo exists. The doctor will want to know if you feel any sensation of motion. Report any nausea, vomiting, sweating, and any abnormal eye movements.
    
    
  • The doctor will ask about how long you have had symptoms and whether they are constant or come and go. Do the symptoms occur when you move or change position? Are you currently taking any new medications? Has there been any recent head trauma or whiplash injury?
    
    
  • Are there any other hearing symptoms? Specifically, report any ringing in the ears or hearing loss.
    
    
  • Do you have weakness, visual disturbances, altered level of consciousness, difficulty walking, abnormal eye movements, or difficulty speaking?
  
  
• The doctor may perform special tests such as a CT scan if a brain injury is suspected to be the cause of vertigo. The use of blood tests, specifically to check blood sugar levels, and the use of an ECG to look at the heart rhythm may also be helpful.
  

Self-Care at Home

Home therapy should only be undertaken if you have already been diagnosed with vertigo and are under the close supervision of a doctor.

Medical Treatment

The choice of treatment will depend on the diagnosis.

• Vertigo can be treated with medicine you take by mouth, through medicine placed on the skin (as a patch), or drugs given through an IV.
  
  
• Specific types of vertigo may require additional treatment and referral:
  
  
  • Bacterial infection of the middle ear requires antibiotics.
    
    
  • For Meniere disease, in addition to symptomatic treatment, people might be placed on a low salt diet and may require medication used to increase urine output.
    
    
  • A hole in the inner ear causing recurrent infection may require referral to an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist for surgery.
  
  
• In addition to the drugs used for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, several physical maneuvers can be used to treat the condition.
  
  
  • Vestibular rehabilitation exercises consist of having you sit on the edge of a table and lie down to one side until the vertigo resolves followed by sitting up and lying down on the other side, again until the vertigo ceases. This is repeated until the vertigo is no longer inducible.
    
    
  • Particle repositioning maneuver is a treatment based on the idea that the condition is caused by small stones in the inner ear. Your head is repositioned to move the stones to their normal position. This maneuver should be repeated until the abnormal eye movements are no longer visible.