Central Vertigo - Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

Vertigo is a sensation of motion or spinning that leads to dizziness and discomfort. Vertigo is not the same as light-headedness . Vertigo is a major symptom of balance disorders. Typically, the perceived motion is rotary a spinning or whirling sensation but some patients simply feel they are being pulled to one side. The patient may feel as though he or the environment is moving.

Symptoms may be acute and severe, causing nausea and vomiting, and may occur episodically. Vertigo may last for a few moments, several hours, or even days. The person experiencing vertigo often describes the sensation as whirling or spinning. Vertigo is most common in elderly people, but can affect any age.

Vertigo usually occurs as a result of a disorder in the vestibular system (i.e., structures of the inner ear, the vestibular nerve, brainstem, and cerebellum). The vestibular system is responsible for integrating sensory stimuli and movement and for keeping objects in visual focus as the body moves. Vertigo is a common health problem in adults affecting 40% of the adult population in the United States at least one time during their life. Women have a higher chance of experiencing vertigo and this changes increases as a person gets older.

Causes of Central Vertigo

Find common causes and risk factors of Central Vertigo:

• Central vertigo occurs if there is a an abnormality in the brain, particularly in the brainstem or the cerebellum.
• If you have vertigo, then it may cause migraine headaches and presyncopal lightheadedness.
• If you have problem with the portion of the inner ear that controls balance then peripheral vertigo occurs.

Signs and Symptoms of Central Vertigo

Sign and symptoms may include the following :

• Slurred speech.
• Difficulty swallowing.
• Double vision.
• Weakness of the limbs .

Treatment for Central Vertigo

Treatment may include:

• You can also use vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT) to treat vertigo. It is a type of physical therapy. The goal of treatment is to minimize dizziness, improve balance, and prevent falls by restoring normal function of the vestibular system.
• For the treatment of migraine-associated vertigo such as includes analgesics and vestibular suppressants. Drugs that are useful in the treatment of migraines such as include sumatriptan, propranolol, imipramine, amitriptyline, and nortriptyline and vestibular suppressants diazepam and alprazolam.
• Your doctor may start your treatment from bed rest or prescribing medications that suppress the activity of the inner ear, such as include meclizine, dimenhydrinate or promethazine, anticholinergic medications such as include scopolamine or a tranquilizer.

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