Dizziness: Impact and Causes

A common symptom affecting a large portion of the population, particularly older adults. It can stem from various causes, including neurological issues, trauma, cardiovascular problems, and more.

A key question to ask when evaluating dizziness, as it helps distinguish between different causes.

Dizziness that is triggered by changes in head position or visual stimulation.

Dizziness associated with systemic problems like endocrine or cardiovascular disorders.

Dizziness arising from issues related to proprioception, the sense of body position.

Illusion of rotatory movement, either of the self or surroundings.

Free-floating otoliths in the semicircular canals inappropriately stimulate the vestibular nerve, causing vertigo. Often triggered by head movements.

Auto-immune condition causing overproduction of endolymph in one ear, affecting the vestibular and cochlear nerves. Symptoms include vertigo, hearing loss, tinnitus, and aural fullness.

Hallmark principle: If vertigo is present, nausea and vomiting are almost always expected.

Hallmark principle: If vestibulocochlear nerve is affected, head movement typically aggravates vertigo, but doesn't cause blurring or vision loss.

Test used to diagnose BPPV. Involves quickly moving the patient's head to specific positions to trigger and observe nystagmus.

Treatment for BPPV involving a series of head movements designed to reposition the otoliths in the semicircular canal.

A series of tests used to assess the integrity of the vestibulocochlear nerve and differentiate between peripheral and central vertigo.

An inflammation of the inner ear's semicircular canals, often affecting the cochlea due to their close proximity.

A viral infection of the inner ear that causes inflammation of the semicircular canals.

Sudden onset or gradual development over several hours, characterized by ear pain, headache, vertigo (worsened by head movement), fever, hearing loss, and tinnitus.

Inflammation of the vestibular portion of the nerve (responsible for balance) without affecting the cochlea.

Vestibular neuritis and labyrinthitis share similar symptoms, but vestibular neuritis lacks hearing loss and ear pain.

Vertigo as a prolonged aura associated with migraine headaches, occurring simultaneously or independently of the headache.

Vertigo, dizziness, disequilibrium, head-motion vertigo, and visual sensitivity, lasting from minutes to days.

It's a diagnosis of exclusion, requiring at least 5 episodes of moderate to severe vertigo lasting 5 minutes to 72 hours, a history of migraines, and migraine features like headache intensity, location, and accompanying symptoms.

Benign paroxysmal vertigo of childhood, characterized by 5 or more episodes of severe vertigo without warning, resolving in minutes to hours.

Refer any suspected case of vestibular migraine in children to a doctor due to the potential seriousness of the condition.

A clinical assessment tool used to determine the need for imaging after a cervical spine injury. It considers high-risk factors, safe neck movement assessment, and specific patient symptoms.

Fitzritson's test is used to differentiate between a central nervous system (CN8) issue and a cervical-generated dizziness (CGD). A positive test with a stable head indicates a CN8 problem, while a positive test with an unstable head indicates a CGD.

If progression in symptoms is observed over time, it supports the diagnosis of cervical spine injury. Expecting a plateauing of pain, new symptoms may indicate another cause.

The initial step in the Canadian C-Spine rule involves identifying high-risk factors that might necessitate immediate imaging. These factors include age, dangerous mechanism of injury, and specific motor vehicle collisions.

Step 3 of the Canadian C-Spine rule involves assessing the patient's neck range of motion. If the patient can actively rotate their neck 45 degrees to the left and right, they can continue with a general cervical spine screen. If not, radiography is recommended.

A condition where blood flow to the posterior brain is reduced, often due to a blockage in the Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery (PICA). This can lead to symptoms like vertigo, nausea, hemi-ataxia, and Horner's syndrome.

A type of stroke that affects a specific artery in the back of the brain. It's often caused by a blockage in the PICA, also known as Wallenburg's Syndrome.

A temporary interruption of blood flow to the brain, causing neurological symptoms that resolve completely within 24 hours.

Permanent damage to brain cells caused by lack of oxygen due to a prolonged interruption of blood flow.

A condition characterized by a combination of neurological symptoms, typically occurring due to a blood vessel problem in the back of the brain. The common symptoms include: ipsilateral facial pain with loss of pin prick/temperature sensation, and contralateral body loss of pin prick/temperature sensation.

An interruption of blood flow in the vertebral and basilar arteries, located in the back of the neck and brain.

A narrowing or hardening of the arteries in the neck and brain, leading to reduced blood flow. This is a gradual process and can be monitored or require further medical management.

A tear in the lining of an artery in the neck and brain. This is a more urgent condition that often requires immediate medical treatment.

A type of VBAI caused by hardening and narrowing of the arteries in the neck and brain. This is a gradual process and may only require monitoring.

A series of symptoms that can occur with VBAI, including dizziness, dysarthria, dysphagia, diplopia, and drop attacks.

A benign tumor located in the vestibulocochlear nerve which can cause hearing loss, tinnitus, dizziness and other neurological symptoms.

A condition that causes dizziness due to problems with proprioception (body position sense) in the neck.

A type of dizziness triggered by movements or positions of the neck, often related to pain or stiffness.

A type of dizziness that is considered a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning it can only be diagnosed after other possibilities have been ruled out.

A type of dizziness that is associated with problems with the neck region. It may involve symptoms like neck pain, stiffness, and limited range of motion, leading to an unstable feeling.