3 Amazing Home Remedies To Get Rid Of Vertigo

Have you ever felt your surroundings spinning around you or yourself spinning when you aren’t? Vertigo makes you feel like the world is spinning around you or your body is tilting. You must have found yourself standing up to spin for some minutes and as soon as you stop spinning you realize it’s like the world is spinning around you. What you felt best describes what vertigo feels like.

Vertigo isn’t a disease in itself, but it does show that there is an underlying medical condition that affects a person. Vertigo affects women more than men. It is usually an uncomfortable feeling that may be accompanied by nausea and vomiting. Hence the need to get rid of them.
In this post, you will learn the meaning of vertigo, the classes, types, causes, symptoms, prevention, and some home remedies to get rid of vertigo.

What Is Vertigo?

Vertigo is a condition that causes the perception of movement or the movement of surrounding objects when there is no actual movement. It comes with a sense of insecurity, imbalance, twisting, tilting, turning, or swaying movement.

Types Of Vertigo

There are two major types of vertigo, and they are:

1. Central vertigo
2. Peripheral vertigo

1. What Is Central Vertigo?

Central vertigo, as the name suggests, has to do with a dysfunction in the central nervous system that causes the sensation of movement or motion in that area. Central vertigo is caused by a problem in the brain, specifically the cerebellum. The cerebellum is a part of the brain responsible for balance, coordination, eye movements, speech, etc. These are called voluntary movements. A problem or damage in this area can lead to central vertigo.

Causes of Central Vertigo

There are different causes of central vertigo. These include:

1. Stroke

A stroke occurs when the blood supply to a part of the brain is cut off, resulting in a decrease in the amount of oxygen in that area. This disorder can be due to a ruptured blood vessel or a blocked artery. Strokes that cause vertigo include cerebellar stroke and brainstem stroke. As previously mentioned, the cerebellum is responsible for balance and coordination; Therefore, any damage to this area can lead to vertigo. A brainstem stroke contributes to vertigo by disrupting the vestibular nerves in the ear that help maintain balance.

2. Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that causes the body to attack the myelin sheaths that cover the brain and spinal cord. This results in numbness, muscle weakness, slurred speech, sensations of electric shock, etc. This damage to the myelin sheaths could cause lesions to the area of the cerebellum that helps to control balance thereby disrupting its ability to maintain equilibrium. This leads to a feeling of movement or spinning called vertigo.

3. Tumors

A tumor is a solid mass of tissue that forms when cells divide abnormally or when a cell that should die does not. It feels like a bump or swelling and affects bone, skin, tissues, organs, etc. An example is an acoustic neuroma. It’s a tumor that develops on the nerve that connects the inner ear to the brain. Pressure from this tumor can cause vertigo. Tumors growing in the cerebellum also cause vertigo.

4. Blood Vessel Disease

Blood diseases refer to diseases of vascular origin. What happens in vascular disease is that the system of blood vessels such as arteries, veins, and lymph nodes are affected. If these vessels rupture or become blocked, they can also cause vertigo. Examples of blood disorders that can cause vertigo are transient ischemic attacks, strokes, migraines, etc.

5. Alcohol

Alcohol is known to depress brain cells known as neurons. This suppression of brain cells causes a change in signals sent from either the cerebellum or the vestibular system. When the signals are altered, you cannot process the information sent by these systems, which can cause vertigo.

2. Peripheral Vertigo

Peripheral vertigo is a perception of movement caused by a dysfunction in the peripheral nervous system. It is caused by a problem in the part of the inner ear that regulates and controls balance. These areas are known as the vestibular labyrinth or semicircular canal.

Causes Of Peripheral Vertigo

The following are the causes of peripheral dizziness

1. Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is a balance disorder that causes a spinning sensation as a result of a problem with the inner ear.
There is a part of the inner ear called the utricle that is responsible for housing small calcium crystals (otoconia). These calcium crystals leave the utricle and travel into the semicircular canal (part of the ear responsible for balance). Inside this semi-circular canal are hair-like strands known as cilia. The cilia send a signal to the brain to trigger rotation when the otoconia hit it. This is done by changing your position. (hence the name positional vertigo)
Some of the positions that can trigger the spinning sensation are: turning in bed, bending over, standing up, lying on the bed (or couch, mat, or other flat surfaces raising your head to look up, etc.

2. Vestibular Neuritis

Vestibular neuritis is the inflammation of the nerve that supplies the inner ear. This nerve, which supplies the inner ear, is called the vestibulocochlear nerve. This nerve sends balance signals to the brain. This helps detect a person’s position and movement. Once this nerve becomes inflamed (which is caused by a blood clot, viral infection, etc.), incorrect information is relayed to the brain as a result of a disruption in the normal functioning of the nerve. This causes a person to experience vertigo.
Other symptoms of vestibular neuritis include difficulty walking, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, etc.

3. Meniere’s Disease

Meniere’s disease is a serious condition that affects the inner ear. It is a chronic condition that causes multiple spontaneous twists. It is an idiopathic condition, but some researchers believed that it occurs as a result of changes in the fluid of the inner ear. Meniere’s disease is characterized by four main symptoms. They are:

• Ear Pressure

Ear pressure is the first symptom of Meniere’s disease. There is a feeling of fullness in the ear, as if the ear is filled with fluid, clogged, or blocked.

• Tinnitus

Tinnitus is noise or ringing in one or both ears.

• Hearing Loss

In Meniere’s disease, variable ear loss occurs. It can be in one ear or both ears. This can lead to gradual hearing loss or permanent hearing damage if proper action is not taken.

• Vertigo

Episodes of vertigo in Meniere’s disease are like an attack. It comes on suddenly for more than 20 minutes and lasts about 2 to 3 hours or more but not more than 24 hours. This vertigo begins and ends spontaneously.

Other causes of peripheral vertigo include:

•  Labyrinthitis
•  Certain medications such as diuretics, salicylates, cisplatin, etc
•  Ventribasilar insufficiency

Symptoms Of Vertigo

The following are the symptoms of vertigo:

1. Dizziness
2. Double vision
3. Confusion
4. Sweating
5. Confusion
6. Difficulty moving the eyes
7. Hearing loss in one ear
8. Slurred Speech
9. Ringing in the ears
10. Loss of balance
11. Blurred vision
12. Lightheadedness
13. Rapid heartbeat

Prevention Of Vertigo

Prevention Of Vertigo

Vertigo can be prevented in the following ways:

Avoid Sugary Foods

Foods high in sugar should be avoided as they disrupt fluid balance in the body. This causes vertigo. In addition to cutting down on sugary foods, it’s also good to cut back on caffeinated beverages.

Avoid or Reduce Your Alcohol Consumption

Alcohol aggravates dehydration. The inner ear contains fluid, crystals, and fluid. These three things help maintain balance and send signals to the brain, which helps determine the body’s position. When you consume alcohol, the fluid in the inner ear becomes dehydrated and reduced. This disrupts or misplaces the signals sent to the brain, causing vertigo.

Drink Water

Water is good for the body. Staying hydrated is important to maintain the body’s normal functioning. Dehydration leads to vertigo. Therefore, it is important to drink water regularly.

Be Moderate When Using Salt

Salt helps keep you hydrated. Consuming too much salt causes fluctuations in the fluid in the middle ear known as endolymph. This in turn affects balance and creates a spinning sensation. It is, therefore, necessary to use a moderate amount of salt in your meals.

Avoid Bright Light

People who are sensitive to light should avoid places where the light is very bright. You should also avoid places with fluctuating bright and low light, as these could all create a spinning sensation.

Home Remedies To Get Rid Of Vertigo

3 Amazing Home Remedies To Get Rid Of Vertigo

The following are the home remedies to get rid of vertigo:

Sleep In A Proper Manner

If you suffer from vertigo and want to sleep, you must ensure that you turn off the lights and do not lie on your side as this can disturb the crystals in the inner ear and cause vertigo. It is therefore advisable to lie on your back and support your head with two or more pillows to elevate it. If you want to get up, it is necessary to get up gently and slowly.

Be Calm

When the spin begins, the first thing to do is stay calm. Then try to find a seat and sit down. Avoid movements that trigger it, such as looking up, bending down, and other quick head movements. After you rest and want to get up, you can use a walking stick to improve balance, and instead of bending down when you want to pick something, you can squat.

Exercises

Exercise can help get rid of dizziness.
The following exercises can be performed:

Epley’s Maneuvers

Epley’s maneuver is used to eliminate vertigo in people with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. People who use Epley’s maneuvers get better from the symptoms of vertigo.
Below are the procedures to follow during Epley’s maneuver:
If the vertigo is on the left,

1. Begin by sitting on  a bed
2. Place a pillow behind your body where your shoulders will be in such a way that your shoulders are resting on the pillow rather than your head.
3. Turn your head 45 degrees to the left.
4. Keeping your head in position, lie on your back with your shoulders on the pillow so your head is tilted back slightly and touching the bed. hold for 30 seconds.
5. Rotate your head 90 degrees to the right and hold for 30 seconds.
6. In the current position, rotate your body and head 90 degrees to the right. hold for 30 seconds.
7.  Lower your legs to the right side of the bed.
8. Slowly sit up on the right side of the bed.
9. Hold for a few minutes while the inner ear makes adjustments

If the vertigo is on the right,

1. Begin by sitting on a bed
2. Place a pillow behind your body where your shoulders will be in such a way that your shoulders are resting on the pillow rather than your head.
3. Turn your head 45 degrees to the right
4. Keeping your head in position, lie on your back with your shoulders on the pillow so your head is tilted back slightly and touching the bed. hold for 30 seconds.
5. Rotate your head 90 degrees to the left and hold for 30 seconds.
6. In the current position, rotate your body and head 90 degrees to the left. hold for 30 seconds.
7. Lower your legs to the left side of the bed.
8. Slowly sit up on the left side of the bed.
9. Hold for a few minutes while the inner ear makes adjustments

Brandt-Darof exercises

Brandt-Darof exercises are used to relieve the symptoms of vertigo.
The following are the procedures to follow during Brandt-Darof exercises:

1. Start by standing up in an upright position.
2. Rotate your head about 45 degrees away from the side causing the vertigo
3. Lower yourself to the other side of your body, keeping your head in the same position.
4. Pull the legs out onto a flat surface.
5. Lie on your side for 30 seconds. If vertigo symptoms are present, stay there until vertigo stops, then wait another 30 seconds.
6. Slowly raise yourself back to a sitting position.
7. Turn your head back to the center.

Final Thoughts

As already mentioned, vertigo is not a disease in itself. It is therefore important to get tested to know the underlying cause. The above measures are intended to alleviate and improve the symptoms experienced. However, if the home remedies to get rid of vertigo do not relieve the symptoms you are feeling, then making a complaint to your doctor is a top priority.