I’M SO DIZZY, MY HEAD IS SPINNING

Question: Lately I notice that when I move my head quickly, I get a dizzy feeling. This seems to have started last month right after I got over a bad head cold. I feel fine most of the time, and the dizziness has not yet caused me to lose my balance or fall down. I am an otherwise healthy college student, so should I be worried, or can I just wait for it to go away?

Answer: It sounds like you have vertigo. Vertigo is most often described in one of two ways: either the feeling that you are spinning in place –- this is called “subjective vertigo” -- or the feeling that you are standing still and the world is spinning around you –- called “objective vertigo.” Most people who experience either of these kinds of vertigo describe the sensation as general “dizziness.”

It seems very likely that your head cold may have caused an infection of your inner ear, which is one of the most common causes of vertigo. The inner ear is where your balance center, called the “labyrinth”, is located. The labyrinth can become inflamed (called labyrinthitis) due to a bacterial or viral infection, like a head cold. Labyrinthitis can be painless, although you may also notice some slight discomfort in your ear.

Another common form of vertigo is called benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). BPPV also sounds very similar to what you have described -- dizziness associated with sudden head movements. This common type of vertigo is easily treated with anti-dizziness medications, some of which can be purchased over the counter. In fact, they are the same medications used to treat and prevent motion sickness.

Another leading cause of vertigo is Meniere’s disease, but this is more common in older people. Meniere’s disease is also associated with a sudden onset of ringing in the ears, called tinnitus, and hearing loss.
As in the case of Meniere’s disease, most causes of vertigo will be associated with other symptoms. For example, there are types of migraine headaches that are associated with vertigo. Sometimes tumors grow in the inner ear, which can cause vertigo as well as hearing loss. Decreased blood flow to the brain, commonly associated with a stroke, can cause vertigo, vision problems, trouble walking and headaches. In short, vertigo may indicate a serious medical emergency.

Because of this potential danger, vertigo should always be evaluated by a physician. Even BPPV can cause severe, debilitating dizziness, to a degree that it eventually requires a medical evaluation and prescription medications.

Seek emergency medical attention if your vertigo symptoms are associated with double vision or fading vision, severe headaches, difficulty speaking, feeling faint or muscle weakness -- especially if it’s unique to one side of the body.