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Many of us are confronted with feelings of dizziness during certain times of our life. One of the most confusing ones to experience certainly has to be vertigo. When you suffer from vertigo, you are under the impression that your surroundings are moving or spinning, which is an illusion of movement.

Although it is generally non-threatening, dealing with this type of lightheadedness can become unpleasant after a while. Here is everything you know about the condition’s causes, symptoms, and course of treatment, as well as some ideas for vertigo home remedies that will alleviate the discomfort you are experiencing.

Causes

The most common cause of vertigo is a problem at the level of the inner ear. While this may occur due to different reasons, the most common one is benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, or BPPV for short. This is called by calcium particles gathering in the inner ear canals, and it is a frequent occurrence during old age.

Another similar origin lies in Meniere’s disease, which consists of fluid buildup accompanied by pressure changes. Alongside vertigo, this condition also creates tinnitus, which manifests itself as a ringing in your ear. Ear infections also fall into this category, and the most widely encountered is vestibular neuritis.

Other less usual roots of the problem include head or neck injuries, migraines, or other cerebral problems such as tumors or strokes. What is more, certain types of medication can also induce vertigo due to their chemical composition. A medical check-up will determine which one of these is your case and advise you on how to proceed.

Symptoms

When you experience vertigo, you will feel like you are spinning, swaying, or tilting. A loss of balance is normal in this situation, as is the sensation of being pulled towards one side. For this reason, it often gets confused with dizziness. However, it is a bit more complex of a condition than that, and it can lead to painful circumstances.

Even though it is a consequence of a bigger illness, it still has its characteristic symptoms. If you identify one or more within the manifestation, it is advisable to consult with a doctor about it as soon as possible. The most common ones include:

• nausea;
• vomiting;
• sweating;
• abnormal eye movements;
• headaches;
• ringing in the ears;
• and loss of hearing.

These symptoms generally last for a few minutes at a time, but their duration can expand in the realm of hours. What is more, they can be either episodic or chronic. They are usually triggered by sudden shifts in position, but other unexpected changes in your surroundings might also act as a catalyst. Visual disturbances are also a possibility.

Treatment

As previously mentioned, vertigo is caused by an underlying affliction. Thus, in order to completely eradicate the problem, you will need to treat the whole thing. This is usually done through medication, surgery, or various types of targeted therapy. The most commonly utilized technique is that of vestibular rehabilitation.

With its help, you will train your other senses so that your body and brain communicate better in terms of balance. Nevertheless, if your vertigo isn’t caused by something larger, then the only thing you can do about it is alleviate its symptoms. While the pharmaceutic industry provides various alternatives for this, homemade remedies also work.

The first thing you can try is a good night’s sleep. This might sound like a cliché piece of advice, but lightheadedness is often correlated to lack of sleep. After a proper rest, you might notice an improvement. If not, you can coriander seeds, lemons, or strawberries. These are all considered natural cures for vertigo due to their nutrients.

If your vertigo is caused by an inner ear infection such as vestibular neuritis, then basil is one of the best at-home treatment options. Its antiseptic properties help reduce inflammation and fight the illness from the inside. To benefit from these effects, apply an ointment made from crushed leaves and warm water locally.

If your spells of dizziness are caused by a general loss of balance, then you can also try yoga. This type of exercise improves blood circulation throughout the entire body, including your cranial area. This can help you substitute medical therapy, but if the problem is more serious it is still advisable to consult with a physician.

Conclusion

Vertigo is more than a simple bout of dizziness. It can have serious symptoms, and it is usually caused by a more severe underlying condition. For this reason, it’s important to treat it correctly. There are plenty of alleviating homemade remedies, but if you feel like you need more, you can also consult with a doctor.