You take one step forward and then another. You stop. You think to yourself, what is going on with me? It’s almost as if you can feel the earth you’re standing on spinning, and everything around you moving. Yet you are, in fact, standing still. What does vertigo feel like? It is an extremely dizzy feeling that makes you feel like things around you are spinning even though you are standing still. Often times, there are certain actions or situations that will trigger your vertigo. If you are experiencing vertigo, it’s important to figure out what is causing it. Vertigo is typically a symptom of something else that’s going on, such as an inner ear problem. Let’s delve into the symptoms, triggers and treatment options for vertigo.
What Does Vertigo Feel Like? Symptoms, Triggers, and Treatment
To start, there are different types of vertigo. Peripheral vertigo is when there is a disturbance in the balance organs of your inner ear. Central vertigo is when there’s a disturbance in one or more parts of your brain or your sensory nerve pathways. With that said, what does vertigo feel like, other than everything is spinning? Here are some additional symptoms of vertigo:
- Blurred vision or double vision
- Issues balancing
- Ringing or a feeling of fullness in your ears
- Nausea
- Headache
If you’re experiencing these symptoms, the best thing to do is to sit down immediately. If you notice there’s a certain activity that triggers your dizziness, trying doing it slower or differently. Make sure you have enough light on when you’re moving around, as this can help. If you struggle with balance, use a cane or a walker to assist you so that you don’t fall over.
Eight Things That Cause Vertigo
- Inner ear problem
To put it in layman’s terms, there are little crystals in your ear that can become dislodged and create a brief spinning sensation. This is something you could do exercises to correct, but there’s no medication to fix it.
- Low Vitamin B12 levels
You could be dizzy because of low vitamin B12 levels. To correct this, eat more products like meat and dairy.
- Heart disease
Sometimes dizziness is a sign of a heart condition, which is why it’s important to pay attention to when you are getting dizzy.
- Migraines
Although vertigo can cause you to get a headache, your migraines can also cause you to experience vertigo. Because you are more sensitive to light, motion, and sound when you have a headache, it can make you dizzy.
- Anxiety
Anxiety can cause someone to feel dizzy. That’s not to mean that the dizziness is all in your head. Although your anxiety is, dizziness is a real, physical symptom of feeling anxious.
- Medication
If you’re on new medication or multiple medications, this can trigger dizziness. Make sure you read the bottle of any medications you are taking to see if dizziness is on the warning label.
- Dehydration
Are you drinking enough water? Dehydration can make you dizzy too.
- Motion
Wait – didn’t we just say that vertigo is when everything is spinning but you’re standing still? While this is true, motion can also trigger vertigo, such as being in a boat.
What should you do if you’re having vertigo?
Those experiencing vertigo should see a doctor. Your physician will examine you and ask you a series of questions to determine what type of vertigo you have, what could be causing it and how it could be treated. Although it’s hard to treat vertigo to the point that it goes away, there are certain exercises and at-home remedies you can explore to see if they help with dizziness.
What do you do to ease your vertigo? Share with us in the comments below!