Dizziness

More about dizziness

You might feel like you’re floating; as if the world is spinning around you, or as if you are turning around yourself. Sometimes you forget where you are and have the feeling you are falling down. Dizziness can also appear together with fear, transpiration, nausea and vomiting.

Dizziness appears often in the Netherlands. 3%-14% of patients who visit the doctor have dizziness as their most important symptom.

Dizziness can have a severe effect on everyday life, as it often makes one insecure and (especially with the elderly) can lead to a loss of independence.

Causes of dizziness

Dizziness can have many different causes. Because of the many different possible causes, it is sometimes difficult to make a correct diagnosis and carry out the corresponding treatment.

Causes of dizziness are:

• Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) (loosened ear stones in the balance organ)
• Peripheral Vestibular Dysfunction
• Hyperventilation
• Menière’s disease
• Infection of the balance organ (Neuritis Vestibularis)
• Migraine attacks
• Blood flow disorders or bleeding in the balance organ or cerebellum
• Orthostatic hypotension

We cooperate intensively with Bergman Clinics | KNO in Hilversum. There, it is possible to get a good diagnosis via an extensive balance examination.

Because of our years of experience and specialisation in the treatment of dizziness, we can give a quick and efficient treatment for a number of causes of dizziness.

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)

BBPV is characterised by acute spinning dizziness caused by movement; for example, lying down or standing up from a lying position. The dizziness is very severe but does not last long, usually less than 2 minutes. Sometimes the dizziness comes paired with nausea. The afflictions are exhaustible; that is to say, repeating the quick head movements which cause the dizziness will eventually cause it to lessen in severity and/or disappear completely.

Diagnosis

To find a good diagnosis, research is needed. Using the so-called ’tipping test’ (also called Dix Hallpipe), in which the upper body is suddenly tipped over backwards from a sitting position, dizziness can be induced. Usually, this is visible from a certain typical eye movement, called a nystagmus.

Cause

The exact cause of BPPV is not yet entirely clear. It is suspected that loosened ear stones in the inner ear can fall down on the sensory cells in the balance organ, leading to a short overstimulation of the sensory cells, which in turn leads to dizziness. BPPV can appear after a head accident or ear operation, with an infection or blood flow disorder of the inner ear or after a long period of bed rest. In many cases, however, a clear cause cannot be found.

Treatment

The most important and most effective treatment for BPPV are repositioning manoeuvres for the loosened ear stones. With the use of a specific manual grip, the loose ear stones are moved to another part of the balance organ. The ear stones can then no longer cause overstimulation of the sensory cells, thereby removing the cause of the dizziness.

Course

BPPV is a benign form of dizziness and can spontaneously disappear after several weeks or months. Usually sufferers of BPPV still opt to undergo a repositioning treatment, as, despite it being benign, the dizziness caused by BPPV can still be very uncomfortable. Within 3 to 4 treatments the patients are usually completely free of any complaints. However, about 1 in every 3 patients later sees BPPV return and is forced to undergo another treatment course.

Dizziness can express itself in many forms. What you feel as a patient can differ from person to person.