30% of Spaniards suffer from vertigo throughout their lives

Hearing health

30% of Spaniards suffer from vertigo throughout their lives

Almost one in three Spaniards suffers from vertigo throughout their lives. In fact, 5% of visits to GPs are due to that feeling that everything is spinning and moving around you. What many people do not know is that the origin of these vertigo comes from ear, central piece that controls our balance. Conditions such as otitis wave otosclerosis They can, at some point in their evolution, cause this unpleasant sensation. But vertigo is also the main symptom of other diseases of the middle ear.

10% of consultations with the otorhinolaryngologist are precisely due to vertigo. Patients come to the specialist suffering from an illusory sensation or hallucination of movement, either of themselves or of the objects around them. In many cases, this “imbalance” is accompanied by sweating, nausea and vomiting.

Although vertigo can affect men and women, it is more common in women, especially between 30 and 50 years of age. And within the different types, we can differentiate between the peripheral vertigowhich is produced by injury to the labyrinth or inner earand the central vertigowhen the injury that causes it is in the Central Nervous System.

Many ear diseases can cause vertigo at some point in their evolution, such as otitisa earwax wave otosclerosis. But there are other diseases of the inner ear in which vertigo is the fundamental symptom, such as Benign Paroxysmal Vertigo (BPPV)the Meniere’s disease and the Vestibular Neuronitis.

  • Benign Paroxysmal Vertigo.
    It occurs due to a change in position. They do not usually last long and almost always disappear when changing positions. Most experts agree that BPPV is the most common cause of vertigo. In fact, it represents 35% of vertigo of peripheral origin, a figure that, according to the doctor Juan Royospecialist doctor of the hearing health community Living the Soundrises to 50% if people over 60 years of age are taken into account: “This age group has the highest incidence of BPPV, which is also more common among women.”
  • Ménière’s disease.
    It is a chronic pathology of the inner ear caused by an excess of endolymph, fluid that fills the cavities of the inner ear. It usually appears between the ages of 30 and 50 and manifests itself with three possible symptoms: hearing loss either hearing loss, tinnitus -ringing in the ear- and recurrent vertigo, with a sensation of continuous spinning, nausea and vomiting. Royo highlights that 65% of the affected people are women and underlines the importance “to take a good clinical history to diagnose this disease”.
  • Vestibular neuronitis.
    In this case we are talking about an intense and sudden crisis of the so-called ‘rotary vertigo’, which is caused by a sudden dysfunction of the functions of the posterior labyrinth of the middle ear. Although its origin is unknown, the most accepted theory is that it is triggered by a viral infection. Dr. Juan Royo points out that “This type of vertigo affects men and women equally and its maximum incidence is between 40-50 years of age.”

Once the symptoms and main diseases that cause them have been described, the next question is logical: can vertigo be prevented? The specialists of UMusic They share five tips with us:

  • Avoid the appearance of otitis or earwax plugs, always keeping ears clean and dry in summer and protecting them from the cold in winter.
  • Submit to hearing checks periodic.
  • bet on one healthy food and avoid tobacco and the coffee.
  • Keep a good body postureavoiding lowering the head below the shoulders, craning the neck upwards or making sudden turns.
  • Reduce consumption of ototoxic medications, including acetylsalicylic acidcertain diuretic drugs and some anti-inflammatories and antibiotics.
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Simon Müller

Simon Müller is the driving force behind UMusic, embodying a lifelong passion for all things melodious. Born and raised in New York, his love for music took form at an early age and fueled his journey from an avid music enthusiast to the founder of a leading music-centered website. Simon's diverse musical tastes and intrinsic understanding of acoustic elements offer a unique perspective to the UMusic community. Sporting a dedicated commitment to aural enrichment and hearing health, his vision extends beyond just delivering news - he aspires to create a network of informed, appreciative music lovers. Spend a moment in Mueller's company, and you'd find his passion infectious – music isn’t simply his job, it’s his heartbeat.