Head spinning is a common complaint in medicine. The main problem with head spinning is actually its definition: People often confuse it with dizziness. When someone comes to the doctor complaining “I feel dizzy”, it usually means one of two things: Either they feel their head is spinning, or they feel they are about to faint.
In this article we’ll cover the first option – head spinning, or in medicine “vertigo”. When you have vertigo you feel as if you are spinning or the world is spinning around you, when there is no actual movement.
Vertigo. You feel as if the world is spinning. Photo by Melle_Oh.
Why is vertigo caused?
3 systems are responsible for our body’s balance:
- The eyes – For example, if you don’t see where you’re going, you will fall.
- The somatosensory system – That’s a complicated name, but what it means is that our skin, joints and muscles are constantly sending information to our brain telling it where we are in space.
- The ears – Our ears have two main parts: The one responsible for hearing, and the one responsible for balance.
Vertigo is usually caused by a problem in the part of our ear responsible for balance (that part is called the vestibular system).
Our ear from the inside (the inner ear). This part is responsible for our balance, and for vertigo.
What are the causes?
A bunch of diseases can cause vertigo, but it can also occur to normal people:
- Seasickness – We mentioned above that 3 systems in our body tell it where we are in space. Sometimes these systems send different messages to the brain, getting it “confused” – such as when we’re at sea. When we’re at sea, our inner ear will feel the movement from the waves. At the same time, our eyes will tell the brain we’re not moving (since we’re just sitting in our cabin). This confusion leads to seasickness (also called motion sickness).This mismatch between our systems also explains why we have carsickness, fear of heights, and the vertigo some people feel when watching chase scenes in a movie.
- Unusual neck or head positions – Such as when we paint a ceiling – our necks would be extremely extended, a position to which we are not used.
- Following a spin – Ever tried to spin on a spinning chair? Most likely after that spin you felt as if the world was spinning around you.
As mentioned above, there are also diseases which cause vertigo:
- Problems in our inner ear -
a. Meniere’s Disease – This is a condition in which there is a problem with the fluid inside our inner ear. This causes vertigo, ear ringing and hearing loss.
b. Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) – In this condition brief vertigo spells that come and go are caused by changes in the position of the head.
c. Labyrinthitis – This is caused when there is inflammation inside our inner ear. It’s mostly caused by a virus. - Migraine headaches – About 25% of people with migraines have some sort of “dizziness”, which can sometimes manifest as vertigo.
- Stroke – Stroke happens when the blood supply to the brain is disturbed. When the blood supply to the area of the inner ear and our brainstem is disturbed, vertigo can occur. This is a life-threatening situation.
There are other diseases which can cause vertigo, but these are the most common ones.
In the future we will cover each disease mentioned here, so you can return to this page or bookmark it to learn about each of them.
Ever experienced vertigo yourself? Let us know in the comments.
What next?
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- Meniere’s Disease – From Head Spinning To Hearing Loss
- Labyrinthitis – An Ear Infection Causing Loss of Balance
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June 3rd, 2009 at 7:07 pm
Good post! I have had vertigo quite a bit because of my Meniere's disease
June 22nd, 2009 at 6:16 pm
I have had vertigo about a month ago, the dr diagnosed Inner Ear infection, gave me antibiotics and sent me on my way….well a month later I am having it again and since I don't have insurance I don't have many choices in going to the docs….I did have my childs pedi to look in my ears today and she said there is nothing wrong with my ears, I need to see a dr…..but again, no insurance…should I wait until I have an episode at work and have them call 911 or what?
June 22nd, 2009 at 10:27 pm
The first thing I can tell you is that you should visit a doctor, even though you don't have an insurance. Even though you probably had labyrinthitis (see above and also in today's post) it's important to make sure you don't have anything more severe.
If it's indeed labyrinthitis, most probably the peds doc won't see anything in your ear anyway, and also most probably it was caused by a virus, for which antibiotics don't help.
The bottom line – when you have vertigo again, go see a doctor so that they figure out once and for all the cause.
June 23rd, 2009 at 4:29 am
If it happens again I will have to go to the Emergency room!
June 23rd, 2009 at 8:43 am
Hi again,
I can't tell you what exactly you should do without examining you. I would therefore recommend that you do go to the ER if it happens again, to make sure it's nothing more serious.
July 31st, 2009 at 5:12 pm
Great post, really help me alot. Thanks.
Cheers,
Buat Duit Dengan Blog
August 1st, 2009 at 12:12 am
Great post, really help me alot. Thanks.
Cheers,
Buat Duit Dengan Blog
February 3rd, 2010 at 7:27 am
sir please help me i am very very difficult to work, walk and communicate with each others due to vertigo, neck pain, nausea,vomiting please please sugest me
March 1st, 2010 at 5:30 am
Wala naman poh ako nararamdaman na kahit ano eh bakit poh ako nahihilo at 5mins lang nawawala kaagad tapos maybe 10mins again balik na naman?ano gagawin koh?
March 24th, 2010 at 10:33 am
I am facing this problem very recently. When I lie down or move my head while lying or in the morning when i wake up i have vertigo.
March 30th, 2010 at 6:58 pm
I have had vertigo since October 12, 2009. I have had the Epley Manever and it did help get rid of the nystagmus. However, I am still dizzy all day, ever day.
About 8 weeks ago I was rising my hair in the shower and had my eyes closed. I did not know that I was falling and fell straight on my face hitting the marble shower step-over. I broke my nose in 2 places, busted my lip and had 10 stiches under my left eye where I hit the hardest.
I can not seem to get over the dizziness. I have tried the prescriptions and other cures, but nothing is helping. What other health issues could be causing this constant dizziness?
April 1st, 2010 at 4:13 pm
Brenda,
Your complaints warrant a visit to an ENT specialist, since there could be other reasons beside BPPV for your vertigo (I understand you were diagnosed with BPPV since you were prescribed the Epley maneuver).
If you wish, I could give you some advice and directions, but more information is needed. You can contact me at comments@diseaseaday.com if you wish.
April 14th, 2010 at 5:47 pm
I am 62 now and basically free from the worst part of the condition, but up to the age of, say, 25, on a number of occassions my head would spin and I would simply fall to the floor. Free from the worst part of the condition but still with a residue, my balance is poor, and why I am here now, yesterday, early morning and sitting at my PC, quite suddenly felt that I was going to faint. I first of all tried to fight it off, did not work, then instinctively lay down on the floor. Moments later I retired to my bed, it did the trick, I believe that the faint feeling relates to head spinning and balance problems, I might be right, I might be wrong.
May 3rd, 2010 at 9:20 am
hullo giri
i have a friend with the same effects as yours, the doctors have checked him thoroughly but find nothing, do you still have the same effect or you have got remedies to it?Iam confused and i want to be of good help to him.
July 1st, 2010 at 10:34 am
I woke up this morning and lifted my head off the pillow and got a minor head spin and laid my head back down on the pillow and it went away. I waited for about 30 seconds and then sat up on the side of the bed when I got the biggest head spin I have ever had and felt like I was on a spinning wheel gone out of control. I only just managed to lay down on the bed with what seemed like a major effort and laid there for about one minute, then got up real slow and then seemed to have gone, until now. I am home from work laying on the bed and it happened again, huge head spin. Can someone tell what is happening, PLEASE!!!!!
July 1st, 2010 at 11:15 am
Hi,
As you can read above, there could be any number of reasons, from simple to serious ones. My advice is that you visit the ER, where further tests can be performed to find the cause.
July 11th, 2010 at 3:53 pm
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July 16th, 2010 at 1:48 pm
Does this also include your balance being off? I have been experiencing vertigo
especially in bed when I turn my head from side to side. I almost fell off the bed
last night when I turned over. This morning I was sitting on the coach and got up
suddenly and turn around fast running into the kitchen, before I knew what was
happening I was lying on the kitchen floor. Any thoughts on if this is vertigo?
July 17th, 2010 at 10:41 am
This could be vertigo, but also other things. As always here, I advise you to visit your doctor and run some tests.
August 3rd, 2010 at 12:42 pm
Whenever I dont have a good sleep during the night , I am feeling this kind of spinning effect. It continues for a day or two and then goes off. I am afraid of this. Please help me.
August 4th, 2010 at 4:24 am
Hi Amarnath,
You may be describing vertigo or just a feeling of dizziness, which may be caused by your lack of sleep. You should visit a doctor when you have these symptoms to check first if this is indeed vertigo, and second to try and find the cause.
August 16th, 2010 at 12:54 am
I’ve had what I call a head spinning virus – Its a dreadful thing which means I can’t lift my head off the pillow for a least a day but it leaves me light headed for several days – other people I know have had it also including my son and his sport teacher – there’s nothing to be done for it but get plenty of rest and lots of fluids helps -
August 19th, 2010 at 3:25 pm
i get feelings of my head flinging back or sideays what could this be?
August 19th, 2010 at 11:45 pm
I had vertigo for almost a year and doctors could not find the cause. I was under too much stress then and I guess that was the reason. Later it simply vanished. But the above does not explain my state.
August 20th, 2010 at 5:39 am
It doesn’t necessarily mean you have vertigo. You should visit your doctor to consult about this.
August 23rd, 2010 at 5:29 pm
I had the same today morning. I was lying and I tried turning side to side just to check and everytime I turned the world spinned and stopped. Then when I woke up and I tried bending down and the same happened when I stood up. I lost my control for 2 seconds. What is this exactly. I am fit and normal. Do I need to check up?
August 24th, 2010 at 5:37 am
Hi Leena,
Like I tell everyone here, and like the article above says. Vertigo can mean a simple thing or something worse. In any case, seeing a doctor is your best course of action.