AROKKIYASAMY SELVANAYAGAM of DizzyCare Clinic in Wolverhampton has been working as a vestibular physiotherapist since 2006 and teaches other health professionals about the condition; dizzycareclinic.co.uk
Vertigo’ means experiencing a false sensation of spinning (either you or the world around you). Either way, it can be very frightening, especially when it happens for the first time and when it recurs spontaneously. The phenomenon shouldn’t be confused with a phobia of heights, which is simply disorientation caused by fear, leading people to lose trust in their sense of balance. There are literally hundreds of causes of vertigo, but the most common are due to inner ear disorders. This part of your ear, known as the vestibular, controls balance as well as hearing.
Vertigo affects one in three people over 40 and 85 per cent of over-80s. It can be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and unsteadiness and sometimes loss of hearing. Attacks can last from seconds to days and may occur spontaneously or be triggered by fast head or body movements, stressful environments such as crowds or supermarkets or even turning over in bed. Vertigo can be a one-off or happen several times in a day.