$Unique_ID{BRK00877}
$Pretitle{Nervous System and Sense Organs, Ill Defined Symptoms and Rare
Diseases}
$Title{Can Something be Done for "Vertigo"?}
$Subject{ears balance vertigo dizzy Meniere's}
$Volume{F-21, N-21}
$Log{
Figure 1*0007501.scf
Figure 2*0007502.scf}

Copyright (c) 1991   Tribune Media Services, Inc.


Can Something be Done for "Vertigo"?


------------------------------------------------------------------------------

QUESTION:  I am having such a terrible time with "vertigo".  Will you please
write something about it.  I've taken everything my doctor suggests, but
nothing is helping.  It is wrecking my life.  Please tell me if something can
be done?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ANSWER:  Vertigo is not a disease in and of itself, but, rather, the signal of
some disorder in the body's delicate balancing mechanisms, which is regulated
by the brain's reaction to nerve impulses it receives from the inner ear, the
eye and the muscles, joints and tendons.  In addition to dizziness, vertigo
sufferers usually experience fluctuating hearing loss and the ringing or
tingling sensation in the ears known as tinnitus.  This trio of symptoms can
indicate any one of a possible range of diseases, however, so vertigo
sufferers should be sure to consult their family physician as well as a
specialist in balance disorders, whether a neurologist or an otolaryngologist.
     Meniere's disease is the most common balance disorder of which vertigo is
a symptom.  It is characterized by gradual hearing loss in at least one ear.
Alcohol, cigarettes and caffeine should be avoided by patients with the
disease, because of their interference with the organs of balance, as well as
undue stress, which can bring on an attack of vertigo.  Motion-sickness drugs
are sometimes helpful.  A low-salt diet and diuretics can help minimize fluid
retention and so reduce the amount of endolymph, a liquid found in the ear's
semicircular canals whose surplus is characteristic of the disease.
     Surgery is an option for those who are severely disabled by Meniere's
Disease.  One surgical option which can be used in cases where hearing loss is
already profound is destructive labyrinthectomy, a procedure to remove the
semicircular canals of the affected ear.  Unfortunately, the operation renders
the patient deaf in the operated ear.  Another type of surgery destroys only
the balance-oriented branch of the eighth cranial nerve, while preserving the
shell-shaped cochlea which are critical to hearing.  Cryosurgery, or
application of intense cold, can also help reduce the sensitivity of the
semicircular canals.
     Severe recurrent vertigo can indicate other disorders as well.
Positional vertigo, which can result from changes in the posture of the head,
usually lasts no longer than a year; muscle-strengthening exercises and
anti-dizziness medications can bring relief in the meantime.  Another cause
can be a swelling of the nerves of the vestibule, a chamber contained within
the inner ear's semicircular canals, or the nearby labyrinth that contains the
canals.  One more rare but serious disorder signalled by vertigo, tinnitus and
slight hearing loss is the non-malignant growth on a nerve crucial to both
hearing and balance, known as an acoustic neuroma.  Unless surgically removed
while small, these tumors can cause life-threatening central nervous system
damage, destroying hearing or lead to facial paralysis.
     With all of these possible diagnoses, and since I sense a legitimate
distress about your condition in your letter, you can understand why my advice
to you is to contine to work with your physicians, and obtain additional
speicialists consultations.  It is the only way in which you can obtain the
answers you need that can help allay some of your fears, and discover the
answers you seek.
ÿ
----------------

The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace 
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your 
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical 
problem.
