Common but dangerous causes of dizziness and diseases related to dizziness

Can I even lose my hearing? Three causes of dizziness

Ms. Choi, who is in her 50s, has been feeling dizzy for a while now, and at worst, the sky seems to be spinning. I thought it was just fatigue and rested enough, but my symptoms didn't improve. One morning, I woke up from my sleep and felt extremely dizzy, and when I went to the emergency room for treatment, I was told that I was suffering from otolithiasis.

Everyone suffers from dizziness at one time or another, it is a very common symptom and has many causes, but it can also be caused by the head, ears, heart, or blood vessels. Most causes of dizziness aren't serious, but some can have very serious hidden causes.

1. Is anemia the most common cause of dizziness? (X)

Dizziness has a wide variety of causes. Dizziness is examined in various departments such as otolaryngology, neurosurgery, and neurology, and it is important to accurately diagnose the cause. As the society ages, otolithiasis is increasing, and it has been found that the cause of about 20~50% of dizziness is otolithiasis. If you think that dizziness is anemia, taking iron can have the side effect of producing a lot of free radicals.

2. Does dizziness get better if you eat well? (X)

A lack of nutrients can cause dizziness, but most dizziness is not caused by a lack of nutrients. You should be careful not to eat too much food because you feel dizzy, as it can interfere with your future treatment.

3. Does dizziness get worse when it's cold? (O)

When it gets colder, you may feel more dizzy if you have problems with the autonomic nervous system or cardio-cerebrovascular. When it gets cold, autonomic nervous system function increases, the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems become unbalanced, and body tension increases, which can lead to body imbalance. When the daily fluctuations are severe, cardiovascular disease increases, so dizziness increases.

Dizziness that can even cause hearing loss

Symptoms of dizziness can be described as spinning tops, blackness, dizziness, and vomiting after walking a few steps. They may also experience pale complexion and night sweats. In addition, depending on the related diseases, there may be deafness, blurred eyes, and poor pronunciation.

The main function of the ear is not only hearing, but also the vestibular organ and the semicircular canal, which are responsible for positioning and rotation functions, respectively. In humans, the brain and the three computers in both ears are responsible for dizziness. At this time, one ear is lost, or if it does not function properly, there is a difference in the information detected by both ears, resulting in severe rotational dizziness (vertigo). In these cases, if left untreated, dizziness can lead to hearing loss.

One of the symptoms of dizziness that can be suspected of ear disease is the first otolithiasis. The vestibular organ has otoliths that detect shaking of the body, and it refers to a disease in which otoliths fall off and become suspended calcified substances and enter the semicircular canal. The main symptoms are spinning and tilting to one side, and the ground is heaving, especially in the morning. In order to treat otolithiasis, a video nystagmus is used to examine where otolithiasis occurs and then treat it. Once the location of the otolithiasis is determined, it can be treated with simple medication and exercise therapy.

If otoliths need to be removed, otoliths can be removed through otolith replacement surgery, but it is recommended to overcome otolithiasis through otolith habituation training. Lie on your side with your head turned to one side and face the ceiling so that the impurities in your ears can move, and vice versa. If you do this in the morning for 2 minutes per ear 10 times from side to side, you can get rid of otoliths.

The second is vestibular neuritis, a condition in which a person experiences dizziness due to inflammation of the vestibular nerve. It is characterized by severe dizziness, nausea, and vomiting that occur spontaneously and last for several hours, sometimes more than a day. Since vestibular neuritis is a benign disease and improves on its own, if the patient can tolerate the symptoms, it is okay to do not need special treatment, and it can be prevented by strengthening the vestibular canal through vestibular nerve rehabilitation exercises. Vestibular nerve rehabilitation exercises train the eyes to look at the target and strengthen the equilibrium function, making it less dizzy.

The third is Ménière's disease. Ménière's disease is a condition that is accompanied by a watery sensation in the ear, which can be simply called "ear hypertension." Endolymphic fluid circulates in the cochlea, and if the circulation is not normal, the cochlea swells like a balloon and causes a variety of symptoms. In the beginning, there is a feeling of deafness, and gradually hearing loss and tinnitus develop. Eventually, the pressure builds up and the cochlea bursts, causing severe dizziness.

Professor Lim Ki-jung of the Department of Otolaryngology at Korea University Anam Hospital said, "Meniere's disease is like a modern civilization disease caused by consuming a lot of artificial things such as salty, sweet, spicy, soup, salt, and sugar, so it is better to refrain from such things." It's also a good idea to have emergency dizziness medicine and tranquilizers on hand in case you get really dizzy."

Since the ear is connected to hearing, it can cause serious problems if left unattended. In particular, dizziness (hearing loss) and ringing in the ears, dizziness accompanied by a feeling of deafness, and dizziness during the administration of antibiotics can cause hearing damage if left untreated, so it is recommended to go to the hospital immediately for treatment.