Why Am I Dizzy?

May is Better Hearing and Speech Month. With that in mind, we sat down with Laurel Brewer, Audiologist at Ogden Clinic, to ask her about ear health – specifically, what causes dizziness and vertigo, and what can be done to treat them.

Q: What causes dizziness?

A: There are a lot of things that can cause dizziness – the state of your inner ear, your blood pressure, medications, anxiety, and several other things. Dizziness is such a broad term, because it can mean that you’re unsteady, lightheaded, or woozy. Pinpointing exactly what type of dizziness you’re experiencing is very important.

Q: What is the difference between dizziness and vertigo?

A: Vertigo is simply a particular type of dizziness. It’s the false sensation of your environment moving or spinning around you and is something that’s almost always caused by a problem in your inner ear.

Your inner ear is a complicated system of canals filled with fluid. These canals let your brain know how your head is moving. Sometimes tiny bits of calcium in your inner ear can get loose and move to places they don’t belong. When that happens, the system no longer functions properly and begins to send your brain the wrong signals. This is called benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, or BPPV.

Q: Can BPPV be treated?

A: Yes. Fortunately, treatment for BPPV is super simple and very effective. If you’re diagnosed with BPPV, come see me or another provider at Ogden Clinic and we’ll walk you through a series of special head exercises to get the pieces of calcium back in place. Almost everyone feels better after just one to three treatments.

Remember that not all dizziness is caused by BPPV. It’s critical that you see your primary care provider for a proper diagnosis.

Laurel Brewer, AuD