Vertigo and Its Treatment :: Biology Essays Research Papers

Vertigo and Its Treatment In our everyday lives, we almost take for granted this idea of balance or equilibrium that is maintained within our bodies. In general, no real thought processes are required. It is only when something is disturbed within our balance system that one is able to take notice of changes in the equilibrium. There may be several different factors that cause a disturbance to our bodies. One major area pertains to dizziness. Dizziness is found to be "the chief complaint in 8 million physician visits a year" (1). Vertigo is one type of dizziness, causing illusions of movement, that is being researched more and more today because of its widespread symptoms. In order to better understand vertigo, it is first necessary to look into where equilibrium and movement are maintained within the body. Equilibrium in our bodies is coordinated primarily by the brain, specifically at the brainstem, located in the neck area. The environment provides the information necessary for the equilibrium center to determine which position to place the body in. There are three main places in which information is received: the eyes provide visual information, the ears provide vestibular and auditory information, and the articulations provide proprioceptive information. In general, the eyes help position the body according to different horizontal angles in relation to the ground. The ears allow the body to acknowledge any type of movement, such as acceleration or deceleration, by registering various sounds (1). Movement is also processed in parts of the brain, as well as in the ears. The frontal lobes of the brain initiate and coordinate the planning of movements . The basal ganglia, in the ears, add control and fluidity to movements, and the cerebellum processes information from and to the rest of the body. Vertigo is a classification under dizziness that results in a spinning sensation or illusion of movement. (Many people who experience dizzy sensations often do not have vertigo, but instead, are found to have the common lightheadedness). Vertigo arises from disturbances in the vestibular system or neural structures such as the cerebellum, the brain stem, and the proprioceptive fibers along the spine. Symptoms of vertigo include "an unsteadiness sensation when walking, rotary sensations, a sensation of being afloat on the air, feeling of a hollow space in the head, etc" (2). Some autonomic symptoms such as sweating, nausea, and vomitting are found to accompany vertigo attacks (3).