Have you ever felt like the room is suddenly spinning around you even though you’re standing still? Or like you’re aboard a ship on stormy seas and the deck is dangerously slanted even though you’re standing in your kitchen?
These disturbing, often frightening sensations that make it feel like the environment is rotating or tilting around you are hallmark signs of vertigo. A doctor needs to confirm, but fortunately, vertigo is typically very manageable with the correct treatment.
Our team at Jacksonville ENT Surgery is well-versed in diagnosing and treating vertigo. We start by determining the underlying cause and then develop personalized strategies to eliminate its impact on your overall health and well-being.
We’re happy to break down what vertigo really is, explore common causes for recurring episodes, and help you figure out what to do next.
Vertigo isn’t a condition; it’s a symptom. It’s more than just dizziness, often coming with feelings of imbalance, nausea, and sometimes even vomiting or trouble walking.
Some people describe it as:
These symptoms often occur suddenly and can last seconds to hours, sometimes days. Understandably, vertigo can cause significant disruption in your daily routine.
There’s a complex structure inside your inner ear called the vestibular system. It helps regulate your balance and spatial orientation. If something’s off in that system, like inflammation, infection, or even loose calcium crystals, it can send confusing signals to your brain, triggering vertigo.
The most common causes of vertigo include:
BPPV is one of the most common causes of vertigo. It happens when tiny calcium crystals in your inner ear get dislodged and mess with your balance signals. You might notice it when you tilt your head, roll over in bed, or look up/down quickly.
Symptoms may include brief spinning sensations triggered by head movement. BPPV occurs most frequently in older adults but can happen to anyone.
Even if you don’t get “regular” migraines, you can still get vestibular migraines that primarily affect balance and coordination. Symptoms include vertigo, light sensitivity, nausea, and imbalance.
You may or may not get a headache with a vestibular migraine, which is often triggered by stress, skipped meals, or changes in sleep habits.
Your inner ear is key to balance. If it gets inflamed (often after a cold or virus), you may suddenly feel like the world is spinning.
Symptoms can last for days with gradual improvement and include sudden, severe vertigo, hearing changes, and an unsteady gait.
This is a less common but chronic condition affecting the inner ear. Meniere’s usually causes repeated episodes of vertigo, hearing loss, tinnitus (ringing), and a feeling of fullness in the ear.
If you're not drinking enough water, or your blood pressure drops (especially when standing), you might feel dizzy or off balance. It’s not always true vertigo, but it can feel similar.
We recommend scheduling a visit if vertigo disrupts your daily routine, especially if it’s new for you, happens regularly, or occurs more frequently than in the past.
Consider vertigo a medical emergency if you also experience hearing loss, slurred speech, double vision, weakness, inability to keep your balance, or confusion during an episode.
Treatment depends on the cause and may include medication, repositioning maneuvers (for BPPV), like the Epley maneuver, and physical therapy (vestibular rehab) to help retrain your balance system.
Your Jacksonville ENT Surgery specialist may also recommend keeping a journal to track your episodes and possible triggers, improving hydration, avoiding caffeine and alcohol, getting plenty of rest, and reducing stress.
Don’t let vertigo control your life. Schedule a visit at Jacksonville ENT Surgery today by calling the office or requesting an appointment online.
