Dizziness and nausea, is it because the "little stone" in the ear has moved out of place?

Have you ever felt dizzy and unbearable in your life? People usually think that it is caused by insufficient blood supply to the brain, cervical spondylosis, or poor rest. However, this situation may also be a reminder to your body: you have otolithiasis! Today, I will take you to learn about the relevant knowledge of otolithiasis.

Source: Tencent

1

What are otoliths? Is it earwax?

When it comes to otolithiasis, many people may not be able to distinguish between otoliths and earwax, and think that otoliths are what we usually call earwax. In fact, the two are completely different concepts.

First, otoliths and earwax are located in different places. Our ears look small, but they are actually very secretive. They are divided into the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear. Otoliths are located in our inner ear; earwax, also called cerumen, is located in the external auditory canal.

Inner ear structure

Source: Wikipedia

Second, the composition of otoliths and earwax is very different. Inside our ears, there are structures that regulate body balance, among which the saccule and utricle are one of the important structures. This structure contains calcium carbonate crystals that sense changes in the center, ranging in size from 20 to 30 microns. Because they are shaped like small stones, they are called otoliths, and the saccule and utricle are called otolith organs. Earwax is mainly formed by the fusion of secretions produced by the skin glands of the external auditory canal, cell debris, and external pollutants deposited in the external auditory canal.

Source: Qixia People's Hospital

Third, otoliths and earwax have different effects on our bodies. As we all know, the ear is an organ of hearing, but it is also an organ of balance. The main function of otoliths is to make the human body sense linear acceleration and maintain the normal function of the vestibular balance system in the inner ear. In simple terms, it plays a role in controlling the balance of our body. Once otoliths fall off, it will cause severe dizziness.

Source: pixabay

The main function of earwax is to protect the external auditory canal and prevent external microorganisms from entering the ear canal. People usually expel earwax by chewing, yawning or talking. However, some people may have excessive earwax secretion, which may compress and block the external auditory canal, causing stuffy ears, tinnitus and hearing loss.

In daily life, people rarely see otoliths, but often encounter earwax. I believe that friends already have the picture in their minds!

2

Why does "otolith disease" make people dizzy?

**In fact, otolithiasis has a fancy name, called "benign positional paroxysmal vertigo". **So why does otolithiasis cause dizziness?

Under normal circumstances, otoliths are attached to the surface of the saccule and utricle. When the otoliths fall off due to various reasons, they will enter the semicircular canals next to the saccule and utricle. Lymph flows in the semicircular canals. When the position of the human head changes, the otoliths in the semicircular canals will also move, causing the cilia of the hair cells in the lymph to shift, causing abnormal discharge of the hair cells.

The semicircular canal system senses rotational motion

Source: Wikipedia

Under normal circumstances, the discharge of hair cells in both ears is equal, so when the signals are transmitted to the vestibular center, the brain can process these balanced signals. However, when the otoliths in one ear fall off and the otoliths in the other ear do not fall off, the discharge of hair cells in both ears is unbalanced, or the vestibular information input to the vestibular center on both sides is unbalanced, and the vestibular center cannot process the unbalanced motion information, so a feeling of dizziness will occur.

3

How to determine whether you have "otolith disease"?

Although "otolaryngology" belongs to the ENT department , many dizziness patients think that it is caused by insufficient blood supply to the brain or cervical spondylosis, so they go to the neurology department or orthopedics department for treatment. Due to people's lack of understanding of this disease, treatment is often delayed. In fact, otolithiasis is not difficult to treat. The key is to determine whether you have this disease in time.

The editor will take you to understand the characteristics of otolithiasis:

1. Sudden, brief dizziness that usually lasts less than a minute when the head position changes.

2. When you experience vertigo, you may feel as if the world is spinning around you, and may also experience nystagmus, nausea, and vomiting, but not tinnitus, stuffy ears, or hearing loss.

3. After keeping the head position unchanged, the uncomfortable symptoms will disappear quickly, but if the head position is changed again, the symptoms will reappear.

4. After the attack, there is usually no physical discomfort, but there may be dizziness, headache and mild imbalance.

Of course, the above can only be used as a preliminary basis for judgment. You still need to go to a regular hospital and be examined by a professional doctor to confirm the diagnosis.

Source: pixabay

There are many factors that induce otolithiasis, such as fatigue, staying up late, mental stress, tension, anxiety and other bad living habits and emotions. Chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, ear diseases such as sudden deafness, vestibular neuritis, ear trauma, and aging of the otolith organs can all induce otolithiasis. Therefore, friends should develop good living habits in daily life, maintain a regular work and rest schedule, exercise more, pay attention to protecting the head, and try to avoid the occurrence of otolithiasis.

Vigorous exercise can easily cause the head to shake, which may lead to otolithiasis

Source: pexels

Although otolithiasis is not fatal, it can still cause some trouble to people's lives. Therefore, once you experience short-term sudden dizziness, nausea, vomiting and other symptoms, do not take it lightly, and be sure to go to the hospital in time for treatment as soon as possible.