Talk about vertigo: things you want to know

Many people may not have heard of vertigo. In fact, it is a general term for dizziness and vertigo, which is generally divided into peripheral vertigo and central vertigo. This disease often manifests as uncomfortable symptoms such as dizziness, blurred vision, and visual rotation, which can have a great impact on life.

1. Peripheral vertigo

Vertigo caused by lesions in the labyrinth or vestibular part of the inner ear, or the extracranial segment of the vestibular nerve (in the internal auditory canal) is peripheral vertigo, including acute labyrinthitis, Meniere's disease, etc.

Features:

① Vertigo is severe rotational and short-lived. Changes in head or body position can significantly aggravate the vertigo.

② Nystagmus: Nystagmus and vertigo occur simultaneously, mostly horizontal or horizontal plus rotational nystagmus. There is usually no vertical nystagmus, but the amplitude may vary and may subside or disappear after a few hours or days. Nystagmus is more obvious when looking toward the unaffected side. Nystagmus induced by head position is mostly fatigue-related, while nystagmus induced by temperature is mostly seen in semicircular canal paralysis.

③ Balance disorder: mostly rotational or up and down, left and right swaying movements, unstable standing, spontaneous falling, static upright test mostly falling in the direction of the slow phase of nystagmus.

④Autonomic nervous system symptoms: such as nausea, vomiting, sweating and pale complexion. ⑤ Often accompanied by tinnitus and hearing impairment, but no damage to brain function.

2. Central vertigo

It refers to vertigo caused by lesions of the vestibular nuclei, brainstem, cerebellum and temporal lobe of the brain.

Features:

① The degree of vertigo is relatively mild and lasts for a long time. It is a feeling of rotation or movement to one side. It can be relieved by closing the eyes and is not related to changes in the head or body position.

② The nystagmus is coarse and can be a single vertical nystagmus and/or horizontal or rotational nystagmus, which can exist for a long time without changing its intensity. The direction of nystagmus was inconsistent with the side of the lesion, and the direction of spontaneous tipping and static upright test was inconsistent.

③Balance disorder: manifested as rotation or a sense of movement to one side, unstable standing, and the degree of vertigo and balance disorder in most cases is inconsistent.

④Autonomic nervous system symptoms are not as obvious as peripheral ones.

⑤ No semicircular canal paralysis, hearing impairment, etc.

⑥ May be accompanied by brain function damage, such as cranial nerve damage, extraocular muscle paralysis, facial and tongue paralysis, bulbar paralysis, limb paralysis, high intracranial pressure, etc.