How to Recognize Vertigo

Some people may only know vertigo from a 1958 Alfred Hitchcock movie by the same name, "Vertigo," and further, they may think vertigo has something to do with anxiety problems due to the 1977 Mel Brooks related parody, "High Anxiety." However, vertigo is a medical condition brought on by illness or injury. Learning to recognize the symptoms of vertigo can save sufferers of the condition from further sickness and harm.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Know that vertigo is a medical condition involving equilibrium. It is usually caused by inner ear problems, but it can also indicate problems with the central nervous system.
2. Pay attention if you or one of your loved ones develops odd symptoms, especially with the onset of an ear infection or after an accident. Recognize early warning signs of vertigo.
3. Know common vertigo symptoms; wooziness, light-headedness, faintness or a sense of unsteadiness.
4. Understand a person with vertigo can feel as though they are spinning around or they can feel as though everything around them is spinning. A feeling of being pulled to the floor or of being pulled to one side is also common.
5. Recognize and get vertigo treated as soon as possible since symptoms can increase in severity and include depression and injury due to falls.
6. Realize that vertigo is a sign that some other medical problem exists or it could be a sign that an individual has been exposed to a toxin or has taken bad/wrong amounts of medication. It can even be related to a stroke, a tumor or head trauma.
7. Visit a doctor as soon as you recognize vertigo symptoms in yourself or a loved one. Early treatment is crucial and vertigo symptoms can usually be eliminated quickly if not caused from something more serious.