Your ears do more than hear what's happening in the world around you. They also help you stay balanced because of their specialized interior structures, such as the bony semi-circular canals. So if you're having symptoms of dizziness, or vertigo, your ENT doctors at West Coast Ear, Nose and Throat in Camarillo, CA, can uncover the reasons why you feel as you do and bring you back to full health and function.

What is dizziness?

Dizziness can be different things to different people, but mostly, it involves a feeling of spinning, faintness, unsteadiness on the feet, and wooziness. Sudden motion, such as quickly bending down to pick up a dropped object or standing up quickly from a seated position, may provoke dizziness.

If these symptoms last for more than several days or are accompanied by a headache, vomiting, chest pain or visual changes, you should call your primary care physician or your ENT doctor in Camarillo for further evaluation.

Dizziness and the ear

There are many conditions involving the ear which express themselves with dizziness. They include:

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, or BPPV, involves the three semi-circular canals in the inner ear and the fluid contained within them. Especially as people age, crystals, or otoliths, may form in the fluid, causing dizziness and a drop in hearing when the sufferer moves his or her head rapidly. Often, simple rest, hydration and slowing down head movements suffice in treating this simple sign of aging, and routine audiology tests and CT scans or MRIs rule out more serious causes of vertigo.

Labyrinthitis involves the bony structures within the ear which are responsible for balance. Usually, the vertigo associated with this inflammatory condition occurs after a cold, flu or sore throat. Your ENT doctor at West Coast Ear, Nose and Throat diagnoses labyrinthitis based on symptoms.

Meniere's Disease involves a build-up of fluid in the labyrinth. The resulting dizziness often comes with a drop in hearing and a feeling of fullness in the ear. Researchers attribute Meniere's to autoimmune and hereditary factors and also say stress escalates symptoms. Diagnosed by a review of symptoms, Meniere's Disease may be treated with a variety of prescription medications, such as diuretics, says the American Hearing Research Foundation.

If you're dizzy...

Please find out the cause. The six physicians at West Coast Ear, Nose and Throat are eager to help people who have ear-related vertigo. We have four convenient offices in Simi Valley, Ventura County, Camarillo, and Thousand Oaks, CA, to serve you. Contact your ENT doctor in Camarillo at (805) 379-9646 for an appointment.