The organ of equilibrium in the inner ear controls the perception of the body position in space and ensures that we are in a stable, upright posture. The basis of benign postural vertigo is the detachment and sliding of tiny salt crystals (blasts of otholites, calcium carbonate crystals) into the semicircular canals (in 80%-90% of those affected, into the posterior semicircular canal) of the inner ear. Why these salt crystals come off has not yet been proven 100%.
It is certain that this process is part of the normal aging process, but in rare cases, this process can also be detected in children. Other possible factors as the cause of positional vertigo are: in the inner ear. When the head is moved accordingly, these detached, small particles slide back and forth in the archway.
These movements stimulate the smallest sensors (receptors) in the semicircular canal, which report contradictory information to the brain. On the one hand, the brain receives a message about a movement from the organ of equilibrium, which on the other hand does not correspond to the current sense of position (sense of balance) and vision (visual impression). The result is a so-called vestibular mismatch (“confusion” in the vestibular organ), which triggers the dizziness.
In the same way that the salt crystals migrate into the archways via the rapid movement of the head and thus trigger the dizziness attack, they can also be transported out again. This fact is used in testing and treatment.
- Accidentsor
- Inflammationsand
- Operations
Positional vertigo due to stress
Stress can also be a cause of positional vertigo. It can occur in stressful situations, such as before an important exam or performance, when the workload is too great, or when the patient is in large crowds. Even the death of a loved one can become a stressful situation and be accompanied by dizziness and fainting.
Often the dizziness helps the person affected to unconsciously escape for a moment from the stressful situation caused by the dizziness. In addition to dizziness and fainting, sufferers often develop migraine attacks and depression. In order to avoid a chronification of the dizziness, early relaxation methods such as yoga, meditation, progressive muscle relaxation or autogenic training are particularly helpful. The affected person learns to better interpret and handle the signals of his body. Psychotherapy can also help to resolve underlying conflicts.
