What are the causes of vertigo?
Vertigo is mainly caused by the disturbance in balancing system of the brain. Signals from the eyes, ear (labyrinth, vestibular part of the eight cranial nerve) and also our muscles and joints are responsible for our smooth normal day-to-day activities (equilibrium). This balancing activity is carried out continuously with our knowledge, by the brain. When there is in-coordination between these systems, vertigo results. Also, old age people lose their balance because their signals from the muscle and joints and from the ear (labyrinth) are impaired. One form of vertigo, called the benign positional vertigo of Barany, occurs only when the patient turns the head from a resting position. Meniere disease, vestibular neuronitis, tumours of the brain like acoustic neurinoma, head injury, bleeding in the cerebellum and some brain stem lesions can also cause vertigo. What are the symptoms of vertigo? The patient may feel that the objects surrounding him are rotating or he himself has a sensati
