What does vertigo feel like?

If you’ve never experienced vertigo, it can be hard to understand how it can make you feel. Vertigo is a balance issue often caused by inner ear problems like benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), but it can also be a symptom of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) like concussions. The answer to the question, “What does vertigo feel like?” is often different from person to person. However, there are three common sensations that vertigo can cause. 

1. Tilting

For some patients, vertigo can make it feel like the room is tilting like a seesaw. People with BPPV feel this sensation because they have loose calcium carbonate crystals in the inner ear. These crystals often move about when the head moves, and the movement causes the crystals to run into hair-like projections in the inner ear called cilia. These cilia then send false signals to the brain that the room is tilting to one side. 

2. Spinning

Vertigo can also commonly cause you to feel that the room is spinning around you. This sensation can be caused by a condition called labyrinthitis. Labyrinthitis is when an infection causes inflammation in an inner ear structure called the labyrinth, and this structure includes three parts: the vestibule, the semicircular canals and the cochlea. Each of these three parts plays a role in your ability to balance. When they’re inflamed, it’s more likely that you’ll experience the room-spinning sensation of vertigo. 

3. Can’t control your eyes

People who are dealing with vertigo can also feel like they’ve lost control of their eyes. This is because the eyes work closely with the vestibular system to help you maintain your balance. In fact, the visual and vestibular systems are so closely linked that problems with one can lead to problems in the other. An example is that people experiencing vertigo often feel like their vision is blurring or their eyes are moving uncontrollably; this sensation is the direct result of the false signals coming from the vestibular system. 

Suffering from vertigo? Get help from Advent Physical Therapy

Our physical therapists at Advent Physical Therapy know that vertigo can make it feel like the room is tilting or spinning or that you’ve lost control of your eyes. With our help, you can fight back against these sensations. Our team offers free screenings to help you learn the cause of your vertigo, and we can also build you a personalized treatment plan for your vertigo that can include therapy methods like: 

• Balance training
• Therapeutic exercises
• Manual therapy
• Concussion management

Take the next step to get our help with your vertigo. Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.