Myths about Vertigo and Other Disabling Conditions
Vertigo is the sensation that the room or space around you is spinning, causing a sense of imbalance. It is often associated with watching fast moving objects or looking down from a great height.
What is Vertigo?
Basically, vertigo is the sensation that the world around you is spinning or swaying even though it is not. It can often be associated with vomiting, nausea, sweating, or difficulty walking. Dizziness may become worse when you move or tilt your head a little.
Dizziness is a well-known symptom that many people experience; however, it is easy to confuse it with similar sensations. According to the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, the elderly are three times more likely to suffer vestibular vertigo than other age groups. There are many common myths about this disease that are not true.
What are its Symptoms?
People who feel dizzy may describe it in different ways, such as:
- A sensation of spinning or motion that isn’t real (vertigo).
- Feeling unsteady or off-balance.
- Feeling lightheaded or about to faint.
- A sensation of floating, feeling woozy, or having a heavy head.
These feelings can be triggered or made worse by walking, standing up, or moving your head.
Sometimes, dizziness may come with nausea or be so sudden and strong that you need to sit or lie down.
The dizziness can last for a few seconds or even days, and it may come back again.
According to the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, the elderly are three times more likely to suffer vestibular vertigo than other age groups.
There are many common myths about this disease that are not true.
And, What are those Myths?
Not all applicants can win disability Benefits for Vertigo, but vertigo-like symptoms may relate to a more severe underlying condition. Here are some of the more common myths you may have heard about the condition:
Vertigo is the fear of heights
It is an illusion of movement that makes the room appear to be spinning. You can also feel like you are spinning. If you think that your surroundings are moving, this is called objective vertigo. If you feel yourself moving, it is subjective dizziness. It can happen at any time and not just at high altitudes. The fear of heights is called “acrophobia.” There are three different level of vertigo severity:
- Mild – This occurs for a short period and you may feel nauseous, but does not cause vomiting.
- Moderate – You feel the need to lie down to alleviate the feeling of vertigo. You may vomit at times, but you can mostly keep fluids down.
- Serious – You still get dizzy even when lying down. You have severe vomiting and are unable to keep fluids down.
Vertigo is a medical condition
It is more of a symptom than an actual condition. You may have trouble noticing this feeling, or you may find it challenging to complete daily tasks. Episodes of vertigo may last only a few seconds and appear suddenly, or they may last for much longer.
Sometimes symptoms can last for several days. You may have difficulty walking, feel dizzy, and have nausea and vomiting. Vertigo is often caused by a more severe underlying medical condition, usually a problem in the inner ear or a brain injury. Most of the time, vertigo is short-lived and harmless, but chronic vertigo can cause severe limitations.
Lightheadedness and vertigo are the same things
Lightheadedness is an entirely different thing from vertigo; although, you can experience both at the same time. It can make you feel like you are about to pass out, but this feeling may subside if you lie down.
Even if you feel dizzy, you may not feel as though your surroundings are moving. Vertigo can make you or your surroundings feel as if you are spinning, flipping, falling, or losing your balance. It can be caused by allergies, anxiety, illness, medications, and other factors.
The symptoms can vary from person to person. But, if you are over the age of 50 and thinking of filing a claim, you should proceed according to the disability Rule after 50.
Is Vertigo A Disability?
Depending on the severity of your condition, if you have vertigo, you may not be able to perform normal daily activities or earn a living. Your symptoms and illness can be so severe that it changes the course of your life. Vertigo can therefore interfere with your daily life and ability to work. In short, if your vertigo is severe it can make you disabled.
You should see a doctor to evaluate symptoms of vertigo and determine what the underlying cause might be. Many cases are harmless, but you should consider seeking a doctor’s advice as a precaution. You may need to take some prescribed medicines to help you.
If you also have double vision, headache, weakness, difficulty speaking, abnormal eye movements, and difficulty walking, you need to see a doctor sooner than later. The medical treatment you will receive will depend on the type of vertigo you are diagnosed with. You may need:
- An intravenous injection, patch, or oral medication
- Antibiotics
- Low salt diet, especially important for people with Ménière’s disease
- Surgery
- An appointment with an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) specialist
- Transdermal Scope
- Other drugs are available, but it depends on your diagnosis
You should always schedule follow-up appointments if you have been diagnosed with vertigo to make sure your condition improves with treatment.
What Causes Vertigo?
Dizziness has various possible causes, and severe health conditions cause some of them.
The longevity of the dizziness and any other symptoms helps you pinpoint the cause. Here are some of the possibilities
1. Infection
A viral infection of the vestibular nerve, known as vestibular neuritis, can cause vertigo. If you have sudden hearing loss, you may have labyrinthitis.
2. Poor Blood Circulation
Conditions such as transient ischemic attack, cardiomyopathy, heart attack, and heart arrhythmia can cause dizziness. Any decrease in the blood volume can cause inadequate blood flow to your brain or inner ear.
3. Meniere’s disease
The disease is all about the excessive buildup of fluids in the inner ear. It is characterized by instant symptoms of vertigo that last for various hours. You may also suffer from fluctuating hearing loss, the feeling of a plugged ear, and ringing in the ear.
4. Drop in the Blood Pressure
A sudden drop in the systolic blood pressure can result in the feeling of faintness or lightheadedness. It can occur after sitting or standing up quickly. The condition is also termed as orthostatic hypotension.
How to Get Disability Benefits for Vertigo?
For a successful application for disability benefits, you must pass a comprehensive medical examination with a neuro-otolaryngologist (ENT specialist). Your doctor should provide detailed information about your vertigo:
- how often you have dizzy spells
- how long they last
- how severe your spells are
- How dizziness prevents you from working and participating in activities
You should keep a diary of your symptoms for several months. To indicate you have vertigo, you must present the results of several hearing tests. These should include:
- Directional audiometry: Testing hearing at specific heights
- Speech audiometry: tests speech hearing and word recognition
- Bekesy Audiometry: An audiometric test in which the subject monitors the duration of a tone
- Vestibular function test: Examination of the inner ear
For most people who experience repeat or ongoing dizziness, vertigo is not severe and responds well to treatment. A person may be eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) from the Social Security Administration (SSA) due to disability for vertigo if your condition is severe and does not respond to treatment.
Things to keep in mind
Vertigo has nothing to do with the ear
Usually, dizziness is caused by an imbalance in the inner ear. It can also involve the brain, but an imbalance in the ear is the most common reason for vertigo symptoms. You may feel dizzy due to conditions such as:
- Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
- Ménière’s disease
- Migraines
- Vestibular neuritis
These are all conditions related to the ear. Other symptoms accompanying these conditions may include hearing loss, ringing in the ears, and a high temperature.
You cannot use home remedies to help vertigo.
Getting medical treatment is not the only option. You can also use home remedies to improve the condition once you have been diagnosed. There are several natural home remedies that can help you relieve dizziness, including:
- vitamin D supplements
- herbal remedies like ginger root
- acupuncture
- drinking plenty of water
Always consult a medical professional before attempting home remedies. In addition to home remedies, there are several things you can do in your daily life to reduce your risk of dizziness and its consequences. These include:
- Exercises to relieve your symptoms
- Sleep with your head slightly elevated using more pillows
- Be extra careful on stairs and escalators
- Slowly stand up
- Avoid bending over to pick up objects
- Carefully move your head
- Physician prescribed physical therapy
Symptoms should subside automatically over time, but they do not always in spite of precautionary measures and treatment.
The question is: can you continue to maintain a full-time job despite experiencing symptoms from vertigo or the side effects of medication to treat it?
If you are unable to continue working, you should consider filing a claim with help of an experienced disability lawyer in Florida.
They will take the best steps to win benefits so that you can concentrate on your health without worrying about the legal process.