Do I have vertigo? Here’s what might be causing it

There are only a few times it’s fun to feel like everything around you is spinning, such as on your favorite ride at an amusement park. But for people with vertigo, this is a terrifying and dizzying reality.

People who have vertigo might describe it as the room is spinning, or that they’re dizzy. Recent research has found that one in five people experience vertigo, with the most common type being peripheral vertigo. According to the American Medical Association, that's around 80% to 90% of cases. Subtypes within that type include:

Experts know how to determine what is true vertigo, along with the causes and treatments.

"Vertigo is a specific type of dizziness characterized by the sensation of movement when no actual movement is occurring," says Rebecca Andrews, PT, DPT who specializes in vertigo and vestibular issues at Gaylord Specialty Healthcare in Connecticut. "People may describe this as spinning, rotating, tilting or feeling as though the room is moving. In contrast, dizziness is a broad, nonspecific symptom descriptor that can include sensations of lightheadedness, imbalance, disorientation, floating or feeling 'off.'"

There are several causes, she says, including:

"In the clinic, I see patients with a variety of vestibular and balance-related…

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/