If you are feeling dizzy, you may not think to pay attention to your ears. Your inner ear not only helps you hear, but it also helps keep you balanced. Your ear works to inform your brain about how your body is positioned, it’s orientation in space and any movements. Your ears do all this to keep you in balance. When you feel dizzy, it could be a result of a blocked signal to your brain. Other symptoms might include:

• Headaches
• Nausea
• sensitivity to bright light
• blurred vision
• ringing in the ears
• ear pain
• facial numbness
• Eye pain
• motion sickness
• confused thinking
• Fainting
• Clumsiness

Dizziness might also be a sign of something more serious, like high or low blood pressure, heart problems, stroke, tumor, medication side effect or metabolic disorders. If you feel dizzy often, seek medical attention. 

Common causes of dizziness

Acoustic Neuroma

Within the ear, there is a nerve that connects it to the brain. Acoustic neuroma is when a benign growth occurs on that nerve.

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV):

If you suffer from short bursts of dizziness when you move your head, you may have BPPV. BPPV is caused by tiny calcium crystals in the ears loosening and moving in the wrong part of the ear. There is no known cause for BPPV but it usually resolves itself in a matter of days.

Inflammation of the Inner Ear

Being dizzy may be a sign that you have an inner ear infection.

Meniere's Disease

Meniere's Disease is distinguished by long periods, 30 to 60+ minutes, of dizziness. Other symptoms are ringing in the ears, hearing loss and a feeling of fullness in the ear. Unfortunately, there is no known cause or cure for Meniere's Disease, although medication and behavior changes can help reduce the severity of the symptoms.

Migraines

Migraines can also cause a feeling of imbalance which may be joined by ringing in the ears or hearing loss. Migraine-related dizziness may occur in conjunction with or separate from the migraine headache.

If you're suffering from any type of consistent or chronic dizziness, schedule an appointment with one of our otolaryngologists.