What factors can trigger vertigo?

Vertigo is not an independent disease. There are several disease and drug related side-effects that can cause vertigo¹. This is why it is so important to consult a specialist in time: only a doctor can diagnose the true cause of vertigo and prescribe treatment.

Most of the time, vertigo is triggered by conditions in the inner ear, such as:

• Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), which is strongly associated with the feeling of positional vertigo. BPPV is defined as a disorder of the inner ear characterized by repeated episodes of positional vertigo².
• Vestibular neuronitis can trigger vertigo and is characterized by inflammation of the inner ear³.
• Ménière’s disease, also a condition of the inner ear, can cause severe vertigo. Ménière’s disease is characterized by recurrent episodes of vertigo⁴.
• Vestibular migraine is the term used for all forms of the relationship between migraine and vertigo⁵.

Read more about types of vertigo

Other triggers for vertigo include the following:

• Pregnancy: Women can experience episodes of vertigo during pregnancy due to hormonal changes. Pregnancy can also cause nasal stuffiness⁶, which can lead to ear pressure.

• Multiple sclerosis⁷: This condition affects the brain and spinal cord, which can provoke problems with balance.

• Dehydration⁸: Characterized by not enough water in the body and can result into lightheadedness.

• Hypoglycemia⁹: Low levels of sugar in the blood can provoke sweating, fatigue, and headaches.

• Parkinson’s disease¹⁰: A neurodegenerative disorder affecting the brain. Patients with Parkinson’s disease can experience episodes of vertigo.

• Head and neck injuries¹¹: These injuries can damage the inner ear and provoke vertigo, often defined as “post-traumatic vertigo.”

• Stroke: It happens when the blood supply to a part of your brain is reduced or completely altered¹². A stroke can affect the areas of your brain that affect balance and cause vertigo¹³.

• Hypertension: Condition in which the blood vessels have persistently raised pressure. Blood is carried from the heart to all parts of the body in the vessels¹⁴. Hypertension can affect vestibular system (peripheral and/or central) and cause Vertigo¹⁵.

• Diabetes⁹: Patients with diabetes can experience hypoglycemic episodes that can trigger vertigo. The brain does not function properly when the blood sugar level is low.

Many causes and conditions can trigger vertigo. The doctor is the best person to determine the cause of vertigo, therefore it is necessary to consult in case of vertigo experience.

In addition to these conditions, there are risk factors / conditions that put people at a higher risk of experiencing vertigo. These include:

• Age¹⁶: As the years go by, the number of vestibular nerves decrease, which degrades balance and vision.

Did you know?  
30% of people over 60 y.o and 50% beyond 85 y.o have vertigo

• Women have a greater risk than men of experiencing vertigo due to hormonal changes. Menopause or menstrual disorders can compromise blood flow to the inner ear, causing migraine and balance problems⁶..

• Unhealthy diets¹⁷can provoke vertigo or aggravate the course of diseases of which it is a symptom. There are certain foods that can affect the concentration of substances inside your ear and provoke symptoms such as tinnitus (ringing in the ear), migraine and imbalance. For instance, excessive consumption of alcohol increases the severity of many symptoms and can be toxic to the inner ear.

Read more about healthy eating as a preventive measure for managing vertigo

• Stress and anxiety are common triggers for vertigo. High levels of stress or anxiety may leave to nervous exhaustiveness and fatigue, and are linked with lightheadedness, sweating, and nausea¹⁸.

• Head movements, such as turning in bed or looking up, can trigger vertigo. This can indicate BPPV¹⁹.

• Genetics²⁰: Several conditions, such as Ménière’s disease and migraine that run in families increase the chances of experiencing vertigo.

This list is not exhaustive and represents only some causes among many others. In case of vertigo experience, do not hesitate to consult the doctor as soon as possible for a diagnosis and to get a good understanding of your condition.