Dizziness & Vertigo in Tarzana

Dizziness & Vertigo

Dizziness is a rather broad term describing a range of sensations that cause your sense of balance to feel off, like woozy, faint, lightheaded, unsteady, or week. When the dizziness causes you to feel like you or your surroundings are spinning, it is known as vertigo.

Associated disorders

Random episodes of dizziness are rarely a sign of alarm. But if the dizzy spells are frequent, it could be a sign of problems affecting your internal balance control mechanism, or more specifically, a disturbance to the vestibular system - a part of the inner ear that sends signals to the brain about changes in your head movement relative to the force of gravity.

Problems with the vestibular system can cause imbalance, disorientation, dizziness, vertigo, and nausea and vomiting. If the dizziness does not resolve itself, or if it persists, you should visit an ENT specialist for proper diagnosis and treatment.  

Some of the disorders that cause dizziness and/or vertigo include:

• Acoustic neuroma - growth on the nerve connecting the inner ear to the brain
• Arteriosclerosis - narrowing of blood vessels supplying blood to the brain
• Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) - interference of the normal function of the vestibular system in the ear following certain head movements. The vertigo comes and goes until treated
• Hyperventilation - combination of stress/strain and low oxygen supply
• Neurological vertigo - caused by problems in the balance centers of the brain - not ear
• Vascular vertigo - caused by problems with blood flow to the inner ear or balance centers of the brain

There are many other likely disorders that cause dizziness and vertigo. With appropriate tests and medical evaluation, Dr. Cohen will identify the specific cause and prescribe the best treatment for you.