Vertigo Flashcards
What are the main causes of vertigo?
Herpes zoster
Acoustic neuroma
Ménière’s
Benign positional vertigo
Ototoxicity
Acute labyrinthitis
Trauma
What type of herpes zoster infection can cause vertigo?
Ramsay-Hunt syndrome
What other symptoms present in Ramsay-Hunt syndrome?
Ipsilateral facial paralysis
Ear pain/hearing loss
Lacrimation
Tinnitus
Vesicles in pinna
What cranial nerves can be affected by herpes zoster in Ramsay-Hunt syndrome?
V
VII
VIII
IX
What is the definition of vertigo?
Hallucination of movement, often rotatory (of the patient or their surroundings)
What other types of movement can be experienced with vertigo?
Tilting/sinking/rising of the floor
What other types of ‘dizziness’ is it important to distinguish vertigo from.
Light headedness/faintness
Loss of awareness
‘Vertigo’ with abnormal symptoms
What can cause light headedness/faintness?
Hypotension
Anaemia
Anxiety
What can cause loss of awareness?
Epilepsy
Syncope
What symptoms can accompany vertigo?
Tinnitus
Hearing loss
Pallor
Sweating
Nausea and vomiting
Difficulty walking/standing
Relief on lying/sitting still
What can cause vertigo with accompanying tinnitus and hearing loss?
Labyrinthitis
Ménière’s
Acoustic neuroma
Ramsay-Hunt syndrome
When does benign positional vertigo occur?
When moving
Why does BPV occur when moving?
Due to the moving of debris in the semi-circular canals of the ear
How does acute labyrinthitis typically present?
Abrupt onset vertigo, N+V, +/- prostration
What can cause acute labyrinthitis?
Viral infection
Vascular lesion
How is acute labyrinthitis treated?
Reassure the patient it will clear on its own
How long does it take for the severe vertigo experience in acute labyrinthitis to subside?
A number of days
How long can it take for a patient to fully recover from acute labyrinthitis?
Weeks
How does Ménière’s disease present?
Fluctuating hearing loss and attacks of vertigo lasting >20 minutes
What causes vertigo in Ménière’s disease?
Increased pressure in the endolymphatic system of the ear
What are some drugs that can cause ototoxicity?
Cisplatin
Loop diuretics
Aminoglycosides
What is a better description of an acoustic neuroma?
Vestibular schwannoma
What signs can an acoustic neuroma cause later on?
Signs of raised ICP
How does an acoustic neuroma typically present early on?
Unilateral hearing loss followed by vertigo
Trauma to which regions can result in vertigo?
Cerebello-pontine angle
Temporal bone
