Acute Dizziness
Acute Vertigo
Vertigo
Subjective hallucinaton of movement which may be associated with nausea.
Causes of sudden onset vertigo:
Meniere’s disease – drop attack (Tumarkin crisis)
Other features of Meniere’s include aural fullness, tinnitus and fluctuating hearing loss.
Acute labyrinthitis
Hearing loss and tinnitus also present
Preceeding viral type illness
Pyrexia
Marked symptoms with vomiting
Rare – often misdiagnosed
Vestibular neuronitis
Unknown cause, possibly viral
Hearing loss and tinnitus not a feature
Symptoms not so marked as in other causes
Benign positional paroxysmal vertigo
Caused by displacement of otoconia in the posterior semicircular canal.
Usually does not require hospital admission
Investigations:
Audiometry
Full blood count / ESR
Management:
Supportive – antiemetics eg. Prochlorperazine, metoclorpramide
Admission to hospital for intravenous rehydration if unable to tolerate any oral intake.
Outcome:
Symptoms will eventually settle as the disease remits or compensation occurs.