If you feel dizzy or nauseous when you wake up, you may feel dizzy or nauseous even if you turn over on the bed or turn your head.
The symptoms are often mistaken for an imbalance of ear fluid, but otolithiasis does not affect health and hearing, and it does not often cause tinnitus. It can be cured by simple otolith reset treatment.
There is no clear cause of otolith shedding, but people who tilt their head back significantly and often raise their head are more likely to cause the otolith to fall into a specific position, thereby inducing vertigo.
Written by: Zhou Shunjie, Medical Consultant and Otolaryngology Specialist
The human inner ear is divided into two parts, one part is responsible for hearing, the other part is responsible for controlling body balance, and the part responsible for balance has three semicircular canals connected to the cochlea and vestibule, while otoliths refer to crystals located in the vestibule, which are tiny fragments invisible to the naked eye. Stone, the older, the more the number.
When the otolith falls off, it will flow in the ear fluid. If the otolith travels from the vestibule to the semicircular canal, it may stimulate the balance organ, causing dizziness due to head movement at any time.
The patient turns the head according to the doctor's instructions to guide the otolith to reset.
A blow to the head may cause otoliths to dislodge, but in most cases the cause is unknown.
The older the age, the higher the incidence rate. Most patients with otolithiasis are over 40 years old, and women are slightly more than men.
After the otoliths fall off, following every turn of the head, posture changes and other behaviors will induce dizziness. It feels like the world is spinning, and it is like a feeling of panic after riding a roller coaster. Every time you turn over, you will feel "dizzy". After the process lasts for about half a minute to one minute, the dizziness will disappear.
Although otolithiasis is a benign disease and is not a serious health hazard, persistent vertigo will affect daily life, work and emotions. For the elderly, it will increase the risk of falls and requires early treatment.
Many patients with otolithiasis will panic when they are sick, thinking that it is a stroke symptom and seek medical advice.
In terms of diagnosis, the medical history and symptoms described by the patient are very important. When other diseases that may cause vertigo are excluded and otolithiasis is suspected, the patient can be arranged for an otological examination to understand the operation of the cranial nerve and balance system, and then Dix- The Hallpike test, to check where the otoliths have fallen off.
The loss of otoliths can be treated by repositioning the otoliths. The patient turns the head according to the doctor's instructions so that the otoliths can return to the vestibule and stay away from places that would stimulate the balance system. This can solve the vertigo problem.
Some patients may not be able to recover after a single reset treatment, or need to perform several times. When the situation is resolved, the patient can immediately feel that the dizziness has subsided a lot.
After the patient returns home, it is recommended to use two pillows when sleeping at the beginning, so that the head is tilted forward to prevent the otolith from falling into the semicircular canal again.
Although the cause of otolith loss is unknown and it is inevitable, some behaviors have a higher risk of displacing the otolith and causing dizziness, including tilting the head back significantly, or frequently raising the head. Go to a hairdresser to wash your hair to prevent the otoliths from being displaced again by tilting the head back.
In addition, people who often play badminton are also more likely to have otolithiasis, which may also be related to the movement of raising their heads.
Aerial yoga, which has been popular in recent years, may also increase the risk of otolith displacement due to movements such as hanging upside down.
Many people confuse otolithiasis with unbalanced ear water. In fact, more than half of vertigo cases are caused by otolithiasis, which is more common than unbalanced ear water.
Patients with unbalanced ear water will have tinnitus, affect their hearing, and have ear swelling. Each attack may last for more than half an hour. Even if the head does not turn, they will feel dizzy. The cause may be related to the blood circulation in the ear, related to the immune system.
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