Vertigo Treatment in Sharjah
Medically reviewed by Dar Al Kamal Team
What is vertigo treatment?
Vertigo is the false sense that you, or the room around you, are moving or spinning. When it comes from the inner ear, the cause sits in the balance organ: three fluid-filled canals and two small chambers next to the hearing organ, which report every tilt and turn of the head to the brain. Because balance and hearing share this space and the same nerve, a hearing test is a routine part of working out where vertigo comes from.
Treatment depends on the cause. It ranges from a set of guided head movements that settle a displaced crystal, to exercises that retrain balance, to medicines used briefly during an attack. At Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah, the ENT surgeon examines the ears and balance system and plans treatment around the diagnosis.
Who needs it
ENT assessment suits anyone with repeated spinning episodes, dizziness brought on by moving the head, or vertigo together with ear symptoms such as fullness, ringing or a change in hearing. Three inner-ear conditions account for most cases.
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is the most common. Tiny calcium crystals, normally anchored in one of the small chambers, drift into a balance canal. Each time the head moves in a certain direction, typically rolling over in bed, looking up to a high shelf or bending down, the crystals shift the fluid and trigger a short, intense spin.
Vestibular neuritis is inflammation of the balance nerve, often after a viral cold. It brings on strong, continuous vertigo lasting days, with nausea, and a slower recovery of steadiness over the following weeks.
Ménière's disease causes attacks of vertigo lasting hours, with a full, pressured feeling in one ear, roaring tinnitus and hearing that fluctuates in that ear. Over time the hearing in the affected ear can decline, which is why hearing is tracked with repeated tests.
Some dizziness has other causes, such as blood pressure, heart rhythm, migraine or medicine side effects. Where the history points away from the ear, your ENT surgeon arranges review by the relevant specialist, including Neuroscience for balance problems of the brain.
What happens
The appointment starts with your story. How long each episode lasts, what sets it off and what comes with it narrow the cause considerably. The surgeon then examines your ears with an otoscope, checks your eye movements, and watches your balance while standing and walking. A hearing test maps each ear and helps separate BPPV, which leaves hearing unchanged, from Ménière's disease.
For BPPV, a positional test helps confirm the diagnosis: you sit on the couch, turn your head to one side and lie back quickly with your head just over the edge, while the surgeon watches for a characteristic flicker of the eyes. The same visit can include treatment. In a repositioning manoeuvre, often called the Epley manoeuvre, the surgeon moves your head through a sequence of positions, pausing at each one, so that gravity rolls the crystals out of the canal and back into the chamber where they belong. Expect a brief spin during the movements; this is the crystals travelling.
For vestibular neuritis and Ménière's disease, treatment combines medicines by purpose, such as a short course to ease nausea and the spinning sensation during an acute attack, or treatment to reduce inflammation, with advice on salt and fluid for Ménière's. Balance exercises, known as vestibular rehabilitation, help the brain recalibrate; a physiotherapist can guide these by referral.
Preparing for it
Keep a simple diary before your visit: when each episode happened, how long it lasted, what you were doing and whether your hearing, ear pressure or tinnitus changed. Bring a list of every medicine you take.
Wear comfortable clothing and flat shoes, since the examination involves lying down and turning your head. Arrange for someone to drive you home, because the manoeuvre can leave you briefly unsteady. Mention when you book that you would like a hearing test, so time is allocated.
Afterwards
After a repositioning manoeuvre, most people feel lighter-headed or slightly off-balance for a day or so. Move gently, rise from bed slowly, and follow any sleeping-position advice you are given. BPPV can return, and a follow-up visit allows the manoeuvre to be repeated, or you may be shown a home version.
Medicines that damp down vertigo are for short-term use during an attack only, because long use slows the brain's natural adjustment. Balance exercises work best when done daily. In the UAE, heat and sweating lead to dehydration, which can worsen light-headedness and Ménière's symptoms, so drink regularly, especially outdoors and during Ramadan fasting hours. Hold off driving until your spinning has settled and you feel steady turning your head at junctions.
Contact the hospital if vertigo keeps returning, if you notice new hearing loss, ringing or ear discharge, or if balance exercises make you worse. Call emergency services or go to the emergency department straight away if vertigo comes with double vision, slurred speech, weakness or numbness in the face, arm or leg, facial droop, a sudden severe headache, or inability to walk, as these can be signs of a stroke. See stroke assessment for what happens next.
Cost and insurance
Most UAE insurance plans cover ENT consultation for vertigo, the hearing test and repositioning treatment in clinic. Physiotherapy for balance exercises and any scan arranged through referral may need pre-approval. Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah can help you confirm your cover on 06 599 7777.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the risks of vertigo treatment?
Vertigo treatment is generally low-risk, but a repositioning manoeuvre can cause brief intense spinning, nausea and, rarely, the crystals moving into a different canal, which needs a different manoeuvre. People with serious neck or back problems may need a modified approach. Vertigo medicines can cause drowsiness, so avoid driving while taking them, and using them for long periods can slow recovery.
Can BPPV be treated in one visit?
BPPV often settles after one repositioning manoeuvre in clinic, although some people need it repeated at follow-up or are shown exercises to do at home. The crystals can drift out again later, so recurrence is common and is treated the same way.
Why do I need a hearing test for vertigo?
A hearing test is needed for vertigo because the balance organ and hearing organ share the inner ear and the same nerve, so the pattern of hearing in each ear points to the cause. BPPV leaves hearing unchanged, while Ménière's disease typically affects low-pitched hearing in one ear.
How do I know if my dizziness is a stroke?
Dizziness may be a stroke if it comes with double vision, slurred speech, weakness or numbness on one side, facial droop, a sudden severe headache or inability to walk. Call emergency services or go to the emergency department straight away rather than booking an ENT appointment.
Can I drive with vertigo?
Driving with vertigo is unsafe while you have spinning episodes, feel unsteady or are taking medicine that causes drowsiness. Wait until your symptoms have settled and you can turn your head quickly without dizziness, and ask your ENT surgeon if you are unsure.
Can I fly with vertigo?
Most people with inner-ear vertigo can fly once an acute attack has passed, though cabin pressure changes can briefly worsen ear fullness in Ménière's disease. Keep well hydrated, avoid flying during an active attack, and discuss travel plans with your ENT surgeon.
Does diet help Ménière's disease?
Diet can help Ménière's disease, as many patients are advised to spread salt and fluid intake evenly through the day and to limit caffeine and alcohol. Your ENT surgeon explains the advice that fits your symptoms and other health conditions.
Is vertigo treatment covered by insurance?
Most UAE insurance plans cover ENT consultation, hearing tests and in-clinic treatment for vertigo, while physiotherapy and scans may need pre-approval. Call Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah on 06 599 7777 to confirm your cover.
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