DEAR DR. GOTT: I’m a 72-year-old female who has problems with vertigo. It comes and goes. I get dizzy when I lie down. I’ve had the problem for years and have been to an ear-nose-and-throat specialist. He removes wax from both my ears, and that helps for a short while, but it does come back. Can you give me any advice?
DEAR READER: Vertigo is the sensation that a person or his or her surroundings are moving or spinning. It differs from dizziness (vertigo, lightheadedness, loss of balance and more).
Causes include a decrease in blood flow to the base of the brain, inner-ear inflammation, movement of the head in a specific direction, Meniere’s disease, head trauma, migraine headaches and acoustic neuromas (a type of tumor). Other possibilities can be the result of atherosclerosis, diabetes or, as you seem to be suffering, wax buildup.
Speak to your ENT about more frequent wax removal. If this does not help, it may be necessary to make an appointment with a specialist, such as a neurologist, who can perform testing to determine whether there is another cause of your vertigo.
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