If you suffer from sinus problems you may be relieved to know that it is common affecting 1 in 7 adults in the U.S. Research suggests that the incidence of dizziness is about 15% of the population.
If you have a history of sinus problems, but now you’re experiencing dizziness as an additional symptom, then you may be wondering can sinus issues cause vertigo. In this article, we will take you through the basic difference between dizziness and vertigo. Armed with that important understanding, we will then explore the relationship with sinusitis.
As you read through this article, keep your eye out for other symptoms and triggers of vertigo that should prompt you to pursue further medical investigations.
Dizziness or Vertigo – Same Difference?
The first thing to be clear about is whether you’re experiencing dizziness or vertigo because, clinically speaking, they aren’t the same thing. Unfortunately, people suffering from balance problems, as well as non-expert writers on the internet, tend to use the terms interchangeably.
Dizziness is a sensation that your sense of balance is disturbed in some way. Putting that sensation into words may not always be easy. Vertigo specifically describes a spinning sensation, most often experienced as the room spinning.
This is because a neurologic response affecting the movement of your eyes is triggered. This is called nystagmus and can be described as a flicking movement of your eyes.
Can Sinus Issues Cause Vertigo?
The simple answer is yes. The physiological trigger comes from inflammation affecting your middle ear. The infection and inflammation can start in the sinus and spread to the middle ear via the eustachian tube.
The key point here is that your sinus problem would have to be fairly significant and you may feel that it is affecting your hearing or your ear in some way. The timing of your vertigo would need to be synced with the onset of your sinus symptoms. The relief of vertigo will also occur in tandem with the relief of your sinus symptoms.
The clinical connection between dizziness and sinus problems is less clear.
How Can I Get a Diagnosis?
As mentioned above, vertigo is directly observable by measuring the movements of the eyes during an episode. Therefore, the best thing you can do is to wait until you have an episode and then get yourself to the doctor. Even better is to access a specialist in balance disorders.
Of course, the real long term treatment for this will focus on relieving whatever it is that is causing your sinus issues. So you will need to get help from a sinus doctor.
Hold On for One Last Thought
In this article, we have rapidly taken you through the difference between dizziness and vertigo and answered the question, can sinus issues cause vertigo? Even if you suffer from vertigo and have sinus problems that doesn’t mean is causing the other.
Balance disorders are complex and can be caused by so many different things. If you are suffering from some form of balance associated problem then you should seek an opinion from an expert in the field. You can read other informative articles that fit with your interests on our site.
