Can Stress Cause Vertigo?

Yes, there are instances where persons who deal with chronic stress report experiencing vertigo or dizziness in stressful circumstances. This could make someone think that their anxiety is making them uncoordinated and out of balance Can Stress Cause Vertigo?.

What Is Vertigo?

Vertigo
Even when you are not moving, vertigo can make you feel as though you are moving or that the world is spinning around you. Although some people may characterise this feeling as dizzy, vertigo and dizziness are two different things. Sweating, headaches, nausea, and vomiting are some additional symptoms that might appear along with vertigo.

In this article, the relationship between stress and vertigo is examined, along with advice on what to do if you have symptoms of either or both disorders.

What’s the Connection Between Stress and Vertigo?

Some people claim to experience vertigo symptoms when under stress. This prompted scientists and academics to look into if there was a connection between the two illnesses.

According to research, stress may not directly induce vertigo but it might have an impact on your vestibular system, which controls your balance and coordination in the inner ear. Vertigo can be brought on by a disruption of your vestibular system.

In the United States, up to 5% of adults claim to get vertigo when under stress or anxiety.

Certain hormones, including cortisol, rise in response to stress. Your vestibular system has been compromised by an increase in these stress hormones. In a 2016 study, researchers found that lowering vasopressin (a stress hormone) levels helped a group of people with Ménière’s illness, which causes vertigo, to suffer fewer symptoms.

Can Stress Cause Dizziness?

Vertigo and dizziness are two words that are frequently used interchangeably. They are separate sensations, though.

Dizziness:

This may resemble dizziness.
Feeling shaky or unstable.

Vertigo:

One could feel as though they are moving.
Someone could feel as if everything is moving around them.

Vertigo, Dizziness, and Stress

Vertigo and dizziness have different symptoms, yet they both have a similar link to stress. Although stress doesn’t directly cause vertigo, it can nevertheless damage your vestibular system, which is in charge of balance and coordination.

You may experience symptoms like dizziness when your vestibular system is disrupted. Not every person who is under stress or who experiences chronic stress will notice this.

Impact of Stress and Vertigo

Long-term exposure to chronic stress might have a negative impact on your general wellbeing. Chronic stress has been related to a number of conditions, including hypertension, heart disease, obesity, and sleep difficulties.

NOTE:

Your vertigo may not be brought on by stress.
Vertigo brought on by stress could be a warning sign that your stress levels are dangerously high. Additionally, the source of your vertigo might not always be stress. Vertigo has also been connected to other underlying illnesses such diabetes, head trauma, low blood pressure, and multiple sclerosis.

Diagnosis of Stress and Vertigo

For stress, there are no specific diagnostic standards. Usually, you can sense when someone is stressed. Fatigue, headaches, mood swings, difficulties sleeping, and difficulty focusing are just a few symptoms of chronic stress.

Dix-Hallpike Test

The Dix-Hallpike test is frequently used by doctors to identify vertigo. Being placed in a position that might make you dizzy is part of the test. They will check your eyes for any signs of vertigo once you start to experience its symptoms. It is employed to identify a benign vertigo cause. These kinds of tests might be used to rule out any additional causes of your dizziness.

Treatment of Stress and Vertigo

It’s critical to contact a doctor if you experience vertigo brought on by stress. This is due to the possibility that your vertigo may be caused by underlying issues other than stress.

NOTE:

But if your vertigo is brought on by worry, addressing your stress is essential to putting an end to your vertigo symptoms.

Psychotherapy

Cognitive- behavioural therapy is one of the best types of psychotherapy for treating severe cases of stress (CBT). Another study found that CBT can effectively treat some vertigo symptoms. In the study, three CBT sessions significantly reduced vertigo sufferers’ dizziness.

Coping With Stress and Vertigo

The easiest strategy to handle both illnesses if you’ve been dealing with stress-related vertigo is to reduce your stress.

Managing Stress

Some of the most effective techniques for controlling stress include:

Exercise: It’s been known for a long time that exercise can lower stress. It seems sense that finding time to workout while you’re anxious can be difficult. Exercise shouldn’t be viewed as a daily hour-long obligation. A wonderful way to start exercising is to go for a daily 30-minute brisk stroll.
Getting enough sleep: For optimal performance, an adult should aim for at least seven to eight hours of sleep each night. When under stress, this is even more important.
Eliminating stressors: Removing stressors from your life that are within your power can significantly aid in stress management.
Meditation: You can lower your stress levels by engaging in mindfulness and meditation practises.

Managing Vertigo

You can control your vertigo in other ways so that it doesn’t negatively impact how you live your life.

What to Do When You Experience Vertigo

Try the following if vertigo strikes you:

keeping still till the sensation goes away.
Avoiding foods and beverages that can make you jittery, such as caffeine and energy.
Drinks, and keeping your body well-hydrated throughout the day.
Avoiding bending over to pick up objects, such as packages, and squatting instead.

Summary

Although stress doesn’t cause vertigo directly, it can induce a chemical imbalance in your body that impacts your vestibular system. Your vestibular system is in charge of controlling your coordination and balance. Symptoms like vertigo and dizziness can sometimes happen when it is thrown off. However, reducing your stress levels and finding coping mechanisms will help you avoid experiencing the vertigo that comes with stress.

A Word From Verywell

Vertigo can be an unsettling and perplexing sensation, as anyone who has experienced it will attest. Severe vertigo can make it dangerous to drive or walk, which might influence how you function on a regular basis.

If you notice that your vertigo worsens during stressful times or events, it may be a sign that the two are connected. Vertigo, however, can result from a variety of underlying disorders, and not everyone who encounters chronic stress does.

It’s critical to speak with your healthcare practitioner so that you can determine the origin of your symptoms and develop a treatment strategy with them.