When you have vertigo, you experience false sensations of your surroundings spinning around you. Based on its cause, vertigo is divided into several types.
One of the symptoms of vertigo can be nystagmus. Nystagmus is rapid, uncontrolled eye movements.
Learn more about the connection between nystagmus and vertigo below.
Vertigo has numerous causes, including physical injuries, infections, migraine, and other conditions. There are two main types.
Central vertigo occurs due to a problem in the brain and may be
- stroke
- brain tumor
- migraine
- traumatic brain injury
- infection
- multiple sclerosis
The
Vertigo symptoms
Symptoms of all types of vertigo
- dizziness, which typically worsens with head movement or repositioning
- nausea
- headache
- ringing or buzzing in your ears
- vomiting
- hearing loss
- loss of balance
- increased sweating
- nystagmus (involuntary eye movements)
Nystagmus, the uncontrolled movement of your eyes, also occurs when there are problems either in the brain or in the inner ear. It can occur from birth or be acquired later due to:
- head trauma
- certain medical conditions or diseases, such as stroke
- certain medications
According to newer research, one form of nystagmus, positional nystagmus, can occur in otherwise healthy people without a correlation to vertigo.
Nystagmus symptoms
Symptoms of nystagmus include:
- involuntary eye movements in one or both eyes that can be:
- up and down (vertical nystagmus)
- side to side (horizontal nystagmus)
- circular movements (rotary nystagmus)
- in different directions
- blurry vision
- light sensitivity
- dizziness and balance problems
Vertigo is
According to a
The nystagmus in central vertigo more commonly presents with direction-changing nystagmus. If the eyes move up and down, this indicates central vertigo.
If you experience bouts of dizziness that interfere with your daily activities, you may want to see a doctor. Your symptoms may be due to an underlying condition that can be treated.
Additionally, you should see a doctor if you have not had nystagmus from birth but experience symptoms, because acquired nystagmus is due to an underlying medical cause that could be serious.
Both vertigo and nystagmus are conditions that can be caused by a problem in the brain or the part of the inner ear that affects your balance. They also often co-occur.
Because both can have an underlying cause, you should contact a doctor for a proper diagnosis and treatment.