<?xml version="1.0"?>
<feed xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xml:lang="en">
	<id>https://wikem.org/w/api.php?action=feedcontributions&amp;feedformat=atom&amp;user=Mchenier</id>
	<title>WikEM - User contributions [en]</title>
	<link rel="self" type="application/atom+xml" href="https://wikem.org/w/api.php?action=feedcontributions&amp;feedformat=atom&amp;user=Mchenier"/>
	<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wikem.org/wiki/Special:Contributions/Mchenier"/>
	<updated>2026-05-13T19:00:53Z</updated>
	<subtitle>User contributions</subtitle>
	<generator>MediaWiki 1.38.2</generator>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wikem.org/w/index.php?title=Vertigo&amp;diff=25653</id>
		<title>Vertigo</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wikem.org/w/index.php?title=Vertigo&amp;diff=25653"/>
		<updated>2014-11-03T15:10:27Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Mchenier: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;== Background ==&lt;br /&gt;
*Perception of movement (rotational or otherwise) where no movement exists &lt;br /&gt;
*Pathophysiology &lt;br /&gt;
**Mismatch or asymmetric activity of visual, vestibular, and/or proprioceptive systems&lt;br /&gt;
*Must distinguish peripheral from central cause&lt;br /&gt;
**Peripheral: 8th CN, vestibular apparatus&lt;br /&gt;
**Central: Brainstem, cerebellum&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Clinical Features==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{| class=&amp;quot;wikitable&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| &lt;br /&gt;
| '''Peripheral'''&lt;br /&gt;
| '''Central'''&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| '''Onset'''&lt;br /&gt;
| Sudden&lt;br /&gt;
| Sudden or slow&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| '''Severity'''&lt;br /&gt;
| Intense spinning&lt;br /&gt;
| Ill defined, less intense&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| '''Pattern'''&lt;br /&gt;
| Paroxysmal, intermittent&lt;br /&gt;
| Constant&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| '''Aggravated by position/movement'''&lt;br /&gt;
| Yes&lt;br /&gt;
| Variable&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| '''Nausea/diaphoresis'''&lt;br /&gt;
| Frequent&lt;br /&gt;
| Variable&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| '''Nystagmus'''&lt;br /&gt;
| Horizontal&lt;br /&gt;
| Vertical or multidirectional &lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| '''Fatigue of symptoms/signs'''&lt;br /&gt;
| Yes&lt;br /&gt;
| No&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| '''Hearing loss/tinnitus'''&lt;br /&gt;
| May occur&lt;br /&gt;
| Does not occur&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| '''Abnormal tympanic membrane'''&lt;br /&gt;
| May occur&lt;br /&gt;
| Does not occur&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| '''CNS symptoms/signs'''&lt;br /&gt;
| Absent&lt;br /&gt;
| Usually present&lt;br /&gt;
|}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Diagnosis==&lt;br /&gt;
===Algorithm===&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Vertigo_and_Dizziness.jpg]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===HINTS Exam===&lt;br /&gt;
Can reliably^ distinguish peripheral cause from cerebellar/brain stem CVA in the Emergency Department population &amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;http://ec.libsyn.com/p/a/d/d/add761f2a2847ea5/hints-exam.pdf?d13a76d516d9dec20c3d276ce028ed5089ab1ce3dae902ea1d01c0873ed8cc5fe910&amp;amp;c_id=2502227&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18541870&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;http://hwcdn.libsyn.com/p/1/c/d/1cd6b38a89c178a1/diff-of-vertigo.pdf?c_id=2502226&amp;amp;expiration=1380995436&amp;amp;hwt=0a8bc67ea910e018a1543ebea192f668&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
#Head Impulse Testing&lt;br /&gt;
##Tests vestibulo-ocular reflex&lt;br /&gt;
##Have pt fix their eyes on your nose&lt;br /&gt;
##Move their head in the horizontal plane to the left and right&lt;br /&gt;
###If reflex is intact their eyes will stay fixed on your nose&lt;br /&gt;
###If reflex is abnormal eyes will move w/ their head and won't stay fixed on your nose&lt;br /&gt;
##It is reassuring if the reflex is abnormal!(due to dysfunction of the nerve)&lt;br /&gt;
#Nystagmus&lt;br /&gt;
##Benign nystagmus only beats in one direction no matter which direction their eyes look&lt;br /&gt;
##Bad nystagmus beats in every direction their eyes look&lt;br /&gt;
###If pt looks left, get left nystagmus, if looks right, get right-beating nystagmus&lt;br /&gt;
#Test of Skew&lt;br /&gt;
##Vertical dysconjugate gaze is bad&lt;br /&gt;
##Alternating cover test&lt;br /&gt;
###Have pt look at your nose w/ their eyes and then cover one eye&lt;br /&gt;
###When rapidly uncover the eye look to see if the eye quickly moves to re-align&lt;br /&gt;
##If any of the above 3 tests are consistent w/ CVA obtain full work-up (including MRI)&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
^Sensitivity (for posterior ischemic CVA):&lt;br /&gt;
*HINTS = 100%?&lt;br /&gt;
*MRI &amp;lt;48hrs after symptom onset = 83%&lt;br /&gt;
*MRI &amp;gt;48hrs = 100%?&lt;br /&gt;
*CT = 16%&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
^Positive test = INFARCT for posterior stroke&lt;br /&gt;
*Impulse Normal (abnormal indicates peripheral)&lt;br /&gt;
*Fast-phase Alternates (saccades alternate direction)&lt;br /&gt;
*Refixation on Cover Test&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== DDX ==&lt;br /&gt;
#Vestibular/otologic &lt;br /&gt;
##[[Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)]] &lt;br /&gt;
##Traumatic (following head injury)&lt;br /&gt;
##Infection&lt;br /&gt;
###[[Labyrinthitis]]&lt;br /&gt;
###[[Vestibular Neuritis (Neuronitis)]]&lt;br /&gt;
###Ramsay Hunt syndrome &lt;br /&gt;
#Syndrome &lt;br /&gt;
##[[Meniere Disease]]&lt;br /&gt;
##Neoplastic &lt;br /&gt;
##Vascular &lt;br /&gt;
##Otosclerosis &lt;br /&gt;
##Paget disease &lt;br /&gt;
##Toxic or drug-induced: aminoglycosides &lt;br /&gt;
#Neurologic &lt;br /&gt;
##Vertebrobasilar insufficiency&lt;br /&gt;
###Head turning causes vertigo, [[Diplopia|diplopia]], dysarthria, b/l loss of vision, syncope&lt;br /&gt;
##Lateral Wallenberg syndrome &lt;br /&gt;
##Anterior inferior cerebellar artery syndrome &lt;br /&gt;
##Neoplastic: cerebellopontine angle tumors &lt;br /&gt;
##Cerebellar disorders: hemorrhage, degeneration &lt;br /&gt;
##Basal ganglion diseases &lt;br /&gt;
##Multiple sclerosis &lt;br /&gt;
##Infections: neurosyphilis, tuberculosis &lt;br /&gt;
##Epilepsy &lt;br /&gt;
##Migraine (basilar) &lt;br /&gt;
##Cerebrovascular disease &lt;br /&gt;
#General &lt;br /&gt;
##Hematologic: anemia, polycythemia, hyperviscosity syndrome &lt;br /&gt;
##Toxic: alcohol &lt;br /&gt;
##Chronic renal failure &lt;br /&gt;
##Metabolic &lt;br /&gt;
###[[Thyroid Disease]] &lt;br /&gt;
###[[Hypoglycemia]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Work-up==&lt;br /&gt;
#Glucose check &lt;br /&gt;
#Full neuro exam&lt;br /&gt;
#TM exam &lt;br /&gt;
#?CT/MRI - if symptoms consistent with central cause&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Management==&lt;br /&gt;
=== Peripheral ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Symptomatic control&lt;br /&gt;
#Antihistamines&lt;br /&gt;
##Meclizine (antivert) 25mg PO QID&lt;br /&gt;
##Diphenhydramine (benadryl) 25-50mg IM, IV, or PO q4hr&lt;br /&gt;
#Anticholinergics&lt;br /&gt;
##Scopolamine transdermal patch 0.5mg (behind ear) QID&lt;br /&gt;
#Antidopaminergics&lt;br /&gt;
##Metoclopramide 10-20 IV or PO TID&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Cause Reversal&lt;br /&gt;
#Epley maneuver (see [[BPPV]])&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Central===&lt;br /&gt;
#R/O [[CVA]]&lt;br /&gt;
#MRI&lt;br /&gt;
#R/O Vascular insufficiency&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Disposition ==&lt;br /&gt;
*Most pts w/ peripheral vertigo can be discharged home&lt;br /&gt;
*Most pts w/ central vertigo require urgent imaging and consultation while in the ED&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==See Also==&lt;br /&gt;
*[[Dizziness]]&lt;br /&gt;
*[[EBQ:HINTS_Exam]]&lt;br /&gt;
*[[Cerebellar Stroke]]&lt;br /&gt;
*[[Stroke syndromes]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Source ==&lt;br /&gt;
*Tintinalli&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;references/&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Neuro]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Featured]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Mchenier</name></author>
	</entry>
</feed>