Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV): This is the most common cause of positional vertigo, a sudden feeling that you’re spinning or swaying. It happens when tiny calcium crystals in one part of your ear move into an area where they shouldn’t be. This causes your inner ear to tell your brain you’re moving when you’re really not.
BPPV can be treated through a series of head movements your doctor guides you through. These put the crystals back where they’re supposed to be.
Labyrinthitis: You might know this as an inner ear infection. It happens when a fragile structure deep inside your ear known as a labyrinth gets inflamed. This affects not just your balance and hearing, but you also may have ear pain, pressure, pus or fluid coming from your ear, nausea, and a high fever.
If your labyrinthitis is caused by a bacterial infection, you may need to take antibiotics. Your doctor also might recommend steroids to help bring down inflammation or another kind of drug known as an antiemetic to help with vomiting and dizziness.
Vestibular neuritis: A viral infection somewhere else in your body, such as chickenpox or measles, can bring on this disorder that affects the nerve that sends sound and balance information from your inner ear to your brain. The most common symptoms are sudden dizziness with nausea, vomiting, and trouble walking.
