Some people describe balance problems as dizziness. This balance disorder, in which the environment does not rotate, sometimes occurs due to a problem related to the inner ear. Some people describe their difficulties in balancing with the word vertigo. These patients often say that they or the environment is spinning. Vertigo is mostly caused by an inner ear problem.

WHAT IS MOTION ILLNESS AND SHIPPING?

Some people feel nauseous or even throw up when they get on a plane or in a car. This condition is called motion sickness. A lot of people suffer from this ailment when they get on a ship, so it’s called seasickness, even though it’s the same thing. Seasickness is only a minor inconvenience. Other than that, it is not an expression of any medical disorder. However, sometimes passengers can be very restrained by this inconvenience. In a very few of them, this discomfort lasts for a few more days, even if the journey is over.

ANATOMY OF THE BALANCE SYSTEM

Dizziness (Dizzines, vertigo) and motion sickness are related to the balance system. Space researchers call this feeling spatial orientation. The balance system is in the inner ear and tells the brain where the body is in space, the direction of its position, the direction in which it is moving, and whether it is spinning or at rest. Your sense of balance is provided by the complex relationships between the following parts of the nervous system.

1. The inner ear (which is also called the labyrinth) determines the direction of movement, that is, whether it rotates, forward or backward, side to side and up or down.
2.The eyes determine the position of the body in space (upside down etc.) and the direction of movement.
3. Pressure receptors in the joints and spine determine which part of the body is down and where it touches the ground.
4. Sensory receptors in the muscles and joints determine which part of the body is moving.
5. The central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) processes the stimuli from the four previous systems, and as a result, a coordinated perception emerges.
The symptoms of motion sickness and dizziness occur when the central nervous system receives contradictory messages from the other four systems. For example, consider boarding a plane on a stormy day and your plane is shaking due to air currents. But your eyes do not perceive this movement. Because all you see is inside the plane. As a result, your brain receives incompatible messages. Because of this, the plane can catch you. Or imagine sitting in the back seat of a car reading a book. Your inner ear and skin receptors will detect the movement of the journey. But your eyes will only see the book. Therefore, it can keep you moving. To give a real medical example, imagine that your inner ear was damaged on only one side from a blow. The damaged inner ear does not send the same messages as the normal inner ear. This gives false information about the action of returning to the brain. The person may complain of vertigo or a feeling of spinning. Sometimes nausea is also seen.

WHICH MEDICAL DISEASES CAUSE DIVERSE?

1. Circulation: Circulatory disorders are among the most common causes of dizziness. If your brain doesn’t get enough blood, you start to feel dizzy. Almost everyone has felt a few times when they suddenly stood up from bed, but some people complain of dizziness due to frequent or chronic causes. This happens due to arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). This condition is mostly seen in high blood pressure patients, diabetics and those with high blood lipids. It is sometimes seen in those with inadequate heart functions or those with anemia complaints. Some drugs, especially nicotine and caffeine, reduce blood flow to the brain. A large amount of salt in the diet also causes reduced blood flow. Sometimes there may be some disturbances in circulation due to stress, irritability or tension. If the inner ear does not receive enough blood, a more specific form of dizziness, vertigo, occurs. The inner ear is very sensitive to changes in blood circulation. Therefore, all of the poor circulation conditions mentioned for the brain also apply to the inner ear.
2. Injury: Nausea and hearing loss develop together with an extreme, restrictive vertigo following a skull fracture that also damages the inner ear. Dizziness lasts for several weeks. During this time, the normal party gradually assumes the functions of the other party.
3. Infection: Viruses that cause colds, for example, can affect the inner ear and its nerve connections with the brain. While this causes a bad vertigo, hearing is usually not affected. However, infections caused by bacteria cause deterioration of both balance and hearing functions. The severity and recovery time of dizziness is the same as for fractures.
4.Allergy: Some people may experience dizziness or vertigo when they encounter food or airborne particles they are allergic to.
5. Neurological diseases: Diseases that affect the nervous system such as Multiple Sclerosis, syphilis, and tumors cause the balance to deteriorate. Although these are rare causes, your doctor will consider them during the examination.

WHAT CAN I DO AGAINST CAR SHICK?

1.Always sit in a place where the movement of your body can be perceived equally by your inner ear and eyes. For example, you can sit in the front of the car and look at the distant views, or you can go up on the deck of the ship and watch the horizon, or you can sit by the window on the plane and watch the outside. Prefer the seats on the wing where the movement is the least on airplane journeys.
2. If the car is holding you, do not read a book or sit in the opposite direction seat.
3.Do not talk to or follow another passenger with motion sickness.
4. Avoid strong smells, spicy and oily foods just before or during the trip. Studies have not been able to scientifically prove the effectiveness of formulas that are widely used among the public.
5. Take one of the medicines recommended by your doctor before your trip. Some of these medications can also be purchased without a prescription. Your doctor’s prescription is required for sedatives or drugs that affect the nervous system. Some are in the form of pills or suppositories, while others (scopolamine) are in the form of bands that can be attached behind the ear.
Remember this: The vast majority of cases of dizziness and motion sickness are mild and a person can self-treat. However, severe or progressively worsening cases should be followed up by a doctor who specializes in Otolaryngology, balance and nervous system.

WHAT DOES THE DOCTOR DO FOR vertigo?
your doctor

He or she will ask you to describe the dizziness. He or she will ask if it is a blackout or a sensation of movement, how long it lasts, whether there is hearing loss or nausea and vomiting. It may also be asked which conditions cause dizziness. You may have to answer many questions about your general condition, whether you are taking medication, a head injury, a recent infection, and your ear and nervous system. After examining your ear, nose, and throat, your doctor will do some tests on the nervous system. Since the inner ear is related to both hearing and balance, a disturbance in balance will also affect hearing and vice versa. For this reason, your doctor may order a hearing test (audiogram). In some cases, he or she may order an X-ray, CT scan, or magnetic resonance imaging of your skull, or a test (electronystagmography – ENG) that will monitor your eye movements after hot or cold water is used to stimulate your inner ear. In some cases, he or she may recommend an evaluation of your heart or some blood tests. Not every test is required for every patient. Your doctor’s decision will determine which tests are needed. Similarly, the recommended treatment will be related to the diagnosis made.

WHAT CAN I DO TO REDUCE DIGESTION?

1. Avoid sudden position changes. For example, do not stand up suddenly from a lying position or suddenly turn from one side to the other.
2.Avoid excessive head movements (especially looking up) or rapid head movements.
3. Reduce the use of products that will impair circulation (nicotine, caffeine and salt).
4. Stay away from stress, irritability that causes dizziness and try not to be exposed to substances that you are allergic to.
5. When you have dizziness, avoid activities that may cause harm, such as driving a car, using dangerous tools, or climbing stairs.