Q I suffer with regular bouts of vertigo. What may be causing this?

The symptoms of vertigo include sensations of dizziness, faintness, hearing loss and nausea. Vertigo is usually a problem associated with an inner ear problem. It occurs when the central nervous system receives conflicting messages from the ears, eyes, muscles and skin pressure receptors.

Get your doctor to check out possible underlying conditions such as high or low blood pressure, allergies, head injuries, inadequate or interrupted supply of oxygen to the brain, anaemia, viral infection, fever, nutritional deficiencies, neurological disease, psychological stress, changes in atmospheric pressure, blockage of the ear canal or Eustachian tube, middle ear infections, or excess wax in the ear.

There are a number of other medical conditions that may also induce vertigo, such as poor cerebral circulation. Poor cerebral circulation may be due to narrowing of the blood vessels that supply the brain (arteriosclerosis), pinched blood vessels in the neck (cervical osteo-arthritis), diabetes or (more rarely) brain tumours.

Depending on the cause of the problem, some complimentary therapies have been useful with mild vertigo, particularly cranium sacral therapy, acupuncture, electro acupuncture and homeopathy. Some herbs that may help with dizziness include ginger, butchers broom and cayenne. Support a healthy immune system by eating plenty of fresh vegetables and introduce a complex B and C supplement.

Carrot juice is also a very good addition to your diet. Reducing intake of salt, alcohol, sugar, caffeine and fast foods is advisable.

Always consult your GP before starting any new regime or self treatment. The contents of this article are for information purposes only and are not intended to prevent, diagnose or cure any medical conditions. If you would like a question covered, please contact The Clinic of Complementary and Natural Medicine, Kiltartan House, Forster St., Galway on 091- 568804.

Dr H Bhatti is the President of the Association of Naturopathic Practitioners and can be contacted at his clinics at Kiltartan House, Forster Street, Galway on 091-568804 or at The Village Nursing Care Centre, Ballygarriff, Craughwell on 091-777700.

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