Will surgery be needed to treat my vertigo

In most instances surgery will not be needed for vertigo but sometimes it can be so severe and causing such disruption in a person's life that it ends up being the only viable solution. When vertigo occurs there can be some really disturbing symptoms such as a spinning sensation, the feeling of begin pulled down, balance problems, and nausea and vomiting. Surgery is usually the treatment of last resort for the condition: Medications used for treating vertigo. Here are the different surgical procedures that can be used.

Corrective treatments

Corrective treatments for vertigo are a bit controversial as there is not enough evidence to support its effectiveness. The type of corrective treatment will depend on what part of the inner ear needs correcting. A perilymph fistula is an abnormal hole in the inner ear and perilymph fistula surgery involves placing a patch over the hole or inserting a tiny tube in the ear drum to allow ventilation.

Microvascular compression syndrome is where there is irritation of a cranial nerve by a blood vessel; there is still a lot to be learned about this condition, but this compression of the cranial nerve is believed to cause the symptoms of vertigo. Surgery is quite complex and involves relieving this pressure from around the cranial nerve. Shunt surgery can be used to treat Meniere's disease, but this is another controversial treatment that is often not very effective. Vertigo and Moore disease

Labyrinthectomy involves removing the labyrinth structures in your inner ear. These are where the vertigo signals are been sent from so removing them can alleviate the symptoms. The problem with this treatment is that you will also lose the hearing in that ear, so it really is a last resort.

Transtympanic gentamicin treatment can be used as an alternative to a labyrinthecotmy. It involves injecting gentamicin into the ear and thus destroying the nerve hairs that pick up the sensation of movement.

If the problem is caused by a tumour then acoustic neuroma surgery can be performed. This will remove the tumour and hopefully the problem.

Posterior canal plugging can work for some patients with benign postural vertigo that can't be relieved by any other means. This involves partitioning the posterior semi circle canal with bone chips. This can stop the movement of the tiny particles that lead to symptoms of benign postural vertigo.

Stapedectomy removal of stapes bone and an artificial bone is put there to replace it.

The above are just a selection of the possible surgical procedures that might be considered if you and your doctor are unable to deal with your vertigo symptoms by any other means. The symptoms of vertigo can make life miserable so in some instances it will be well worth considering the above options. Some of the techniques are surrounded by a bit of controversy in regards to their effectiveness so it is worth discussing this issue with your doctor before agreeing to go ahead with the procedure. Where surgery is performed it can really make the difference in many cases.

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