Lifestyle mistakes trigger severe vertigo in young adults
Affecting one in ten people, vertigo is increasingly threatening young adults due to faulty daily habits, prolonged screen time, and poor sleep routines.
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By Bilge Türk | Medicentert Tv
ISTANBUL, TURKEY — Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Surmeli, an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) specialist at Acibadem Atasehir Hospital, announced that vertigo is increasingly affecting younger populations due to the detrimental impacts of modern lifestyle mistakes.
Affecting one in ten people nationwide, vertigo is fundamentally not a disease in itself but a critical warning sign of an underlying health condition. Driven by physical inactivity, extended screen times, irregular sleep patterns, and high stress levels, this severe dizziness can paralyze daily routines, sometimes becoming so debilitating that it confines individuals to their homes. Experts urge the public to recognize the early warning signs and make necessary lifestyle modifications before the condition leads to chronic balance loss.
Vertigo is an alarming symptom, not a disease
Often misunderstood by the general public as a standalone illness, vertigo is medically defined as a symptom or a syndrome that points to another physiological malfunction. The primary characteristic of vertigo is the intense and involuntary sensation that the individual, or the physical environment around them, is spinning, swaying, or moving violently.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Surmeli emphasized that this condition severely disrupts a patient’s quality of life. Clarifying the medical definition of the condition, he stated that vertigo is the false sensation of movement.
"Vertigo is when a person feels that they or the objects around them are spinning, shaking, or moving. This condition alone is not a disease, but rather a herald of another underlying health problem," Surmeli noted.
This sudden illusion of movement can make it virtually impossible for patients to walk, drive, work, or even stand upright without assistance.
Inner ear issues account for majority of cases
The human body's balance system is primarily coordinated by the brain processing data received from the inner ear, the eyes, and the musculoskeletal system. Any disruption or miscommunication within this highly complex network results directly in dizziness. According to clinical data, approximately 85 percent of vertigo complaints originate directly from malfunctions in the vestibular system located in the inner ear. These are commonly known among the public as displaced ear crystals, inner ear fluid imbalance, or inflammation of the balance nerve.
The remaining 15 percent of cases involve much more serious medical conditions affecting the brain and central nervous system. This category includes severe migraine attacks, strokes caused by blockages in brain vessels, cerebellar or brainstem tumors, and neurological diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS). However, many patients experiencing severe dizziness often lose valuable time and delay their treatment by not knowing which medical department to consult.
Choosing between an ENT or neurology specialist
Directing patients to the correct medical branch is considered a critical step for the success of the treatment and early diagnosis. Evaluating dizziness along with its accompanying symptoms provides the most important clues for physicians to determine which system to focus on. In line with the guidelines of the
Making a clear distinction about which specialists patients should consult, Surmeli shared essential guidelines. If the dizziness is triggered by head movements and is accompanied by ringing in the ears, hearing loss, or a feeling of fullness in the ear, an ENT specialist should be consulted first. These specific symptoms directly indicate an inner ear-related problem.
However, Surmeli issued a strict warning regarding neurological emergencies. If the dizziness occurs alongside a severe and sudden headache, numbness or weakness in the arms or legs, double vision, slurred speech, or difficulty swallowing, patients must consult a Neurology specialist immediately without wasting any time.
Subjective experiences complicate the diagnosis
Although vertigo is seen in one out of every ten people, the fact that it does not create the exact same clinical picture in every patient constitutes one of the biggest challenges physicians face during the diagnostic phase. Because the loss of balance is a highly subjective experience, it is often difficult for patients to accurately put their condition into words.
Stating that this communication barrier can delay the diagnosis, Surmeli explained the common ways patients describe their symptoms. Patients often express their complaints by saying 'everything is spinning,' 'I get thrown off while walking,' 'the ground is slipping from under my feet,' or 'I feel drunk.' In some patients, only a feeling of lightheadedness, blackouts, or unsteadiness might be prominent. Therefore, not every dizziness is the same and requires a detailed physical evaluation with specialized medical equipment. Furthermore, complaints from individuals who experience these symptoms for the first time at an advanced age, or those with chronic diseases like hypertension or diabetes, must be examined much more carefully from a neurological perspective.
Ten common mistakes that trigger vertigo attacks
Clinical observations and extensive research conducted in recent years indicate a visible and significant increase in the number of young adults presenting to relevant hospital outpatient clinics with complaints of dizziness and loss of balance. Surmeli listed ten common, seemingly innocent behavioral mistakes that directly damage the vestibular system and trigger vertigo attacks:
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Getting out of bed too quickly: Suddenly standing up after sleeping causes a rapid drop in blood pressure (orthostatic hypotension) and can shift the balance crystals in the inner ear.
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Sudden head movements: Vigorously shaking or turning the head back and forth exacerbates the fluctuation of fluid in the inner ear canals, initiating an attack.
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Excessive salt consumption: High sodium intake causes water retention in the body, which increases the pressure of inner ear fluids (endolymph) and disrupts balance.
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Inadequate water intake: Dehydration slows down the circulatory system, reducing vital blood flow to the inner ear.
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Prolonged physical inactivity in front of screens: Staring fixedly at digital screens leads to muscle spasms in the neck (cervical vertigo) and impairs eye-inner ear coordination.
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Insufficient and poor-quality sleep: Chronic insomnia interrupts the central nervous system's repair processes, ultimately exhausting the brain's balance center.
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Sedentary lifestyle: A lack of physical activity weakens the body's overall circulation and its ability to adapt to spatial changes.
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Inability to manage stress and anxiety: Elevated stress hormones impair the blood supply to the inner ear and pave the way for psychogenic dizziness.
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Irregular and unhealthy diets: Skipping meals leads to sudden drops in blood sugar, cutting off the energy supplied to the brain and eliminating the sense of balance.
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Excessive caffeine and alcohol consumption: Alcohol and high doses of caffeine have a toxic effect, directly negatively impacting the inner ear fluid mechanism and cerebellar functions.
Treatment and lifestyle modifications
Experts remind the public that vertigo is a manageable condition that can mostly be treated with the possibilities offered by modern medicine, underlining the importance of an accurate diagnosis and regular medical follow-up.
In addition to medications prescribed by specialist physicians, crystal repositioning maneuvers applied in the clinic, and vestibular rehabilitation exercises, eliminating the risk factors listed above greatly reduces the frequency of attacks. Adopting a healthy diet, ensuring adequate fluid consumption, and engaging in regular physical activity stand out as the strongest preventive steps that can be taken to protect the human body's delicate balance system.
