Vestibular disorders may trigger or cause anxiety because of dysfunctional circuitry in some areas including the amygdale, hippocampus, and infralimbic cortex. On the other hand, individuals with psychiatric problems often report subjective dizziness or unsteadiness as a concomitant complication in their illness.
Anxiety, fear, and panic are probably the most common emotional responses people have when diagnosed with a vestibular disorder. Anxiety often manifests in response to feeling ungrounded and insecure about being steady on your feet. A fear of falling due to imbalance, dizziness or lightheadedness is commonly reported.
Vestibular neuronitis, benign positional vertigo, Ménière's disease and migraine are the most common neurootological conditions, all of which can trigger the anxiety disorder and panic.
The six most common peripheral vestibular syndromes, in order of decreasing incidence: Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, Menière's disease, acute unilateral vestibulopathy/vestibular neuritis, bilateral vestibulopathy, vestibular paroyxsmia, and the third mobile window syndromes.
Vestibular neuritis is thought to be the result of inflammation of the vestibular portion of the eighth cranial nerve and classically presents with vertigo, nausea, and gait imbalance.
If a disease or injury damages this system, you can have a vestibular disorder. Dizziness and trouble with your balance are the most common symptoms, but you also can have problems with your hearing and vision.
Vestibular disorders may trigger or cause anxiety because of dysfunctional circuitry in some areas including the amygdale, hippocampus, and infralimbic cortex. On the other hand, individuals with psychiatric problems often report subjective dizziness or unsteadiness as a concomitant complication in their illness.
Psychiatric disorders including panic, anxiety or depression can have associated vestibular symptoms (vertigo, dizziness, unsteadiness).
The dizziness that accompanies anxiety is often described as a sense of lightheadedness or wooziness. There may be a feeling of motion or spinning inside rather than in the environment. Sometimes there is a sense of swaying even though you are standing still.
Vestibular rehabilitation therapy can be used in addition to cognitive behavioral therapy in order to reduce anxiety and depression resulting from impairments in activities of daily living.
Causes of labyrinthitis and vestibular neuritis
The most common causes of vestibular neuritis and labyrinthitis are viral infections, often resulting from a systemic virus such as influenza (flu) or the herpes viruses, which cause chickenpox, shingles and cold sores.
If it results from a viral infection, the vestibular nerve can become damaged. This can result in chronic dizziness. Symptoms of acute vestibular neuritis typically last for several days , though it may take weeks or months for all of the symptoms completely resolve.
T1 C+ (Gd): MRI with contrast can show enhancement of the vestibular nerve fibers within the internal auditory canal with the labyrinth of the inner ear often intact.
The most severe symptoms of vestibular neuritis — like intense vertigo and dizziness — only last a few days. But for many people, the recovery process is gradual, and it can take about three weeks for the symptoms to fully fade away. Some people also report having dizziness and balance problems that last for months.
The most commonly used calcium channel blockers for the management of vestibular disorders are nimodipine, nitrendipine (a dihydropyridine with long lasting effect) and verapamil. Other long lasting dihydropyridines such as amlodipine, felodipine, nicardipine and nifedipine are seldom used [55, 83, 123].
Vestibular neuritis (or vestibular neuronitis) is a neurological condition resulting from an inflammation of the nerve(s) of the inner ear, and can produce dizziness, imbalance, motion sensitivity, nausea, and visual problems.
While vestibular disease may cause your dog mild discomfort or motion sickness, the good news is, it isn't painful or dangerous and will likely clear up on its own without treatment within a few weeks. It is important to monitor your dog's symptoms carefully.