This disease takes away from social life

Neurology – Specialist Clinical Neurophysiology Prof. Dr. Okan Bölükbaşı made important statements about ‘Vertigo’. Prof. Dr. Okan Bölükbaşı, who states that patients with low blood pressure are one of the most common causes of dizziness, said: “First of all, I must state that dizziness is a symptom, not a diagnosis. Patients who come to our clinic usually come because I have had vertigo for years, but as I said at the beginning, vertigo is a symptom, not a diagnosis. Medically, vertigo is also known as dizziness as it is popularly used. It is necessary to investigate the underlying causes of dizziness and diagnose accordingly.

We can only start treatment after the cause of the dizziness has been determined in the patient. Everything from mental distress to teeth grinding, ear infections to blood disorders can cause vertigo. One of the most common causes of dizziness is patients with extremely low blood pressure. Various drugs were given. The patient did not monitor blood pressure. For example, a blood pressure lowering drug was given 10 years ago. For 10 years, the patient has always prescribed the same drug. No one measured their blood pressure. The patient presented to us complaining of dizziness. When we evaluate it, we see that the blood pressure is well below the value necessary for the brain to function. Blood does not reach the brain with enough pressure and dizziness occurs as a result. Another cause of dizziness is seasonal dizziness, which we often encounter. In spring and autumn, some viruses can affect the balance center of the inner ear and are activated by sudden movements. In other words, it can be triggered by bending over and standing up, making sudden right to left turns in bed. It usually disappears within a week, but in rare cases it can take 4-5 weeks. It’s called “benign” vertigo. This kind of dizziness is very frightening. Patients usually come running and say ‘I have a brain tumour’. Anxiety and mental tension, such as an anxiety disorder after an earthquake, are triggered in the patient.

“Dizziness is a disease that affects many people”

Speaking about the distinguishing criteria whether a person has dizziness or not, Prof. Dr. Okan Bölükbaşı said, “The first intervention we should do in patients who come with the complaint of vertigo is to check whether the system of all organs in the whole body, especially the brain, is working properly. Dizziness can be seen in many diseases such as cancer, anemia, kidney disease, liver disease. Dizziness is a disease that affects many people. Although it can be seen in a person’s mother or father, it does not mean that vertigo is hereditary. Since dizziness can occur during the course of all diseases, it may not be possible to issue a warning saying “strictly do not do this.” We can only make necessary recommendations after the underlying cause of vertigo has been clarified. For example, the person has anemia and experiences dizziness from time to time. Then we recommend the right diet and blood-forming medicines against anemia that we can recommend to patients. As we said at the beginning, dizziness is a symptom. Since the underlying causes will be different for everyone, we cannot make a general recommendation for all patients. A personalized program must be created. In our hospital, we successfully apply the treatment by using a multidisciplinary approach to investigate the underlying causes of dizziness.” used the sentences.