Vertigo is indeed a symptom characterized by the illusion of movement or spinning, either of yourself (subjective vertigo) or of your surroundings (objective vertigo). It is not a condition on its own but rather a manifestation of an underlying problem in the vestibular system, which is responsible for maintaining balance and spatial orientation.

Vertigo can be caused by various conditions, including:

1. Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV): This occurs when tiny calcium crystals in the inner ear become dislodged and affect the fluid balance, leading to vertigo episodes triggered by certain head movements.

2. Ménière's disease: It is a disorder of the inner ear that involves a combination of vertigo, hearing loss, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), and a feeling of fullness or pressure in the affected ear.

3. Vestibular neuritis: This is an inflammation of the vestibular nerve, usually caused by a viral infection. It can result in sudden and severe vertigo, along with imbalance and difficulty in coordinating eye movements.

4. Labyrinthitis: It is an infection or inflammation of the inner ear that can cause vertigo, along with hearing loss and ringing in the ears.

5. Migraine-associated vertigo: Some individuals with migraines experience episodes of vertigo, often accompanied by severe headaches and other migraine symptoms.

There are also other less common causes of vertigo, such as acoustic neuroma (a benign tumor on the vestibular nerve) or certain medications that affect the inner ear or the brain.

If you experience recurring or severe vertigo, it is important to consult a healthcare professional for a proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment. They can evaluate your symptoms, perform a physical examination, and may recommend additional tests to determine the underlying cause and provide the most suitable treatment options.

So dizziness is a symptom that’s often described as feeling lightheaded, or off balance, or wavy as if you're on a boat, while vertigo is a symptom that is described as if the world is spinning around you. This can be a bit of a scary experience because it may come about suddenly or without warning as you're going about your everyday routine or it may happen after a traumatic injury such as a concussion or a car accident.

There are several different causes for dizziness and vertigo.They may be due to cardiovascular, neurological, or visual dysfunction, but also commonly what we see is that it’s related to issues with the inner ear or of the neck. In treating this condition, often seeing a local massage therapist for muscle tension, a local personal trainer for muscle strength and a physiotherapist for release and conditioning is a good option.  

It’s very important, however, if you're experiencing any more serious symptoms for example double vision, hearing loss, difficulty speaking or swallowing, or sudden falls or difficult with balance or walking. This may indicate a more serious pathology and requires immediate attention by your medical doctor or emergency room physician.

The most common cause for vertigo related to the inner ear is a condition called BPPV or benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. So people with BPPV tend to experience vertigo or nausea with positional changes.

A good place to start if you're looking to treat your dizziness or vertigo is to seek help from your local physiotherapist particularly one who specializes in vestibular rehabilitation.

So they’ll take a detailed history and perform and assessment that may involve looking your general posture and movement patterns as well as specific testing of balance, coordination, gait, stability, and positional tests in order to rule in or out the inner ear.

If BPPV is determined as the cause for your vertigo the Epley maneuver is an example of an effective technique in which we reposition the head in order to reposition the crystals that are dislodged within your inner ear. The goals of this are to help you regain your normal balance and coordination and hopefully to prevent this from reoccurring in the future. Now Health Network Local Practitioners: Physiotherapist

Vertigo can be caused by various conditions, including:

1. Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV): This occurs when tiny calcium crystals in the inner ear become dislodged and affect the fluid balance, leading to vertigo episodes triggered by certain head movements.

2. Ménière's disease: It is a disorder of the inner ear that involves a combination of vertigo, hearing loss, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), and a feeling of fullness or pressure in the affected ear.

3. Vestibular neuritis: This is an inflammation of the vestibular nerve, usually caused by a viral infection. It can result in sudden and severe vertigo, along with imbalance and difficulty in coordinating eye movements.

4. Labyrinthitis: It is an infection or inflammation of the inner ear that can cause vertigo, along with hearing loss and ringing in the ears.

5. Migraine-associated vertigo: Some individuals with migraines experience episodes of vertigo, often accompanied by severe headaches and other migraine symptoms.

There are also other less common causes of vertigo, such as acoustic neuroma (a benign tumor on the vestibular nerve) or certain medications that affect the inner ear or the brain.

If you experience recurring or severe vertigo, it is important to consult a healthcare professional for a proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment. They can evaluate your symptoms, perform a physical examination, and may recommend additional tests to determine the underlying cause and provide the most suitable treatment options.