Exploring Vertigo: A Case Study on Pathophysiology and Nursing Care

This case study delves into vertigo, exploring its pathophysiology related to the vestibular system and inner ear, which causes the sensation of spinning and imbalance. It highlights the importance of differentiating between peripheral and central nervous system origins of vertigo. The study emphasizes acute medical and nursing interventions, such as meclizine administration and ensuring patient safety during attacks by advising them to lie down or sit to prevent falls. It also underscores the significance of holistic care, including a balanced diet, regular physical exercise, and adequate hydration, alongside specific dietary recommendations like consuming strawberries for their vitamin C content. Furthermore, the case study identifies medications like meclizine and dimenhydrinate as effective in managing vertigo symptoms, promoting overall patient well-being and balance. This document is available on Desklib, a platform offering a range of study resources for students.

Case study

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Pathophysiology of vertigo.....................................................................................................3
Nursing intervention for vertigo.............................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Vertigo is a typical sensation of feeling off the balance. This refers to a sensation when
an individual feels surrounding spinning or moving individual. It is not noticeable but this
condition can lead to so severe and difficult to find out. In this, the individual is not able to
balance himself and there is a high risk of fall and can get an injury. An attack of vertigo can
develop suddenly and can last for a few seconds. Sometimes, it may last longer. When an
individual has vertigo then its symptoms may be constant and can stay for several days. It can
create difficulty to live effectively. In this report, there is a discussion about the Pathophysiology
of vertigo which can have a great influence over the patient health. In this report it is also
mentioned that vertigo can cause severe dizziness due to which patient is not able to spend
quality of life. In this report, there is a discussion about the Pathophysiology of vertigo related to
patients' clinical presentation that links to the patient's inner ear. There is also discussion about
acute medical or nursing intervention which can help to provide better intervention and may help
to deal with such type of medical situation. There is also a discussion about some management
ideas which can help to manage patient's condition effectively (Bourke, Rivasi & Kenny, 2020).
MAIN BODY
Pathophysiology of vertigo
It is the inner organ related to the vestibular system and the otolith organ with linear
motion. As a result, it can be evaluated that there is a spinning sensation that can be observed by
the patient and indicate an abnormality of the central nervous system structure. This can provide
signals from semicircular canals. It can lead to creating a sensation of tilting and floating which
may indicate otolith system disorder. There is the pathogenesis of vertigo which can have a fact
about labyrinth on every side of the body. Here, the nervous system catches a signal from the left
and right labyrinth and helps to compare these signals when a patient does not move. Then both
vestibular appearances are effectively balanced and when patients try to move, there is excited
and inhibited right and left Leverenz which can create a difference in eighth nerve activity and
refers to motion. This may result in unilateral peripheral vestibular disorder and can be evaluated
as vertigo or motion of the central nervous system. At the brainstem level, CNS can process
visual motion with self-promotion where the physiologic aspect of the vestibular system can help

to experience self-motion. When individuals see surroundings and can observe a lack of
uniformity and feel of vertigo (Espinosa-Sanchez & Lopez-Escamez, 2020).
According to the case study, the vestibular system is responsible for a feeling of gesture
in both linear as well as angular instructions. The semi-circular canals and the otolith are
responsible for motion. Vertigo is generally a shortage in either the feeling of gesture or it can be
the centralized problem with the processing of information from the semi-circular canals. The
problems here include a disturbance of the vestibular system, the semi-circular canals as well as
the cranial nerve 8. This can be related to the damage of one of the organs and it can be simply
confused with neuronal inputs. It is quite essential to notice that the central nervous system of the
human brain can receive inputs from the systems and then assembles the input and as a result
produces a response. The central nervous system can also coordinate these inputs with a person’s
sensory as well as visual inputs can create an overall imagination of whether a person is moving
in air or if the surrounding around a person is moving (Gantz, Sinks & Goebel, 2020).
Incompatible inputs from such various symptoms can overwhelm the nervous system for
causing the symptoms such as nausea, dizziness as well as the perceptions of locomotion.
Vertigo breaks down into two parts that are central and peripheral. The benign paroxysmal
positional vertigo is basically due to the loose otolith in the canals. Benign vertigo can concern
about 30% are without treatment. In addition to this, these are commonly found within the
posterior canal and usually disturbed by the head movements and cause the brief vertigo
sensations generally experienced in benign vertigo. In this, not all patients suffer from such
conditions. In context with labyrinthitis, it is generally caused by the infection of labyrinthine as
well as its linked vertigo has a speedy start. This inflammation can generally spread from the
middle ear that is otitis media to the inner ear and the ear’s internal auditory canal. This
inflammation can cause the sensation of vertigo.
Nursing intervention for vertigo
Various diagnosis options can treat the best patient of vertigo. Nonspecific medications
like meclizine dimethyl are one of the best treatments which can help to treat acute Vertigo.
Vertigo is a disease that can be felt within the first five minutes of standing and is generally
caused due to dropping in blood pressure. Some medications like meclizine can be highly
effective and help to maintain and manage this. Vertigo patients may also use high thigh
compression stocking or raising the head of the bed along with increasing fluid can help to avoid

such type of vertigo. Patients should ensure that at the time of vertigo attack, they should inform
their healthcare professional. Here, the nurse should ensure that patient lies down and make safe.
Nursing staff should also ensure that patients should not move. This can help to avoid any type
of injury or pain. One of the best management is to lie down immediately or sit immediately
when the patient can feel dizzy. This is one of the best interventions which patients should
practice. In this, nursing staff should ensure that patients should lie down on the bed or floor
which can help to avoid falling on the floor and can provide safety from getting any pain or
injury. This is an effective intervention and nursing staff should share this for patient well safety
(Gerretsen & et. al., 2020).
In this situation, Carly needs better care from the nursing staff in which Holistic care can
be effective. They can provide better management when such type of condition may feel by
Carly. The patient should also focus on a properly balanced diet which can be effective and can
help reduce the risk of getting low blood pressure and can help to achieve better health. Physical
exercise can be also effective for managing vertigo. Patients should ensure about the physical
exercise which could be minimum for 30 to 40 minutes. In this, there is a need to include
walking and jogging. This can help to maintain blood pressure and can help to avoid the risk of
vertigo. Nursing staff should also ensure blood pressure and should manage it using different
medication and management techniques. This can have a positive impact on individual
management of vertigo.
The nursing staff has the role to provide proper information and ensure awareness about
taking a healthy diet which can include fresh fruit, whole grains, vegetables, and low processed
frozen food. There is also a need to control sugar and salt intake which can be effective in
managing blood pressure. It is also recommended to drink water in large amounts. Fruit juice can
be also effective to maintain blood sugar. Through this, vertigo can be managed and can help to
avoid such conditions where the patient may feel such a type of dizziness. Nursing staff should
also deliver the information to get hydrated all the time and avoid the risk of dehydration. This
can be highly helpful and can help to achieve better health rather than getting low blood pressure
and feeling dizzy. Carly should consume strawberries which have a high source of vitamin C and
high potential to avoid the sense of vertigo. Two to three fresh strawberries every day can help
patients to avoid the risk of vertigo (Kong & et. al., 2020).

Some medications are effective and can help to avoid and reduce the risk of vertigo. This
medication may include meclizine and dimenhydrinate. These are effective medications to avoid
the risk of vertigo and can help to attend better condition and enable to balance own self. This
can help to maintain blood pressure that is recommended to maintain for better health and proper
balance (Lee & et. al., 2018).
These are some of the management and nursing interventions that can be highly effective
and can help to avoid vertigo by the patient Carly (Larson-Lohr, 2017).
CONCLUSION
From the above discussion, it can be concluded that vertigo is a barely noticeable feeling
which an individual feels when it occurs with high impact. In this situation, the individual is not
able to balance himself and can feel spinning and moving surroundings and main risk of fall.
This can lead to creating injury. There are various interventions and management that can be
highly effective and can help to avoid Vertigo and its negative impact. One of the best
management for vertigo is to lie down on the floor bed which can help to avoid injury from falls
and can help effectively to avoid any type of harm. There is also a need to take a better diet
which can be effective and can help to promote better physical health. There is also a need to
ensure that individuals should focus on blood pressure to avoid such type of in this report, there
is a discussion about the Pathophysiology of vertigo and nursing intervention and management
which can help to avoid Vertigo and promote better health.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Bourke, R., Rivasi, G., & Kenny, R. A. (2020). Falls, Dizziness and Funny Turns. A
Comprehensive Guide to Rehabilitation of the Older Patient E-Book, 147.
Espinosa-Sanchez, J. M., & Lopez-Escamez, J. A. (2020). The pharmacological management of
vertigo in Meniere disease. Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy, 21(14), 1753-1763.
Gantz, J. A., Sinks, B. C., & Goebel, J. A. (2020). The Vertigo Case History. Balance Function
Assessment and Management, 125.
Gerretsen, P & et. al., (2020). Interdisciplinary integration of nursing and psychiatry (INaP) for
the treatment of dizziness. The Laryngoscope, 130(7), 1792-1799.
Kong, T. H & et. al., (2020). Double-blind randomized controlled trial on efficacy of cupulolith
repositioning maneuver for treatment of apogeotropic horizontal canal benign
paroxysmal positional vertigo. Acta oto-laryngologica, 140(6), 473-478.
Larson-Lohr, V. A. (2017). Nursing and Hyperbaric Medicine. In Textbook of Hyperbaric
Medicine (pp. 511-521). Springer, Cham.
Lee, S. H & et. al., (2018). Effect of prophylactic medication on associated dizziness and motion
sickness in migraine. Otology & Neurotology, 39(1), e45-e51.
Pullen Jr, R. L. (2017). Navigating the challenges of Meniere disease. Nursing2020, 47(7), 38-
45.
Zhu, M & et. al., (2018). Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo associated with Meniere’s
disease. Journal of Vestibular Research, 28(3-4), 359-364.