Has Vertigo Got You in a Spin?
posted 24th July 2026
Vertigo affects an estimated 15-20% of adults each year and roughly 30% of adults will experience symptoms at some point in their lives.
SYMPTOMS
The symptoms of vertigo include:
- A spinning or tilting sensation, often triggered by head movements
- Nausea and sometimes vomiting during episodes
- Loss of balance or unsteadiness
- Increased risk of falls
- Difficulty focusing your eyes during an episode
- Headache or migraine symptoms
- Brain fog or fatigue that lingers after the spinning stops
- Anxiety associated with recurrent episodes
Episodes can last seconds, minutes or even days. The duration and triggers can give clues about the underlying cause.
TYPES OF VERTIGO
There are two types of vertigo:
CENTRAL VERTIGO - Associated with conditions within the brain, like vestibular migraines, stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), epilepsy or multiple sclerosis.
PERIPHERAL VERTIGO - The most common form, peripheral vertigo results from issues within the inner ear, including benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), Meniere’s Disease, herpes zoster oticus, labyrinthine disorders and vestibular neuritis.
CONTRIBUTING FACTORS
Vertigo is rarely caused by one isolated issue. Often, several factors can contribute:
BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo)
Most common form and accounts for nearly half of all peripheral vertigo cases. Tiny calcium crystals (otoconia), become dislodged from their normal location in the utricle and drift into the semicircular canals of the inner ear. Head movements cause the misplaced crystals to send false signals to the brain, triggering brief but intense spinning sensations. These episodes typically last under a minute and are usually triggered by lying down, rolling over or tilting the head back. Recurrent BPPV is often associated with vitamin D insufficiency, osteoporosis and age-related degeneration of vestibular structures.
VESTIBULAR MIGRAINE
The second most common cause of recurrent vertigo, it is underdiagnosed because headaches are not always present. Common triggers include stress, poor sleep, dehydration, skipped meals, hormonal fluctuations, bright lights, weather changes and foods such as aged cheeses, alcohol, processed meats and monosodium glutamate (MSG). Identifying triggers, lowering inflammation, supporting mitochondrial function and supporting with certain vitamins and minerals can be helpful.
MENIERE’S DISEASE & INNER EAR FLUID IMBALANCE
This recurrent inner ear disorder is characterised by episodes of vertigo lasting 20 mins to several hours. It can be accompanied by fluctuating hearing loss, tinnitus and a feeling of fullness in the affected ear. The underlying mechanism involves abnormal fluid build up in the inner ear and stress, autoimmune activity, food sensitivities, histamine excess and chronic viral infection can drive these disturbances in fluid and electrolyte balance. Restriction of sodium intake can also be helpful to reduce symptom frequency.
VESTIBULAR NEURITIS AND LABYRINTHITIS
Vestibular neuritis is often triggered by a viral infection and labyrinthitis is a closely related condition involving hearing loss because the cochlear branch of the nerve is also affected. Both can cause severe continuous vertigo which lasts days to weeks, often accompanied by nausea and significant balance problems. Persistent symptoms can be linked to ongoing inflammation and viral reactivation often involving members of the herpes family.
HORMONAL IMBALANCE & PERIMENOPAUSE
Oestrogen has a modulating effect on the inner ear and on serotonin pathways involved in vestibular function. Fluctuating hormone and histamine levels in perimenopause can contribute to vertigo, dizziness and vestibular migraine.
THYROID DYSFUNCTION
Both high and low levels of thyroid hormones have been linked to increased BPPV risk and balance disturbances. Thyroid hormones influence neurological function, circulation and inner ear metabolism. Autoimmune thyroid disorder can also cause issues due to inflammation.
NUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES
Several nutrient deficiencies have been linked to dizziness and vertigo. As mentioned previously low vitamin D can be associated with BPPV. Low B12 can contribute to neurological symptoms including dizziness, balance issues and tingling. Iron deficiency can cause dizziness, through reduced oxygen delivery to the inner ear. Magnesium plays a role in nerve transmission and migraine prevention. Low omega-3 status can contribute to neuroinflammation and impaired nerve function.
HISTAMINE INTOLERANCE AND MAST CELL ACTIVATION
Histamine acts as a neurotransmitter and immune regulator in the vestibular system. Elevated histamine levels, caused by gut microbiome imbalances, food sensitivities, poor digestive function and hormonal fluctuations can therefore contribute to symptoms of recurrent vertigo, vestibular migraines and Meniere’s Disease.
CHRONIC STRESS
The connection between chronic stress and vertigo is due to the impact of cortisol on fluid balance in the inner ear, autonomic regulation of blood pressure and the brain regions that process balance information. When the HPA axis becomes dysregulated from chronic stress, it can amplify vestibular symptoms, lengthen recovery times and lower the threshold for vertigo attacks.
BLOOD SUGAR DYSREGULATION
Blood sugar swings, especially reactive hypoglycaemia, can cause dizziness and lightheadedness that get mistaken for vertigo. Insulin resistance and pre-diabetes are also associated with vascular changes that can affect the inner ear.
GUT HEALTH/ MICROBIOME IMBALANCE
Poor gut health, imbalances in the gut microbiome, food sensitivities and leaky gut can all contribute to systemic inflammation that can impact the immune system. Gut issues can also impact neurotransmitter production and regulation which can impact vestibular function. Poor nutrient digestion and absorption can also contribute to associated nutrient deficiencies.
Cervical Spine Dysfunction
The cervical spine contains special receptors that provide information on head position and movement. Previous neck injuries, whiplash, muscular tension, hypermobility and poor posture can therefore alter this sensory input and contribute to symptoms of vertigo.
Cardiovascular Issues
Adequate blood flow to the brain and inner ear is essential for vestibular function. Conditions such as orthostatic hypotension, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), dehydration and poor circulation can all contribute to symptoms of vertigo.
Autoimmune Conditions
Several autoimmune disorders have been linked to vestibular issues, including Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, coeliac disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus. Chronic immune activation may contribute to recurrent symptoms.
Poor Sleep
Sleep plays a critical role in neurological and vestibular repair. Poor sleep quality, insomnia and circadian rhythm disruption have all been associated with vestibular migraines and increased dizziness.
Dehydration and Electrolyte Balance
Adequate fluid and electrolyte balance is essential for normal inner ear function. Dehydration and imbalances in sodium, potassium and magnesium levels can impact blood pressure regulation and contribute directly to symptoms of vertigo.
Summary
So as you can see, there are many varied contributing factors behind the symptoms of vertigo. If it has made you feel dizzy just to consider them, then working with Medicinal Eating Nutritional Therapy can help you find your balance! Together we can work together to unravel the different causes that may be personal to your symptoms and put together a nutrition and lifestyle plan, which provides personal support. Nutritional therapy can also support the functional testing of food sensitivities, the gut microbiome, hormones and nutrient levels, which may also help provide specific answers.
If you would like to book a free discovery call to see how Nutritional Therapy can help you, please contact Medicinal Eating or email direct at info@medicinaleating.co.uk.
