A sensation of whirling around in space, often called giddiness or dizziness, caused by a disturbance of the semicircular canals in the internal ear and often experienced as motion sickness. It is commonly felt by sensitive persons who travel by sea, air, train or bus. Many aging causes changes in internal ear.
The allopathic definition of true vertigo requires the presence of spinning sensation, nystagmus and abnormal vestibular tests. These signs and symptoms denote labyrinthitis, Meniere's syndrome or other diseases of the inner ear. The more common symptom of "dizziness" includes cases of vertigo as well as an intimidating list of disorders in its differential: Acoustic neuroma. Cerebral or carotid artery disease. Degenerative conditions of the spine. Hypertension. Anemia. Thyroid disorders. Brain neoplasms. Multiple sclerosis and other neurological disorders. Hyperventilation syndrome. Anxiety disorders and other psychiatric conditions. Needless to say, it is important for any patient with such a presenting complaint to have a thorough evaluation. These evaluations often are unable to pinpoint a diagnosis and are rarely helpful for determining the homeopathic treatment. They can, however, often help to determine prognosis. Homeopathic treatment is the same, no matter the underlying condition. 
Chronic or long-term vertigo is always approached constitutionally. However, many patients present with recent onset of vertigo which may require acute remedies. The most common cause is acute labyrinthitis where acute vertigo is associated with upper respiratory infections and tinnitus. Acute labyrinthitis is usually mild and responds quickly to acute remedies.

A more serious condition, Meniere's syndrome, includes severe nausea and often hearing loss as well as the vertigo and tinnitus seen in labyrinthitis. The condition can lead to total, unilateral hearing loss. If there are clear symptoms, we should select a specific acute remedy. More frequently, the Meniere's syndrome is a part of the constitutional case and
responds better to constitutional treatment. When the vertigo and hearing loss is of sudden onset, we should treat aggressively, expecting improvement within days of the remedy.

Some medicines with their indications

Phosphorus
Vertigo accompanied by reeling, nausea, vomiting; vertigo occurring in the morning, with an empty stomach, after eating or sleeping, during or after the menses, or with fainting and trembling; ocular, gastric or nervous vertigo; especially when caused by nervous debility, sexual abuse, spermatorrhea or hemorrhoids; worse after eating.

Nux vomica
Vertigo, with tendency to faint, worse during and after meals; vertigo associated with dyspepsia and constipation; vertigo brought on by mental exertion, sedentary habits, high living or hemorrhoids; vertigo in nervous and hysterical subjects; ocular, nervous or astric vertigo, or when caused by paresis of the ocular muscles from the use of stimulants or tobacco; worse after dinner.

Silicea terra
Vertigo accompanied by nausea, and aggravated by motion or by looking upward; dizzy sensation from the nape of the neck into the head; vertigo during sleep, or when rising from a recumbent position; nervous or ocular vertigo, especially when brought on by severe physical or mental labor, reading, writing or sewing.

Natrium salicylicum
Vertigo, with inclination to fall toward the left side; labyrinthine vertigo, with tendency to fall to the affected side, while surrounding objects appear to move in the opposite direction; noises in the affected ear, with defective hearing; worse on raising the head or sitting up.

Natrium carbonicum
Vertigo; with great lassitude; weakness of digestion, with nausea in the morning and inclination to vomit; gastric and nervous vertigo, the latter from the effects of exposure to the sun. 

Lachesis mutus
Frequent momentary vertigo, especially on closing the eyes, sometimes with paleness, nausea, and vomiting; vertigo, with headache, cerebral congestion and cold extremities; epileptic vertigo, with reeling, falling and loss of consciousness.

Veratrum album
Vertigo, with sensation as if everything in the head was loose; loss of appetite, with burning stomach, distended abdomen, flatulency, vomiting and diarrhea; gastric vertigo, with cold perspiration on the forehead.

Senega
Ocular vertigo, especially when caused by paresis or paralysis of the superior rectus or superior oblique muscle of the eye, or when the vertigo and double vision are relieved by bending the head backward.

Ignatia amara
Vertigo followed by nausea and vomiting of slimy, sourish fluid; burning in the stomach; abdominal distension, with flatulency and constipation; restless, changeable disposition; vertigo caused by mental emotion; gastric, nervous or epileptic vertigo; worse from stooping or moving the head.

Cuprum metallicum
Vertigo when looking up, with loss of sight, as if gauze were before the eyes; vertigo with sensation of turning round, or revolving vertigo; vertigo from cerebral congestion; extreme weakness, especially of the lower extremities; ocular vertigo caused by paralysis of the nervous abducentis.

China officinalis
Vertigo from nervous weakness or from general debility; vertigo from anemia, with pale face, ringing in the ears, nausea, vomiting or fainting; vertigo with an empty stomach; gastric, nervous or auditory vertigo, especially when caused by debility from loss of animal fluids.

Chininum sulphuricum
Vertigo occurring periodically, with chills and fever, especially when due to malarias influence; vertigo, with headache, cerebral congestion and deafness; auditory vertigo, with hammering and humming in the ears and partial deafness.

Conium maculatum
Vertigo caused by looking steadily at an object, or on rising up or going down stairs, or when lying down or turning over in bed; great debility and inclination to sleep; ocular or auditory vertigo, with sensation as if turning in a circle.

Arsenicum album
Vertigo, with inclination to fall, especially when closing the eyes; nausea and disposition to vomit in a recumbent position, less when sitting up; burning in the stomach, with vomiting; vertigo coming on periodically, with coldness, followed by fever, loss of appetite and vomiting; gastric, nervous or epileptic vertigo, with reeling, as if intoxicated.

Bryonia alba
Gastric vertigo, with nausea and disposition to faint; weakness and distension of the stomach, flatulence and constipation; burning in the stomach, with vomiting; aggravated by rising from a recumbent position and by motion; ameliorated by rest and by lying down.

Apomorphinum hydrochloricum
Labyrinthine or gastric vertigo, attended with tinnitus and slight deafness; nausea, with retching and vomiting, coming on at intervals; sudden vomiting, almost without nausea; syncope, with lessening of blood pressure. 

Belladonna
Vertigo accompanied by luminous vibrations before the eyes, especially when stooping or bending the head; vertigo, with vanishing of sight, and atendency to fall backward or to the left side; epileptic vertigo, caused by rush of blood to the head with heat and redness of the face, buzzing in the ears, dimness of vision and loss of consciousness; aggravated in a warm room; ameliorated in the open air.

Euphrasia officinalis
Ocular vertigo from paralysis of the ocular muscles, especially when caused by taking cold, or when associated with coryza; blurring of the eyes, relieved by winking.

Stramonium
Vertigo followed by stupefaction of all the senses and by complete insensibility; vertigo accompanied by strange fancies; epileptic vertigo, especially when walking in the dark; day or night.

Opium
Vertigo, with stupefaction of the senses, or after fright; vertigo, with apoplectic symptoms; pale or bloated face, with dimness of sight and tendency to faint; ameliorated by rest; ocular vertigo, depending on paralysis of the accommodation.

Tarentula hispanica
Vertigo after breakfast, with a bad taste in the mouth; vertigo from fixing the sight on any object; gastric, nervous or epileptic vertigo, so severe as to cause him to fall, but without losing consciousness; nausea, bloating of the stomach, and disposition to vomit.

Sepia officinalis
Vertigo, with flatulency and constipation; worse when drinking, while looking upward, or while looking from a great height, a large assemblage of people or an extended plain; gastric or nervous vertigo, especially when caused dyspeptic condition; worse when drinking.

Hyoscyamus niger
Epileptic or ocular vertigo, with reeling, loss of sight, hearing and consciousness; double vision; red, sparkling, staring and distorted eyes. 

Kalium iodatum
Ocular vertigo, especially in syphilitic patients, dimness of vision, with twitching of the eyeballs; burning in the eyes, with sensation of a film before the eyes, relieved by winking; glandular swellings on neck.

Cocculus indicus
Vertigo aggravated by noise, motion, smocking, coffee sitting up in bed and riding in a carriage; epileptic vertigo, with nausea, reeling, loss of consciousness and sudden falling to the ground. 

Argentum nitricum
Ocular vertigo; caused by weakness or paralysis of the ciliary's muscle; transitory blindness, nausea and confusion of the senses; sensation of expansion when looking high up in the street; trembling weakness when walking with shut eyes, or when walking in streets with high houses, as though they would fall upon him.

Cicuta virosa
Auditory vertigo, associated with aural disease, discharge of blood from the ears, loud sounds when swallowing, and hardness of hearing; tinnitus aurium; worse in the room than in the open air. 

Ipecacuanha
Vertigo, with loss of appetite, empty retching, and qualmishness; gastric vertigo, with nausea and vomiting; abdominal distension, with flatulency, colic and diarrhea.

Colchicum autumnale
Vertigo, with roaring and stoppage of the ears; ameliorated by rest; auditory vertigo, with chronic discharge from the ears and hardness of hearing.

Kalmia latifolia
Vertigo while stooping or looking downward; palpitation of the heart; auditory vertigo, with sensation when turning as of something loose in the head.

Natrium muriaticum
Vertigo, with nausea and heartburn after eating; gastric vertigo, with reeling and dimness of sight; sensation of everything turning in a circle when walking; nausea and sudden sinking of strength; burning and feeling of pressure in the stomach; want of appetite and aversion to food.

Physostigma venenosum
Ocular vertigo from partial or complete paralysis of the ciliary's muscle; has been applied with benefit as a local application in such cases. 

Sulphur
Chronic vertigo, especially if preceded by a suppressed eruption; gastric vertigo, especially in the morning after breakfast, with nausea; dimness of vision, with inclination to fall to the left. 

Phosphoricum acidum
Vertigo, with great disposition to sweat during the day; night-sweats, with vertigo; vertigo from onanism, loss of animal fluids, or mental exertion, anxiety or over-work; nervous vertigo, especially when caused by cerebral or nervous exhaustion.

Gelsemium sempervirens
Vertigo, with reeling and staggering even to falling; heaviness of the head, with imperfection of sight and dullness of mind; ocular or nervous vertigo, the former from paralysis of the ocular muscles; aggravated by smoking.

Causticum
Ocular vertigo caused by paralysis of any of the ocular muscles; congestion of blood to the head, with heat; vertigo brought on by taking cold; sudden and frequent loss of sight, with sensation of a film before the eyes; inclination on stooping to fall backward; and on looking up to fall toward the left side.

Amylenum nitrosum
Vertigo, with sensation as if a vapor spread from her through her head, rendering her powerless; slight nausea, with uncomfortable feeling in the stomach; precordial anxiety; she turned deadly pale, felt very giddy, then became partially unconscious, remaining so for ten minutes; mental confusion and a dreamlike state; auditory vertigo, with a bursting sensation in the ears, as if the drums would be forced out with each beat of the heart; great
throbbing in the ears and head, with confusion.

Calcarea carbonica
Vertigo, with stupefaction of the head'; sensation of coldness in the brain; vertigo, with tinnitus and nausea; especially when stooping or rising up suddenly; vertigo caused by cerebral congestion; distension of the stomach and bowels, flatulence and constipation; gastric or epileptic vertigo. 

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Dr. Binoy Vallabhassery BHMS, M. D. (Hom)

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