VERTIGO - SOME UNCOMMON CAUSES OF A COMMON PROBLEM

Vertigo, an extremely common symptom, may be caused by numerous disord ers affecting the central or peripheral vestibular systems. Patients c an usually be categorized into four groups based on the clinical prese ntation: monophasic, prolonged episodes of vertigo due to acute unilat eral vestibular hypofunction; recurrent episodes of vertigo, due to tr ansient vestibular dysfunction; vertigo provoked by changes in head po sition with respect to gravity (positional vertigo); and bilateral ves tibulopathies, which present with imbalance and oscillopsia. Although each clinical syndrome is usually caused by a limited number of disord ers, many less common entities must be considered in the differential diagnosis. This article reviews the clinical presentation of the less common causes of vestibular syndromes and discusses their medical and nonmedical management.