And because stress and vertigo are inextricably linked, according to Remenyi, managing stress properly can help. Here, expert-approved strategies to combat vertigo brought on by stress. So, how does it happen? Mohamed Elrakhawy, M.D., resident physician in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the University at Buffalo, explains that there are five organs in each inner ear responsible for determining the body’s orientation. Here’s something to think about: Like an endless loop or vicious cycle, stress influences vertigo as much as vertigo influences stress, according to Remenyi. “Vertigo symptoms can make patients feel anxious, stressed, self-critical, or stuck in rigid thinking, and all of those feelings are valid.” In addition, Horowitz says that when we’re stressed, our hormone cortisol increases, which in turn affects our vestibular system, the part of the brain that controls balance and makes us feel off-kilter, as if we’re on a boat while grounded. It may seem as though the relationship between stress and vertigo is clear-cut, but Elrakhawy explains why it’s a little more nuanced than experts previously thought. He says the stress response is complex, in that it involves various organs and chemical mediators that are secreted at various times depending on the body’s current state. He cites a few studies that looked into the relationship between the vestibular system and stress, specifically various stress hormones such as cortisol: Once you’ve worked on your physical, psychological, and spiritual health, Remenyi recommends, “Really drop in and celebrate the choices you’re making to nurture and care for yourself,” she says. “Make the process of change rewarding rather than punitive or rigid. Learn to enjoy your body rather than fear the next vertigo attack by making more of these little changes each week.” Elrakhawy says among the long list of possible culprits, some of the most common ones include: What can be quite frustrating is that the explanation behind vertigo is sometimes idiopathic in that its cause of origin is unknown or unexplainable by science, says Remenyi. “While highly uncertain and upsetting for folks who receive this diagnosis, it can be an invitation to surrender and search more deeply for the inner strength to overcome chronic vertigo symptoms, using the wisdom of the body and not leaning too heavily on diagnosis, cures, or external fixes.” Her first novel PRETTY WEIRD: Overcoming Impostor Syndrome and Other Oddly Empowering Lessons was published by Skyhorse Publishing and distributed by Simon & Schuster in May 2021.
