What causes vertigo and is it really a life-long affliction?

If you're lucky, you haven't really experienced vertigo and only know about it from people complaining about having dizzy spells, feeling unbalanced, or having the strange sensation of the world spinning around them.

According to Wed MD, vertigo "is a sensation of feeling off balance. If you have these dizzy spells, you might feel like you are spinning or the the world around you is spinning."

In an episode of Pinoy MD, Dr. Oyie Balburias explained there are two types of Vertigo.

There's Central Vertigo, which Balburias said  needs to be checked and evaluated immediately," he said. "Sa utak nagmumula ang dahilan kung bakit ka nawawalan ng balance," he said.

According to Balburias, Central Vertigo often involves the cerebellum, the part of the brain responsible for balance. A problem with the cerebellum often causes vertigo.

Peripheral vertigo meanwhile is the more common type of vertigo. It is often caused by the inner ear. "Naglalaman ng fluid ang inner ear natin na naapektuhan nang pagkain ng maalat," Balburias said.

Sometimes, there is an object is lodged in the inner ear, which causes imbalance.

The inner ear is also responsible for our sense of balance.

Having vertigo is not a life-long affliction, Balburias assures. But it does have some factors that can worsen and cause more frequent vertigo attacks.

As such, it's really best to check with your doctor. — LA, GMA News