Vertigo is classified into central and peripheral etiologies based on whether pathology originates within the central nervous system (brain stem or cerebellum) versus the inner ear labyrinthine structures, respectively. Peripheral vertigo pathophysiology relies on either aberrant fluid dynamics stimulating hair cells due to dislodged otoconia in semicircular canals or inflammatory processes affecting the cochlea/vestibular nerve and endolymphatic pressure. The diagnostic framework distinguishes these mechanisms through specific positional maneuvers that reproduce symptomatology via mechanical stimulation, while therapeutic protocols prioritize mechanical repositioning for crystal-induced conditions and treating underlying inflammation for infectious etiologies.
Vertigo is classified into central and peripheral etiologies based on whether pathology originates within the central nervous system (brain stem or cerebellum) versus the inner ear labyrinthine struc…