Page Loader
Varun Dhawan diagnosed with vestibular hypofunction: Know about the condition
Varun Dhawan revealed about his condition called vestibular hypofunction during an interview recently

Varun Dhawan diagnosed with vestibular hypofunction: Know about the condition

Expert opinion by Dr Akanksha Saxena
Nov 08, 2022
05:23 pm

What's the story

Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan recently revealed in an interview that he had been diagnosed with a heterogenous condition called vestibular hypofunction. It is an imbalance problem when the balance system in your inner ear does not function correctly. Recently, Dhawan shared an update on his health on Twitter in which he confirmed that he is doing "much better." Here's more about the condition.

Context

Here's what our expert says

The inner ear consists of the cochlea, utricle, saccule, and three semicircular canals. It has two sensory functions: hearing and balance. Cochlea deals with hearing. Balance, a complex function, is handled by inputs from the utricle and saccule for linear movements and the three semicircular canals for angular movements. Both ears work in tandem to inform the brain of the position of the head.

Twitter Post

Here's what Dhawan tweeted

Condition

What is vestibular hypofunction?

The inner ear is a complex system of cartilage, bone, and a network of semi-circular canals filled with liquid. Certain movements cause the fluid flow patterns to change. A sensor in your ear sends information to the brain about these changes which help you maintain balance. Vestibular hypofunction causes the inner ear to dysfunction. Thus it ends up sending error messages to the brain.

Causes

Causes of this condition

Vestibular hypofunction can be caused due to a number of factors including any prevailing or previous ear condition. It can be caused due to head injury, blood clots in the brain, or aging. It can be caused due to inner ear problems like poor circulation in the ear and calcium debris in semicircular canals. It usually occurs in people between 30-50 years of age.

Symptoms

Symptoms of the condition

The most common symptoms of vestibular hypofunction are dizziness, feeling off-balance, disorientation, blurred vision, falling or stumbling, and feeling like the world is spinning. Symptoms like nausea, dizziness, anxiety, fear, changes in the heart's rhythm, vomiting, and diarrhea can also occur in advanced stages. It can be diagnosed through hearing, vision, imaging, and posturography tests conducted by your ENT surgeon.

Treatment

Treatment for the condition

Bringing some positive changes in your lifestyle including diet and sleep schedule can help ease some symptoms of the condition. Epley maneuver, a special series of exercise movements of your chest and head also helps treat the condition. Vestibular rehabilitation or balance retraining therapy can also help reduce the symptoms. Regular exercise, practicing yoga, and avoiding smoking and alcohol can help prevent vestibular hypofunction.