• Question: Why do I feel dizzy when I spin?

    Asked by justme to Andrew, Ash, Gem, Paige, SJ on 27 Jun 2012. This question was also asked by rachellucyx.
    • Photo: Andrew Thomas

      Andrew Thomas answered on 27 Jun 2012:

      Hi justme. Our balance is controlled by three tubes all at right angles (kind of one up and down, one side to side and one back to front – have a look here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semicircular_canal) to one another inside our ears called the semicircular canals. They have tiny hairs inside them and a fluid. When you tilt your head the fluid moves in that direction and bends the hairs which send a signal to your brain that you are tilted. When you spin around fast the fluid sloshes all over the place and moves the hairs in different directions so your brain doesn’t know whether your standing up straight or lying down or somewhere in between and this is why you feel dizzy.

      My friend’s mum had a disease where she got calcium crystals in the semicircular canals which sat on the hairs so her brain was constantly telling her to straighten up and she felt dizzy all the time.

    • Photo: Paige Brown

      Paige Brown answered on 27 Jun 2012:

      It’s all about your ears! Experts who treat dizziness estimate that about 20 percent of all dizziness is due to loose crystals — or ear rocks — in the inner ear! Crazy right! You have ‘rocks’ in your ears that can make you dizzy if they are misplaced! Tiny rocks in our ears keep us balanced…

      http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103463398

    • Photo: SarahJayne Boulton

      SarahJayne Boulton answered on 3 Jul 2012:

      Andrews answer is top notch – nothing more to add other than those little crystals can be so annoying!! The Epley manouver to dislodge them is trickier than it looks to get right!

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