Commonly Overlooked Vascular Causes of Dizziness

In many cases, conditions affecting the inner ear are the most common cause of vertigo. However, dizziness and vertigo can also develop when blood flow to the brainstem and cerebellum is reduced by problems like vertebral artery stenosis or basilar artery stenosis. These areas of the brain help control balance, coordination, and spatial awareness, so even a temporary decrease in circulation can produce symptoms that feel very similar to an ear disorder. 

Recognizing the difference between an inner ear condition and a vascular cause of vertigo matters because a vascular cause of vertigo can also signal an increased risk of stroke. In fact, patients hospitalized for vertigo are three to five times more likely to have a stroke.

Read on to learn how to tell if your vertigo is caused by a blood vessel problem, and why seeing the best doctor for vertigo should be your next step.

How Can Dizziness Be Caused by Poor Blood Flow Instead of an Inner Ear Problem?

Although most cases of vertigo begin in the inner ear, vascular-related dizziness can also develop when the brain does not receive enough blood flow. This is most likely to happen when arteries supplying the brainstem and cerebellum become narrowed or blocked. These areas coordinate balance, eye movements, posture, and spatial awareness. When circulation is reduced, the brain may struggle to process information that helps you stay upright, creating the sensation that the room is spinning or that you are about to fall.

Several vascular conditions can contribute to these symptoms, including: 

• Vertebral artery stenosis
• Basilar artery stenosis
• Other disorders affecting the brain's posterior circulation

These conditions are uncommon compared with benign inner ear disorders, but they are important because they may increase the risk of stroke if left untreated.  It’s important to understand that vascular dizziness does not always feel dramatic. Some people describe a vague sense of imbalance, difficulty walking in a straight line, or feeling off rather than experiencing intense spinning. 

Vascular Vertigo vs. Inner Ear Vertigo: How to Tell the Difference

Both inner ear disorders and vascular conditions can produce spinning sensations, nausea, and trouble with balance. The difference is that vascular vertigo is more likely to occur alongside other neurological symptoms because reduced blood flow affects multiple parts of the brain, not just the balance system. For example, vertigo that appears with double vision, slurred speech, weakness, numbness, difficulty swallowing, or severe trouble walking raises concern for posterior circulation disease and requires urgent evaluation. 

One important point is that vascular vertigo is very different from benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), which occurs when tiny calcium crystals in the inner ear become displaced.

Does Having Heart or Vascular Disease Increase the Risk of Vascular Vertigo?

Yes, certain cardiovascular conditions can increase the likelihood that dizziness has a vascular cause. People with coronary artery disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol are more likely to develop plaque within the artery wall, which can narrow arteries that supply the brain. If a blocked artery or severe narrowing blocks blood flow to the brainstem or cerebellum, the result may include vertigo, poor balance, or other neurological symptoms. These conditions affect different parts of the body, but they often share the same underlying process of atherosclerosis.

How Are Vascular Causes of Vertigo Diagnosed?

Diagnosing vascular vertigo begins with determining whether blood flow to the brain may be contributing to symptoms. Rather than relying on one test, the best doctor for vertigo in Las Vegas combines a detailed neurological examination, understanding family history, previous medical history, and advanced imaging when appropriate. 

Depending on the clinical situation, imaging with contrast dyes to visualize blood vessels may include: 

• CT angiography (CTA)
• MR angiography (MRA)
• Catheter-based cerebral angiography to examine the arteries supplying the brain
• Advanced vascular imaging and angiography when evaluating vertebral and basilar artery disease

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is usually not enough to diagnose vascular vertigo. However, these studies allow endovascular physicians to identify narrowing, blockage, or other abnormalities that could reduce circulation. Additionally, blood tests and a physical exam 

What Treatment Plans Are Available if a Blood Vessel Is Causing Vertigo?

Treatment depends entirely on the cause of the reduced blood flow. Many patients improve with medications that lower stroke risk, careful management of blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol, smoking cessation, and other lifestyle changes. When significant narrowing continues to cause symptoms despite appropriate medical therapy, some patients may benefit from minimally invasive neuroendovascular procedures, including angioplasty to widen a narrowed artery or placement of an intracranial stent to improve blood flow. 

Finding the Best Doctor for Vertigo in Las Vegas

Most episodes of vertigo are not caused by a blood vessel problem, but knowing when dizziness is being caused by reduced blood flow to the brain has a big impact on both treatment and long-term health.

In Las Vegas, The Vascular and Neuroscience Institute specializes in identifying and treating complex neurovascular conditions that many general evaluations may not detect. Our interventional neurologists have extensive experience diagnosing disorders such as vertebral artery stenosis and basilar artery stenosis using advanced vascular imaging, then determining whether medical management or minimally invasive endovascular treatment offers the safest and most effective path forward. That specialized perspective is especially valuable when dizziness may be related to reduced blood flow rather than a vestibular disorder.

Ready to get accurate answers and effective treatment options from the best doctor for vertigo in Las Vegas?