Final answer:
Vertigo is the feeling of spinning or dizziness, typically caused by issues with the inner ear such as Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, where dislodged calcium carbonate crystals stimulate hair cells in the semicircular canals abnormally.
Step-by-step explanation:
The feeling of spinning or dizziness is called vertigo. This condition, such as Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), occurs when some calcium carbonate crystals in the utricle migrate into the semicircular canals. BPPV causes periods of dizziness because the hair cells in the semicircular canals are stimulated abnormally, in this case by gravity. This incorrect stimulation leads to sending false signals to the brain about the body's position, resulting in the sensation of spinning or dizziness.
Our inner ear plays a crucial role in our sense of balance, which encompasses both the auditory system and the vestibular system for balance. The labyrinth of the inner ear contains the vestibular system, which helps detect motion and changes in position. Displacement of the calcium carbonate crystals in cases of BPPV disrupts the normal flow of the fluid in the semicircular canals, a situation similar to the dizziness felt after getting off a spinning ride when the fluid in the ears is still moving after the body has stopped.