# Investigating the Relationship Between Body Constitution as Defined Under Traditional Chinese Medicine and Vertigo in Women in Taiwan

## TL;DR

This study explores how traditional Chinese medicine body constitution types relate to vertigo in women in Taiwan, finding that imbalances increase risk.

## Contribution

The study identifies specific TCM body constitution types as independent risk factors for vertigo in women.

## Key findings

- Yang-Xu, Yin-Xu, and Phlegm stasis constitutions were independently associated with increased vertigo risk.
- Age, migraines, and endometrial polyps were also identified as risk factors for vertigo.
- Constitution assessment could help identify at-risk women for preventive strategies.

## Abstract

Despite its status as a prevalent clinical concern, vertigo lacks an effective treatment, especially one that addresses the factors commonly associated with women affected by this condition.

This study was designed to clarify the relationship between Traditional Chinese Medicine Body Constitution (Yang-Xu, Yin-Xu, and Phlegm stasis) and vertigo in adult women.

A cross-sectional study was conducted on 1,423 women enrolled in the Taiwan Biobank between 2012 and 2017. The participants completed the 44-question Body Constitution Questionnaire (BCQ), developed in Taiwan, to assess their body constitution. To investigate the relationship between body constitution and vertigo prevalence, a stepwise-forward multiple-regression analysis was conducted to investigate the influence of three specific body constitutions (Yang-Xu, Yin-Xu, and Phlegm stasis) on the risk of contracting vertigo.

Nearly one out of 10 (9.0%) participants had experienced vertigo, with an average onset age of 56.23 years, with vertigo sufferers showing a significantly higher mean BCQ score compared to those who had not experienced vertigo (Yang deficiency: adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR]=1.033, Yin deficiency: aOR=1.049, and Phlegm stasis: aOR=1.041). Age, having migraines, and having endometrial polyps were identified as factors influencing the risk of experiencing vertigo.

Unbalanced constitution types were independently associated with a higher risk of vertigo in women, alongside age, migraine, and endometrial polyps. These findings suggest that the constitution serves as an important underlying susceptibility factor. Incorporating constitution assessment into routine health evaluation may facilitate earlier identification of at-risk women and provide a foundation for preventive or constitution-balancing strategies in clinical care.