It seems like there are many medical centers now offering ‘balance center’ for people with vertigo. Has anyone tried this in the past couple of years and do you have any anecdotes I could pass on to someone in the midst of a bad vertigo attack?
I happen to have just read this article: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/vertigo-knocks-millions-off-their-feet-and-doctors-are-looking-at-ear-implants-to-relieve-it/ though I don’t think it’s what you are talking about.
My daughter had this when in MS, I think. It’s been awhile, anyway ( more than 5 yrs, less than 10). She was DX by an otolaryngologist after a number of dizzy spells, usually after getting up from bed. She had PT - working with someone on balance and overcoming the vertigo. It did work, although occasionally she gets a spell.
The crystals in the ear thing was the oddest part and was hard to believe, but the therapy did the job.
An old friend of my husband had Ménière’s disease, and the vertigo was so bad that he eventually had nerves cut to relieve it.
I hope your friend gets relief.
Do they know for sure that its BPPV? Have they ruled out other causes of vestibular issues (eg Meunieres, acoustic neuroma, labrynthitis, vestibular neuritis, autoimmune issues?
I finally had treatment by a physical therapist last February. Our car was rear-ended when I was on my way to my doctor for another issue. Dr. did an assessment so when I had a bad attack of vertigo the next day, he was willing to have me try pt. I had had my first vertigo attack about 15 years ago and had had a full set of tests done at a U of Pitt facility about 10 years ago that said nothing was wrong. ( ok then why am I so dizzy that I can’t walk straight?) Over the years it would disappear for long stretches of time and I got used to sleeping with four pillows. I read an article in a magazine while waiting for checkout at the grocery store that suggested physical therapy so when I had therapy on my shoulder two years ago, I asked my therapist. As it turned out, my therapist is the only one at her facility that can do the treatment. I called for an appointment after my car accident.
During the first appointment she did a rather thorough assessment to determine if it was BPPV that involved sitting, standing, walking, twisting, etc. and wearing goggles so she could look at my eyes during the exercises. Before this, I was not aware that my eyes reacted during an attack. I had several weeks of twice weekly repositioning treatments before I had improved enough that she could treat my whiplash. After one neck/shoulder treatment, the vertigo was back. She referred me back to my pcp who determined that I had a mild ear infection. When the ear infection was clear, I returned to my physical therapist for additional treatment. During my final BPPV treatment, she gave me home exercises to use if/when the vertigo reoccurs. So far, I have only needed the home exercises one time and they were totally effective.
Sorry about the lengthy post with all of the details but after years of suffering, the treatments were like a miracle to me. If you have any questions, I would be happy to answer them.
Actually, JYM, now that I am doing more reading, I see that BPPV is consider to be short, 30 second experiences on room spinning, it may very well be something vestibular and the person is looking into seeing a neurologist, if the trip to the doctor can be done without inducing vomiting!
Lotsofquest- that is exactly what I wanted to see, anecdotes about people’s experiences, I am especially interested in how the treatments made the patient feel, the whole getting worse to get better thing.
The good news is, it seems a lot of progress had been made in this field with both diagnosis and treatment. The folks I know who have had vestibular therapy (rehabilitation) say that the treatment feels worse before it feels better, as they initially get nauseous from the treatments as their brain re-learns how to manage balance and regulation.
Physical therapist here. Make sure your friend finds an MD who is an expert with vestibular issues. Not all MDs and not all neurologists are really all that knowledgeable about this area. We are seeing the diagnosis more often as more MDs learn about it. However, not all vertigo problems are BPPV.
If she is referred to PT, do some research and find a PT who has been trained in this area.
Yes, the treatment will probably make your friend worse at first and may experience nausea/vomiting, however most people with BPPV do get better over time with treatment.
If it is BPPV,/crystals you can do the therapy at home. There is a quick easy test for it (something like turning your head to one side and then lying down), and if that’s what you’ve got, you can look up the treatment. I did this at home (who has time to go to the doctor if you aren’t bleeding?) and it was magic. Actually, more like one of those little plastic Cracker Jack games where you move the beads thru the maze.
Of course, there are many causes of vertigo and IANAD, but the therapy was immediately effective in my case.
I have diagnosed vertigo. As noted, some of the treatment depends on whether you have loose bits or another form. An idea about another form is that your immune system reacts to the presence of old chicken pox virus (that ebbs and swells in your system) and the pathway it attacks is the same nerve for the inner ear/vestibular system. So basic drug treatment is meclizine (antihistamine) and/or anti-viral meds (forget the name).
Balance work is imperative. Like a command. You must do it. There are three or four basic forms. First is tracking objects with your eyes, as mentioned. It’s annoying but easy to improve and you start to recognize just how badly your eyes are lagging and jumping forward as you try to concentrate on a finger moving across your field of vision.
Second is make yourself dizzy. Sounds dumb but your balance system gets used to being dizzy and, bluntly, many basic problems occur because you are so afraid of doing anything that your system can’t handle being dizzy at all. As mentioned, shaking your head or spinning in a chair can be exercise.
Third, I do lots of balance work in the gym and at home. I have a balance board and a wobbly air filled balance thing. Stand on it, stand on one leg, try to raise and lower on both legs, one leg, etc. Do the same at the gym with one of the halfdome bosu balls.
Next is to change the angle of your head and vision while exercising, meaning you combine at least 2 and 3. Lots of exercises involve bending over, changing your focal spot while using any weight at all. Very, very useful because your body quickly adapts to the need to find a focal spot if you train it do so.
Note that some things can’t be fixed. Put me on a bridge with a see through grate underfoot and I can fall unwillingly to my knees.
One of my main triggers is lying flat on my back. As I mentioned in my earlier post, I have gotten used to sleeping with 3-4 pillows. When I started working with a personal trainer five years ago, I had a major attack after doing some mat work. I had to hold onto the gym equipment to walk out of the room. I look like I am drunk during these episodes because I can’t walk in a straight line. The treatments have definitely helped; today I did about 15 minutes flat on my back with no effect. And probably the balance work that Lergnom mentions also contributes. I still use several pillows when I sleep but that is for the acid reflux. Ain’t getting old fun?
One of the best purchases we ever made was a bed from Sleep Comfort that allows you to raise and lower the head of the bed. I figure, why wait until I’m old and in a nursing home to be able to enjoy the benefits of these? The last few years of my mom’s life, she had CHF, and it was recommended to her to have a bed with a head that raises and lowers. One time when she was in the hospital and I was staying at her place, I used it, and I couldn’t believe the difference in how I felt the next morning. It’s a split top-of-the mattress, so H can adjust his head to whatever he likes (as well as the firmness level). For those with vertigo, you can use the propped head when you’re having attacks, and lower it flat when you’re not!
I have BPPV, diagnosed officially a few years ago (age 55) after I had “issues” trying to do inversions (headstands) in a yoga class. Up until that point, I though everyone got dizzy under certain circumstances, since I’d had problems since my late teens. The first thing the doctor said to me was “well, it’s not a brain tumor, since you’ve had it for more than thirty years.” It had not occurred to me it might be a brain tumor 
They did a bunch of tests, all of which left me feeling nauseated for hours afterwards. I did some re-orientation treatment, all of which boiled down to “That makes you dizzy and queasy? Okay, don’t do that, then.” It did, however, teach me a great deal more about the precise circumstances under which I feel dizzy and queasy, which has allowed me to avoid those circumstances more effectively.
In reading about BPPV, that is something that seems to last 30 seconds or less, this is lasting days, so it is not BPPV. Neuro appointment later this week, but still looking for and appreciating the anecdotes
Mine sure lasts longer than 30 seconds! The really acute part with the fluttering eyes might only last 30 seconds but unless I am totally immobile, it can last for several hours and reoccur for several days.
Does the room spin for your for several days straight, lotsofquests?
It is not continuous spinning. During most episodes, it settles down after a few minutes. During more severe, I cannot function and have to recline, but not lie down, for several hours until it lessens. It is hard to explain. If I can stay upright and moving, it will go away more quickly but when it is so severe I cannot function, I have to close my eyes and recline because I feel so nauseous. The exercises used to reposition induce major vertigo and I had to keep my eyes open as much as possible so the therapist could see the results. After the repositioning, I was not supposed to lie down for 4 hours.
I have suffered from vertigo for 19 years. The very first time I had it (diagnosed as “viral labyrinthitis”), I could not get out of bed for three days (if I stood up, I threw up). Now when I have an episode (they always occur upon waking up), I head to my chiropractor, who performs the Epley Maneuver on me (while I wear special goggles so he can watch my eyes for nystagmus). He basically puts me into the position that makes me spin, then gently rotates my head. The theory is that a calcium crystal has broken off and gotten into my inner ear causing my disequilibrium. By rotating my head, he is “dumping” the crystal back out to where it belongs. I then have to sleep sitting up for 2-3 nights to prevent the crystal from moving again. I’m in the middle of an episode right now; I went to the chiropractor yesterday and have another appointment for tomorrow. I know people who perform the Epley Maneuver on themselves, but I haven’t been successful (and am so afraid of making it worse!). I hope your friend finds relief soon - I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy.
Somemom, did your friend get a diagnosis and or help? After years of thinking I have BPPV and assessment/treatment by a physical therapist, I am now going for a round of tests at UPMC (Pitt medical), to determine what is the real problem. I have not been able to function for the past three days due to the dizziness. The repositioning exercises have not helped. When I stand up, I am mildly dizzy but it gets progressively worse the longer I am up. I called the dr office yesterday and was pleasantly surprised to get an appointment for Monday. Hopefully, I will have some answers on Monday.
The person took about 10 days off work, then went back, carefully and slowly. PT was recommended and completed, still no bike riding, but otherwise is good. Adding activities gradually to ensure another episode is not triggered.
Do post here if you get more info, I think it helps us all.