Fixing Vertigo: A new solution for BPPV

I was diagnosed some years ago with BPPV — Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo.

With me, it generally starts with slight dizziness that gets worse over a day or two, becoming so bad that I have to have my husband hold me up to get from one end of the house to the other.

There are a bunch of exercises you’re supposed to do to get the little positional elements in your inner ears back where they belong… and NONE of them worked for me.

So a couple days ago I started getting dizzy again, for the first time in several years, and by the end of yesterday, I could not move. Sitting up, lying down, turning my head…all of it was impossible. Lying still with my eyes closed, I STILL felt like I was falling off a building and accelerating toward the ground.

Enter Matt, who is very good at finding and fixing problems.

I didn’t even bother to search the Internet, because I’d been to the specialist, I’d been given the sheet of exercises to do, I’d done them (correctly and regularly), and they did NOTHING.

When Matt said, “I searched the Internet and found something I think will help — an exercise you could do that doesn’t involve flinging yourself backward on the bed,” I was dubious. But he showed me the video he found, and the doctor who came up with the procedure demonstrated how she’d thought it up (if I can see the reasoning behind something, I’m a lot more willing to try it).

It worked.

I went from, “I’m going to be trapped in bed for a week with my eyes shut (at its worst, the vertigo is so bad I can’t even read or look around while lying down) and being half-carried to the bathroom” to…

“Hey. It’s gone!”

And I’m fine today. Was a little dizzy when I first got up, so I did the exercise once. And even the little dizziness is gone.

 

 

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18 responses to “Fixing Vertigo: A new solution for BPPV”

  1. Dan Allen Avatar
    Dan Allen

    What a horrible experience! Gosh. My heart goes out to you Holly.

    There is one thing I love in this story. It is this set of words, presented parenthetically, but foundational for a lot of who you are and how you work with life:
    “…if I can see the reasoning behind something, I’m a lot more willing to try it”

    Thank you for sharing this. Funny, the way you wrote about it, it almost seems like there is no problem, given the elegance of how you presented it. Trust me, though, I perceive the agony in depth.

    I hope you continuing to feel better.

  2. Lita Brooker Avatar
    Lita Brooker

    My next bout of BPPV, I shall most definitely use the half somersault manoeuvre. I’m sorry you have it, too, Holly – and I’m so grateful you shared this solution.

    Love to you and yours,

    Lita

  3. Francine Avatar
    Francine

    Glad you fund something that works. Stay safe (and upright!)

  4. Thea van Diepen Avatar

    Hooray! I’m glad you found something that works so well 😀

  5. Sallie Avatar
    Sallie

    Excellent! glad you found something that worked and worked well.

  6. Ruth Avatar
    Ruth

    The beginning of the video had me off the chair and crouching on the floor. It was most emphatically NOT FUN.

    However, after click-forwarding past the nausea-inducing start, the rest of it is interesting. have made notes for next time the vertigo hits. Pretty much anything is worth trying (apart from eating raw snails) when it hits.

  7. William Stilianessis Avatar
    William Stilianessis

    Hey Holly,

    I’m quite happy to hear you found a cure that works for you. On another note, I discovered a wicked get idea for a science-fiction story in one of the replies. Thank you.
    I hope no one thinks me heartless for that. I would never wish someone harm to write a good story however, when an idea pops up in my twisted brain I’d like to run with it till it dies.

  8. Sylvia Nickels Avatar

    Thank you, Holly, for sharing this. I had BPPV a number of years ago, too. I was driving, just turned my head and boom. Had to pull over and call my husband to come get me. I learned about the other movement treatments. But the car/sea sickness medication helped a little and mine went away after a couple of weeks.I bookmarked this treatment in case it ever comes back.

  9. Thomas F. Watson III Avatar
    Thomas F. Watson III

    Got dizzy a couple times this year, not typical. May try this if it happens again – thanks.

    Related: recently found out hearing loss changes balance at least partly because you can’t hear your own footsteps.

  10. Amanda Truscott Avatar

    It’s so wonderful when you find something that works, isn’t it?

  11. Tuff Gartin Avatar

    Yeah! Does that website Matt found have any other “home remedies” that might prove useful?

  12. Anna Avatar
    Anna

    So glad you found an effective route to relief! (And if any of us or our loved ones have a similar problem, now we know what to do about it.)

  13. Alan Mills Avatar
    Alan Mills

    That is awesome! I am so glad you found something that works 🙂

  14. Amy Avatar
    Amy

    That’s fantastic! Glad to hear you’re back on your feet!

  15. Deb Salisbury Avatar

    Wow! I’m so glad you found a treatment that works!

  16. Julia Mozingo Avatar

    Wonderful news! What a great find! Glad you are better!

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