The Most Common Type of Dizziness

 

The most common form of dizziness (i.e.: vertigo) is a form of peripheral vertigo known as Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). Symptoms of BPPV include:

– nausea and sometimes vomiting
– a form of dizziness that, to the sufferer, feels like a spinning motion
– dizziness brought on by sudden movement (often getting up from laying down)
– vision blurriness
– eyes spinning (nystagmus)
– quick bursts of dizziness that last only seconds (although BPPV can also last several minutes)

Causes of this dizziness is theorized to be a loose “hair” in your inner ear labyrinth. Essentially, the inner ear acts like a carpenter’s level by using the fluid to feel where your head is in relation to the horizon. Balance Disorder Illustration A.pngLittle tiny hairs known as otoliths line the inside of the labyrinth and feel the movement of fluid and reads it like you would a calibrated carpenter’s level. If one or more of these hairs comes loose and tangles up in other otolith hairs it confuses the system and the body reacts with symptoms of BPPV. Which is essentially a sense of spinning dizziness.

The good news is, BPPV is not a disease and is temporary. Evenutally, the loose hairs are dislodged and re-absorbed by the body. If this is taking longer than you would like, there are two options for you. First is a do-it-yourself home therapy. Follow these instructions from https://www.pyroenergen.com/articles13/vertigo-home-remedy.htm to see if you can help the situation resolve itself :

  1. Start in an upright seated position.
  2. Turn your head 45 degrees to the left and lie down quickly on your right side for 10 seconds.
  3. Return to your upright seated position for 10 seconds.
  4. Turn your head 45 degrees to the right and lie down quickly on your left side for 10 seconds.

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If this fails to resolve see your health care practitioner for treatment. There are some clinician-performed movements that will be more effective than home therapy to help dislodge the rogue otoliths and bring full resolution to your dizziness.

If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to call us!

250-589-6325

 

 

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