Has anyone recovered?

Hi Alice,

I note you say you've been diagnosed with vestibular neuritis, and I'm not arguing with that diagnosis. However, since this has only been going on for 10 days now and you say you get spinning when you move your head, I'm wondering whether anyone has done the Dix-Hallpike test for BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo). BPPV is the condition where the crystals in your inner ear get in the wrong place and start sending false information to your brain about the position of your head.

The reason for asking is that BPPV is a very easy condition both to diagnose and to cure, but many GPs (PCPs if you're stateside) and even a few ENT doctors don't seem to know a lot about it.

You can look up the Dix-Hallpike test on-line and try doing it for yourself. No need to hang your head over the end of the bed, as per the instructions, just lie down briskly with your head tilted backwards and to the side and see if you get an episode of spinning that stops after a few seconds. You need to do it on both sides. A positive will bring on a brief attack of nausea and spinning, which will be unpleasant but won't harm you in any way.

I've had two attacks of BPPV in my life. The first was more than 20 years ago. I went to see an ENT doctor who just made it worse and offered no further help. It eventually wore off after about a year. The second attack (in the other ear) started 5 months ago. I again went to an ENT doctor, who wasn't remotely interested when my hearing test came back normal. I then went to my GP. He referred me to a specialised vestibular physiotherapist, who cured me in one 20-minute session.

I'm not saying you have BPPV, just that if you have, and have been misdiagnosed, it would be a pity to go on suffering when there's help out there.