Vertigo

It's terrifying

I know, but it will eventually fade, even without treatment. If you can find the right person to treat you it will clear up immediately. The Epley manoeuvre may leave you with a mild headache for a few weeks, but that's nothing in comparison with the horrors of vertigo.

Oh thank you

I was given meclizine and I feel like a zombie.

That's very old-fashioned, and completely ineffective for BPPV (if that's what it is). However, you have to be sure it really is BPPV. An experienced practitioner - of whatever discipline - will be able to diagnose BPPV or differentiate it from other conditions in a couple of minutes.

You can also do it yourself, by doing the Dix-Hallpike test at home. Take the pillows off your bed, sit up on your bed with your legs straight out in front of you, turn your head to one side and tilt it backwards. Then throw yourself down on your back quickly (making sure you're not going to hit your head on the head of the bed or the wall of course!) Try it on both sides. If doing this with your head tilted to one side induces spinning and a feeling of falling, then that's the ear that's affected by BPPV. If it doesn't make any difference on either side, you don't have BPPV.

There are many other causes of vertigo and if it's not BPPV you need to be investigated, preferably by a neurotologist. Don't let your doctor fob you off with medication without further investigation.

Omg Lily

I did it and now I'm swirling

Only the tight side induced it.

Hi Irisheyes,

Well done you! Sounds like right-sided BPPV - though the actual spinning should only last a few seconds, max. 30, if it really is BPPV. It will then be repeated for another few seconds, usually in a lesser version, when you sit up again. This manoeuvre may well make you feel queasy and unsteady for a couple of minutes afterwards, but if the violent spinning/falling sensation continues for more than a few seconds it may be that you have something other than BPPV. Either way, you need a proper diagnosis, not a prescription from your GP!

Next step now is to get a referral to someone competent to confirm the diagnosis then proceed to the Epley manoeuvre if it's positive. I'm not sure where you are in the world. Eleftherios has given you a contact in Oz but I think he may have intended that for Valda.

If it's not you who's in Sidney - and especially if you're in the UK or Ireland where I know waiting lists are horrendous - I'd honestly advise investing in a one-off private consultation with a physiotherapist specialising in vestibular and balance problems, if you can find one. Someone like this would get the Epley right first time round, and most sufferers are right as rain as soon as it's done, give or take a mild headache and possibly a slight "drunken" feeling.

Eleftherios S. Papathanasiou, PhD, FEAN

Clinical Neurophysiologist

Fellow of the European Academy of Neurology

Hello there,

The vertigo happens when I roll to my right side in bed or when I am sitting up from bed..  I do not have continous vertigo.

Just seems weird that it happens in spring and fall.

I have been taking serc this time.  The vertigo has now stopped, but lasted 3 weeks. Not sure whether it has stopped on it's own or the Serc has helped it

Thank you for your reply

My 2 bouts lasted 3 weeks also.

They happened when rolling over in bed or head movement in bed. They were terrible,

I vomited a few times. It's been 2 weeks now with none no matter if I move my head or not. My eyes felt like they were rolling in my head.

Good luck to you glad the meds helped

Do you get it seasonally? And do you do the epley maneauver to alliaviate the vertigo?

Eleftherios S. Papathanasiou, PhD, FEAN

Clinical Neurophysiologist

Fellow of the European Academy of Neurology

Do you think it could be allergy induced?

Thank you. That's interesting. I didn't tell the full story when first posting about my recent attack of BPPV, but it might be relevant in view of what you've said.

In the last few days of last year I started getting a feeling of fullness in my left ear, with popping sensations and periods of mild tinnitus lasting up to half an hour. My voice would sound odd in my head at these times and friends said they heard the change too. I kept having to do the Valsalva manoeuvre. At the same time I was suffering minor pain and discomfort in the left maxillary sinus. (I rarely get respiratory infections but when I do they invariably end up in my sinuses so I know the symptoms.) I had no other symptoms of respiratory infection. Since most of my friends and colleagues had had the respiratory virus circulating in northern Europe last winter I assumed I had a mild version of this and ignored the symptoms.

It was only two weeks later that the vertigo started, with the D-H test indicating it was affecting the other ear!

The vestibular physiotherapist who successfully treated the BPPV in the right ear with the Epley manoeuvre used the video camera goggles. As well as treating the BPPV he did a general assessment during the two sessions I had with him. From an analysis of what he saw on the screen, he remarked from the start that there appeared to be something going on in my left ear, as well as the obvious problem in the right one. He said this was consistent with the aftermath of a mild vestibular neuritis in the left ear but didn't make any connection with the concurrent attack of BPPV in the right ear.

I never followed up on this. The Epley cured the vertigo instantly, and I realised there was no point in treating the possible vestibular neuritis 10 weeks down the line, especially as the symptoms were resolving. I remain completely cured of the right-sided BPPV but still suffer frequent brief attacks of tinnitus in the left ear, which I'm sure will eventually clear up without treatment.

Eleftherios S. Papathanasiou, PhD, FEAN

Clinical Neurophysiologist

Fellow of the European Academy of Neurology

Hi Lolasmom, I'm not claiming to be an expert. However, I have found one or two references to possible links between BPPV and autoimmune conditions. And allergy has an autoimmune basis, of course.

I started investigating this as I've had BPPV twice in my life, and in different ears. By the way, this isn't in connection with my recent post about BPPV in one ear appearing at the same time as possible vestibular neuritis in the other one. My first attack of BPPV was years ago, whereas the second was this year.

As I have Sjogren's syndrome (an autoimmune disease affecting connective tissues) I was interested as to whether there might be a link, and did find a few references to this. I seem to recall one of them was on the VEDA site. All the references I found were to Sjogren's or Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, which are both in the same group of autoimmune disorders. I didn't see any references to connections with allergy, though I wasn't looking for this.

I have been waiting for 3 months from the referral date, and as yet, have not even heard from them.  So annoying. This is what it is like in Canada......sad