Replied by Lisa (Copenhagen, Denmark) on 07/20/2009
I would suggest that your mother see an expert in Dizziness. One of the best clinics in the US in located in Miami, Florida. Most doctors are not trained in dizziness management. Google balance training courses and you should find information regarding programs that teach doctors and other professionals how to treat dizziness. You should also find the program that I am referring to but I would like you to read the information yourself.
I had a patient that had vertigo for 25 years before coming to see me. The cause was benign proximal vertigo (BPPV). It is probably the most common cause of dizziness. One of the main causes of BPPV is a sedimentary lifestyle. Using the Epley's maneuver, we cured her dizziness in 10 minutes- completely. Imagine how mad she was that she had lived with it and taken drugs to suppress it all those years for nothing.
Vertigo in aging is usually a form of Benign Proximal vertigo. It occurs when the small calcium deposits (oticonia) fall out of the gelatinous mass in the utrical and into the semicircular canals. Normally the body washes away these stray deposits but in some people they build up- think kidney stones. The cure for this is through movement. The fluid in the semicircular canals need to move to wash away the deposits.
The sequence of movements- called an epley's maneuver- starts sitting upright then you have to briskly lie on your back with your head turned to the symptomatic side at a 45 degree angle. Your head should be kept in this position for 30 to 60 seconds, based on the duration of the vertigo (when I treat I measure by observation of your eye movements (for nystagmus). You will probably be dizzy for the first 10 seconds.Next turn your head to the other side, and keep it in that position for another 30 to 60 seconds. You may be dizzy again. Then roll in the same direction onto your side, carrying your head along so that it is pointed about 45 degrees, nose down. This position is also maintained for 30 seconds, and another burst of dizziness may occur. Finally, return to sitting. It is common to be very dizzy at this point for about 15 seconds. Remain with the head tilted a bit down for one minute. Usually I am concerned that people will get dizzy and fall. It is important to let yourself get dizzy and it is a side effect you cannot stop. I always recommend you have someone with you. When I treat, I often need to hold a person in the correct position, and it usually takes all my strength to do so since they fight me. If the maneuver is not done entirely or correctly, it will still work but will take significantly longer. When done correctly, vertigo can be cured after one or two times.
Other things that also work well are rolling your head in a circle. Remember that dizzy is not a bad thing. If you hold your head in one position so that you do not get dizzy, then you will likely not be able to get rid of the dizziness if it is caused by BPPV. Think of a sprained ankle, if you want to cure it, the cure is to walk gently on it. Yes it hurts but the pain is longer and no less intense if you coddle it.
