Invite Health Podcast, Episode hosted by Jerry Hickey. Ph

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Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo is the official term for the feeling you get when moving your head makes you feel dizzy – the room is spinning around. There is a sensation of spinning with certain head movements usually because of a problem with your inner ear. It’s a condition in which you have brief, but intense, episodes of dizziness that occur when you move your head. Vertigo usually comes from a problem with the part of the inner ear called the vestibular labyrinth – it is responsible for balance.

This is a pretty common condition. There are more than 200,000 cases per year in United States. It is more common in ages 50 and up and in women. Vertigo or feeling dizzy can be very disruptive. It can affect work and social life in most sufferers. Treatment from medical professional advised, but requires lab test or imaging. This dizzy feeling can last several days or weeks and certain types can be dangerous or life threatening if left untreated. If you had a family history of feeling dizzy, this may increase an likelihood of you having it.

Symptoms or indications of Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

• Dizziness
• A sense of movements of surroundings
• A loss of balance
• Nausea
• Visual disturbance
• Nystagmus – repetitive, uncontrolled eye movements
• Light-headedness

These symptoms may last for less than a minute

Typical Treatments

Vestibular suppressant medication is a medication is used to suppress symptoms. Meclizine is an antihistamine that is used to prevent and treat nausea, vomiting, and dizziness caused by motion sickness. It is commonly prescribed to reduce dizziness and loss of balance caused by inner ear problems. Anticholinergic effect – can harm memory if used frequently Dry mouth, drowsiness. Semi-circular canal occlusion is performed for severe and persistent cases. About 5% of cases may need this surgery.

Therapy

Canalith Repositioning maneuvers are when your doctor provides information on head movements that helps to control the disturbances inside the ear. Vertigo usually comes from a problem with the part of the inner ear responsible for balance (vestibular labyrinth). BPPV occurs when tiny particles called otoconia in one part of your inner ear break loose and fall into the canals of your inner ear.

Nearly 80 percent of people who undergo the procedure experience relief. If symptoms return, however, then a repeat of the canalith repositioning procedure can be used. It may be necessary to repeat the procedure several times to relieve your symptoms. Talk to your doctor if your symptoms don’t improve.

Causes of Vertigo or Feeling Dizzy

BPPV results from a disturbance in the inner ear. It may be idiopathic (unknown cause), due to head injury or an ear condition.

Episodes of BPPV can be triggered by:

• Tilting the head up or down
• Lying down
• Turning over
• Getting up
• Change in environmental pressure
• Lack of sleep
• Stress

Vitamin D Is Also Essential To Support Lung Health. Learn More Now >>

Risk factors:

• Family history
• Conditions such as diabetes and osteoporosis (both of which can be related to very low blood levels of Vitamin D BTW)
• Head injuries

Studies Show Vitamin D May Help With That Dizzy Feeling 

Published in the journal Clinical and Experimental Otolaryngology (Head, Neck and Throat), Korean researchers studied individuals with Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo – how often did they get vertigo and how high their vitamin D levels were. These researchers found, if vitamin D levels were below 15, there were a lot of vertigo and dizzy episodes versus the participants who’s vitamin D levels were above 15. The vitamin D levels were measured by blood tests. 

Published in the Bioscience Reports from the Department of Neurology Henting District Hospital in China and another study from Korea, studied 174 patients all older than 50 years old with the same type of vertigo. Researchers found that in patients that had repeat episodes of vertigo, their vitamin D levels were much lower. They also found that lacking vitamin D more than doubled your risk of vertigo and increased the risk of the vertigo coming back by over 400%.

Feeling dizzy? Leave a comment for Jerry Hickey, Ph. today to discuss! 

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