When you feel dizzy, you have the impression that the world is spinning or moving even when you are stationary. This sensation promotes nausea, balance problems, comprehension problems, and other complications. Vertigo may be associated with cupololithiasis or canalolithiasis (or BPPV, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo) or indicate another disorder. To stop them, it is necessary to identify the cause and undergo appropriate treatment. Read on to learn how to keep them at bay.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Use Proven Treatments
Step 1. Get a diagnosis
See your doctor to determine the cause of the problem. Vertigo is often linked to two inner ear disorders known as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and Ménière's syndrome, but can be caused by many other conditions. Do not treat yourself if you have not received a diagnosis and do not know what you are suffering from. Treatments for these disorders do not relieve dizziness if the etiology is different. Here are some conditions that can make you dizzy:
- Other inner ear disorders, such as vestibular neuritis and labyrinthitis
- Head and ear injuries;
- Migraine;
- Vascular insufficiency of the posterior cerebral district;
- Brain tumors
- Heart attack;
- Complications due to alcohol or drug use.
Step 2. Let your doctor identify which ear is causing the disorder
You will need to figure out which ear is causing the problem, as treatment will differ depending on which side is affected.
- Be careful if you suffer from dizziness. If you feel dizzy when you turn right on the bed, the problem probably originates in your right ear.
- If you can't figure out which ear is involved, see your doctor.
Step 3. Try the Epley maneuver if you have BPPV
It consists of a series of head movements that allow the otoliths (small calcium crystals) present in the inner ear to be brought back to the point where they should be. This is a maneuver that can be easily performed by a doctor without special equipment. If practiced correctly, it is an effective treatment for BPPV.
- Once your doctor has shown you how to perform the Epley maneuver, you can do it yourself in case of further episodes. You could watch videos online to learn the movements to perform.
- Stabilizes the neck in the 48 following the execution of the maneuver.
- If you are unsure whether you have BPPV, avoid this maneuver. If it's another health issue, you'll need to make sure you're getting proper treatment.
Step 4. Regulate body fluids to treat Ménière's syndrome
You can relieve symptoms and reduce the frequency of episodes caused by this inner ear disorder by controlling water retention. Try the following methods:
- Limit your consumption of salt and foods that contain monosodium glutamate.
- Consider taking diuretics.
- Ask your doctor if you can take betahistine. It appears that this drug is able to reduce the frequency and severity of dizziness attacks by increasing the blood supply to the inner ear. It is mainly used to treat Ménière's syndrome. Ask your doctor for more information.
Step 5. Consider surgery
If non-surgical treatments are not effective, there are surgical procedures that can inhibit dizziness caused by some inner ear disorders. You can consider them if you suffer from one of the following conditions:
- VPPB;
- Ménière's syndrome;
- Vestibular neuronitis;
- Chronic labyrinthitis.
Step 6. Sleep with your head elevated
Vertigo occurs when the tiny calcium carbonate crystals in the inner ear endolymph move from side to side, interfering with balance and causing an uncomfortable feeling of lightheadedness. They can become dislocated during the night when you move your head, so if you sleep with your head elevated, you prevent the onset of this disorder.
Sleep on your back, not on your side or on your stomach, and raise your head using more than one pillow
Step 7. Do not drop your head below your shoulders
This movement can move the crystals in the inner ear and promote dizziness. Learn to pay more attention to body movements and avoid bending forward.
- If you have to pick something up off the ground, flex your knees to lower yourself down instead of bending your waist.
- Don't do exercises that force you to stay upside down or lean forward.
Step 8. Don't stretch your neck
Movements that force you to stretch your neck, for example to reach for something, can help the crystals move. Also avoid stretching it upwards. In these cases, move your head slowly and don't swing it.
Step 9. Avoid sudden movements
Any sudden movement involving your head can cause dizziness, especially if you are particularly prone to this problem. Avoid any activity that causes you to shake it quickly.
- Do not ride roller coasters or other rides that can violently shake your head.
- Avoid sports that put you at risk of sudden head movements. Limit yourself to swimming, walking, and running, avoiding high impact ones.
Step 10. Increase your consumption of ginger
Ginger is a super-food with therapeutic properties that acts on many ailments, including some cases of dizziness attacks. Eat it every day or take it as a supplement. It is an effective remedy used by many people who suffer from vertigo.
Step 11. Stop smoking
Tobacco has been shown to impair the effectiveness of vertigo treatments. Therefore, avoid smoking and using tobacco products to reduce the frequency of the episodes and alleviate the severity of the symptoms.
Step 12. See your eye doctor
Dizziness can worsen with vision defects. Visit your eye doctor periodically to dispel any suspicions and make sure that the shade of your glasses or contact lenses is suitable for your visual disturbance.
Method 2 of 3: Use Moderately Effective Remedies
Step 1. Monitor your diet
An excess of salt can aggravate some types of dizziness, endolymphatic hydrops or migraine-related dizziness. Limit alcohol consumption and avoid smoking. Drink plenty of water and incorporate foods rich in vitamins and minerals into your diet.
Caffeine does not appear to have any effect on tinnitus (ears ring sometimes when you suffer from vertigo). It is preferable to continue taking it as usual rather than making a radical change
Step 2. Develop a training program
Often, vertigo sufferers have found that physical activity is very helpful in treating this ailment. Start gradually, moving your head slowly from side to side while standing. In many cases, simply walking and stretching the muscles can relieve the symptoms of dizziness. You can also ask your doctor if there are any exercises that are suitable for your health condition. Wrong training can be counterproductive, so it's best not to go blind without a diagnosis.
Method 3 of 3: Dismissing Some Beliefs
Step 1. Don't expect magnets to cure dizziness
Home remedies involving the use of magnets are fashionable phenomena with no scientific basis. The scenario will likely change in the future because some research has found that dizzy patients react differently to magnets installed in MRI equipment. However, no treatment has been developed and there is not even a valid theory at the moment.
Step 2. Don't use swimmer's otitis medications
Swimmer's otitis (or otitis externa) is a type of infection that is usually treated with antibiotics. Take them only if you have various symptoms of this condition, not just dizziness.
