Simple solutions to help with vertigo
Dizziness is a phenomenon that every person has experienced; Sometimes due to a change in body position too quickly, and sometimes due to the presence of substances that directly affect our balance center, such as alcohol.
In most cases, dizziness is considered a harmless phenomenon. It usually passes after a few seconds, and the person returns to their daily activities. However, in the case of inner ear disorders, it can last for several weeks and the feeling of insecurity remains.
This type of disorder is related to the inner ear (sacculus, utriculus and semicircular canals) due to which the balance center cannot properly register nerve impulses from the environment.
There are a number of disorders of the inner ear that lead to dizziness. The most common are benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), acute vestibulopathy (neuronitis of the vestibular nerve), Meniere’s disease, vestibular migraine, labyrinth fistula, labyrinthitis …
Most disorders can be diagnosed with the help of a physical examination and taking a detailed analysis, and the treatment of the disease depends on the cause.
To help with dizziness when the cause is a crystal disorder (BPPV), repositioning maneuvers are used to return segments of the inner ear to their place and thus eliminate further problems.
Dizziness is usually divided into central and peripheral.
Central dizziness occurs due to disruption of the central nervous system, which is often associated with injuries to the cerebellum. Peripheral dizziness is more common and is associated with disorders of the inner ear.
When walking, running, or just standing, the inner ear is constantly absorbing information from the environment. Minimal change in movement, jerking or interaction with other people results in the movement of fluid located in the inner ear.
This fluid is called endolymph, and it is found in the cochlea and semicircular ducts. When the human body moves, fluid moves along the cochlea and tubules, and receptors on them convert the mechanical energy of the fluid into a nerve impulse, which then travels to the cerebellum.
In the labyrinth there are crystals of calcium carbonate, also known as otoliths. Their function is similar to receptors, and they can still amplify or block a nerve impulse to the cerebellum.
In order for the cerebellum to respond to the nerve impulse received, the signals from both labyrinths must be the same. If one ear does not register movement as well as the other, two different signals are received, which leads to “confusion” of the cerebellum and dizziness.
There are a number of disorders of the inner ear that lead to dizziness. The most common are neignic paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), acute vestibulopathy (neuronitis of the vestibular nerve), Meniere’s disease, vestibular myrene, labyrinth fistula, labyrinthitis …
Some disorders are associated with hearing loss. Most disorders can be diagnosed with the help of a physical examination and taking a detailed analysis.
Treatment of the disease depends on the cause.
Dizziness is often associated with nausea. The reason for this lies in the body’s attempts to adapt to the new environment, that is, to adapt to the impulses that caused the dizziness.
To put it simply, during vertigo, your body will have the feeling that it is moving, even when it is at rest. Since this circumstance is quite confusing for your body, the consequences can be expressed by nausea, and often vomiting.
When it comes to treating short-term dizziness, it is necessary to take into account several factors that could have contributed to these circumstances:
Persistent postural perceptual dizziness (PPPD) requiring complex treatment
Sometimes it is enough for a remedy to change the diet and add nutrients that have been proven to treat dizziness:
Magnesium has been proven to have an anti-dizziness effect and relaxes the body.
To prevent dizziness, you can take vitamins A, B and E through capsules as dietary supplements, but also through foods such as ginger and almonds.
Ginkgo biloba is one of the most well-known remedies for treating vertigo in the world of pharmacy and natural medicine.
Ginkgo biloba is a plant of Chinese origin, which has been proven to work against dizziness, tinnitus and other balance problems. It is used in the form of an extract that you can put in teas.
If none of these solutions helps in the treatment of dizziness, then it is necessary to make an adequate diagnosis that includes balance tests, but also the application of repositioning maneuvers that would relieve possible interference in the ducts that make you dizzy.
The repositioning maneuver should be done when the cause of the dizziness is a disorder known as benign positional paroxysmal vertigo (BPPV).
This disorder can be recognized by sudden and short-term dizziness that occurs when turning the head in bed or lifting the head abruptly.
This disease occurs when calcium carbonate crystals move in the cochlea – this can occur in the event of a blow to the head or some other sudden jolt. Once the otoliths are moved, there is a poorer circulation of the endolymph, which causes problems with balance.
If paroxysmal vertigo is suspected, a passing test is performed.
The test is done by turning your head 45 degrees to the diseased side. Then you are laid on your back, and your head must be below body level.
The doctor observes possible twitches, i.e. nystagmus that disappears 10-15 seconds after you lie down. After one minute, the doctor straightens you up again and observes changes in the twitching of the eyeballs.
If there is no nystagmus, the person does not suffer from BPPV. If nystagmus has appeared, it is a displaced calcium stone that causes dizziness.
After diagnosing BPPV, the doctor can immediately perform a repositioning maneuver in which he returns the otolith to the place where it was before.
Nystagmus, along with an obvious loss of balance, is the most common indication of disorders with vertigo. Uncontrollable eye twitches appear as a reaction to attempts to stabilize the image.
This occurrence is normal when you try to spin around your axis because the cerebellum tries to stabilize the image despite the sudden movement of the endolymph that causes dizziness.
However, if nystagmus occurs during weaker and more spontaneous movements, most often during balance tests, there is a chance of developing disorders in the inner ear or even the cerebellum.
There are two methods of repositioning maneuver:
Sitting on the bed, you rotate your head 45 degrees in the direction of the healthy side of the ear. After that, you abruptly lie on your side to the side of the diseased ear. Your head should be turned diagonally upwards at this point. Stay in this position for 1 minute.
After one minute , quickly change the side you are lying on and switch to the other side. Your head should be diagonally facing down at this point. You also stay in this position for 1 minute, after which you stand up straight and sit for 10 minutes with your head straight.
Repeat the procedure once a day until your dizziness disorders decrease.
The maneuver begins with the rotation of the head by 45 degrees to the sick side, after which he quickly lies on his back.
An object for the elevation of the neck, such as a pillow, will be placed under the head, which will make the head more reclusive. With the head turned back and turned, the calcium carbonate crystal can more easily exit the channel.
Lie on your back for 1 minute, during which you may notice the appearance and slowing of nystagmus. Once the uncontrollable eye twitching has stopped, you turn your head to the opposite side. Also hold it in this position for 1 minute.
After a minute, you turn on your side to the opposite side of the affected ear. Once on your side, your head should be turned diagonally downwards. While lying on your side, one of our staff will hold your head to avoid a failed maneuver.
Lie on your side for 1 minute, then quickly stand up and sit for the next 10 minutes.
It is necessary to pay special attention to the speed of execution of both maneuvers. If you change position too quickly, such as turning your head, the otolite may return to the semicircular canal again.
On the other hand, if you change the position too slowly, the momentum will not be enough to move the crystal out of the channel.
Therefore, changes in position should be rapid, but once stationary, do not move your head until the doctor judges that it is enough (usually between 30-60 seconds).
If everything is carried out as the procedure describes, the potassium carbonate crystal should come out of the semicircular channels, which eliminates problems with dizziness.
In addition to repositioning maneuvers and passing tests, there are other methods through which the functionality of the balance center is tested.
Static tests
They are examined for the presence of nystagmus. By observing the object (most often the doctor’s finger), the frequency of eye twitching is observed and based on the results, a diagnosis and adequate therapy are given.
Dynamic tests
In these tests, the vestibulo-ocular reflex is examined, which is stimulated by rapid movement of the head and observation of potential nystagmus after the test.
Dynamic tests most often include:
Other tests
Other balance tests are performed by performing motor tasks through which the interaction of the cerebellum and nerve impulses that reach the muscles and force the body to change positions to maintain balance is determined:
You don’t need to prepare for the balance test. Before performing motor tasks, you are required to fill out forms for assessing your own condition.
You fill them out so that, in addition to the tests, you have additional insights into the concept of loss of balance and everyday activities that are difficult for you because of this.
Of the forms, you usually fill out:
Balance problems can occur for several reasons – mostly it is a combination of innate and external factors. So, for example, you may have congenital problems with the function of the inner ear, but trauma such as a fall or a blow to the head can accentuate these problems even more.
Surprisingly, dizziness problems can also be attributed to poor circulation. Namely, a vertebral artery passes through our spine, which provides oxygen to the brain. If circulation is poor, the oxygen supply will be lower and the cerebellum will not work at full capacity.
People who have such problems are often at risk of cardiovascular diseases (high blood pressure, increased body weight, high cholesterol, alcohol consumption, blood sugar…)
To be sure that it is poor circulation and blockage of small arteries, we can additionally order you for Color Doppler of blood vessels.
The balance test is part of the ENT examination that we perform at the LF Polyclinic. Since ENT is a branch that deals with the observation of the functions of the ear, nose and throat, a balance test is necessary to make sure of the health of your inner ear.
The inner ear, with its cerebellum, forms a very complex system in which even the slightest change can disrupt your balance center. Therefore, we carry out these balance tests and remove any doubts about your health.
The repositioning maneuver of the head is a routine procedure that has been proven to treat problems of sudden vertigo, also known as benign positional paroxysmal vertigo (BPPV). The maneuver is fast, painless and does not cause the development of major complications.
Make an appointment for an ENT examination today – call us at +3851 2444 646 or fill out our online form.
The main goal of LF Polyclinic is to improve the quality of life and health of our clients by providing them with top-notch healthcare services.
