First: Identify which ear is causing the vertigo. If you get dizzy every time you roll left in bed, then your left ear is the likely culprit. Once you know which ear has some loose calcium crystals, it's important that you look to that side when you begin the Epley maneuver.
The first part of treatment is determining if it's your right or left ear and what canal is housing the loose crystals. An audiologist or ear, nose and throat physician will do this using the Dix-Hallpike test. The Dix-Hallpike is a movement in which you turn your head to the left or to the right at a 45-degree angle.
Turn your head to the right and lie down quickly. Wait 1 minute. If you feel dizzy, the right side is affected. If you don't feel dizzy, sit up, wait a little bit, and repeat the test with your left side.
Over time, ear crystals may dissolve, but bear in mind that this could take weeks or longer, and during that time, a person would have to endure the extreme discomfort of BPPV, where even the slightest head movements would throw their world into disarray.
Vestibular neuronitis
It usually comes on suddenly and can cause other symptoms, such as unsteadiness, nausea (feeling sick) and vomiting (being sick). You won't normally have any hearing problems. It usually lasts a few hours or days, but it may take three to six weeks to settle completely.
Sit or lie down immediately when you feel dizzy. Lie still with your eyes closed in a darkened room if you're experiencing a severe episode of vertigo. Avoid driving a car or operating heavy machinery if you experience frequent dizziness without warning. Avoid using caffeine, alcohol, salt and tobacco.
The Epley maneuver is a simple, noninvasive approach to treating benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), a specific type of vertigo. This maneuver involves a series of head movements that help relocate calcium carbonate crystals from your utricle back to your semicircular canals, where they belong.
If the symptoms are very severe and don't go away, surgery on the vestibular system (the organ of balance) may be considered. This involves destroying either the nerve fibers in the affected semicircular canal, or the semicircular canal itself. The sensory hair cells can then no longer pass information on to the brain.
Symptoms include attacks of vertigo, disequilibrium, unsteadiness, nausea, disorientation, and occasionally a “spacey” or detached feeling.
Having loose crystals in your ear doesn't necessarily make the room spin, unlike vertigo. “Many patients with BPPV don't even feel dizzy — just lightheaded, unsteady or a bit 'off' — but when we test for crystals in the office, there they are,” says Dr. Cherian.
The best treatment for vertigo also happens to be the easiest and quickest, according to a new study. Vertigo is the spinning or whirling effect a person experiences when looking up or down. The feeling only lasts for a short while, but it can be severe.
Foods that are rich in amino acid tyramine include red wine, smoked meats, chicken liver, chocolate, yogurt, citrus fruits, bananas, figs, nuts and ripened cheeses. All these foods can trigger vertigo. Tyramine results in blood vessel dilatation that triggers migraine, which can lead to vertigo.
Antihistamines, such as meclizine, solve dizziness.
It works to block the signals to the brain that cause these symptoms.
“In rare cases, people who experience debilitating vertigo might need surgery, but I find that lying down in the dark, avoiding lights, TVs, and other distractions, and just getting some rest can ease my symptoms,” she said.
Sometimes doctors recommend antihistamines, such as meclizine (Antivert), diphenhydramine (Benadryl), or dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) to help with vertigo episodes.
Vertigo could also affect your ability to drive. You should avoid driving if you've recently had episodes of vertigo and there's a chance you may have another episode while you're driving.
Antihistamines work by blocking signals to the brain that cause symptoms of vertigo, including dizziness, nausea, and sickness. Most cases of vertigo are benign and may not require medication.
Typically, cervical vertigo symptoms happen months or years after trauma to the cervical spine. Anxiety and stress can affect the severity of your symptoms. This is because stress and anxiety affect your muscle tone and the responses of your sympathetic nervous system. Cervical vertigo symptoms can be varied.
Although vertigo usually starts with a condition in the inner ear, stress and anxiety can make it worse. Chronic stress or worry can also lead to more episodes of vertigo in the future. In stress-related vertigo, using strategies for both the body and the mind is the best way to regain your sense of balance.