Vertigo is defined as a spinning sensation & a feeling of dizziness without any accompanying movement of any kind. It happens when the balance center in your body, which lies inside the inner ears, encounters some troubles & mistakenly sends signals to the brain indicating to it that the body is off-balance when this isn’t the case. in this article know about the best home remedies for BPPV treatment.
Vertigo isn’t a condition in itself, rather a symptom of some underlying illness, or in some cases, illnesses. It can also be the result of one or several injuries, viral infections, or any other serious illnesses in the patient’s past.
The most common type of Vertigo that patients suffer from is called BPPV, Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo. BPPV Vertigo is caused by deposits of calcium carbonate crystals building up in the inner ear, thus causing discordance in sending sensory signals to the brain. There could be multiple causes of BPPV Vertigo; Vestibular Neuritis, stroke, head, or neck injuries, & Meniere’s disease; can all lead to BPPV Vertigo. In certain cases, there are no known determining causes for BPPV Vertigo, & it just occurs naturally.
BPPV Vertigo leads patients to believe that their surroundings are spinning or moving when they aren’t, which further translates into feelings of dizziness & lightheadedness.
Certain cases of BPPV Vertigo occur only once, while some others keep on recurring until a definitive underlying cause is found & BPPV treatment is accordingly given.
Vertigo specialists & expert doctors can very easily determine the true cause of BPPV, & design an adequate BPPV Vertigo treatment plan to help you get rid of your ailment. However, there are also certain BPPV home remedies that you can indulge in for effective BPPV Vertigo treatment.
In this article, we bring to you the top home remedies for BPPV, along with certain Vertigo medicines, that will go a long way to aiding your BPPV Vertigo treatment.
Read on to know more.
Epley Maneuver
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The Epley Maneuver, also known as the ‘canalith’ repositioning maneuver, is the most recommended BPPV Vertigo treatment exercise. It is also considered the most effective of all home remedies for BPPV, & the one that generates the most effective results. It is more often than not, the first go-to strategy for those experiencing BPPV Vertigo. Research has suggested that the Epley Maneuver is one of the highly effective home remedies for BPPV Vertigo treatment.
You can perform the Epley Maneuver at home following a few simple steps:
- Sit upright on a flat surface & keep a pillow behind you, while keeping your legs outstretched.
- Now, turn your head 45 degrees to the right.
- While your head is still tilted, quickly recline & place your head on the pillow. Hold this position for at least 30 seconds.
- Now, slowly turn your head to the left a complete 90 degrees, without lifting your neck.
- With your whole body, turn to the left such that you are completely on your left side.
- Now, slowly return to your original position, while looking forward & sitting straight up.
- Repeat this maneuver at least three times in a row, about twice a day.
Considering that you’re sticking to a definite schedule with the movements, the Epley Maneuver should provide you relief from BPPV Vertigo in very few times. As a note of caution, do keep in mind that performing the Epley Maneuver results in dizziness for a while, so don’t undertake any laborious activity immediately after the exercise.
Semont-Toupet Maneuver
Similar to the Epley Maneuver, the Semont Toupet maneuver is one of the home remedies for BPPV Vertigo treatment. Although somewhat less known than the Epley Maneuver, researches claim it is just as effective, if not more, in BPPV Vertigo treatment. The Semont-Toupet Maneuver is physically very similar to the Epley Maneuver, however, performing it requires a lot less neck flexibility than the latter.
Follow the below-mentioned steps to perform the Semont-Toupet maneuver:
- Sit upright on a flat surface with a pillow behind you & your legs outstretched.
- Now while turning to your right, lie down, & face upward.
- Now, quickly sit up & turn to your left side, while keeping your head towards the left. At this point, you should be facing the ground.
- Now, slowly return to your original position, while looking forward & facing straight up.
- Repeat the steps for 3 times in a row, twice a day for eventual relief from BPPV Vertigo symptoms.
Just like the Epley maneuver, the Semont-Toupet maneuver results in dizziness for a while. Hence it is advisable to refrain from performing any strenuous activities immediately after performing the maneuver.
Brandt-Daroff exercise
This is one of the simplest BPPV home remedies that can be done by BPPV patients at home, completely unsupervised. It is important to remember however, that like the previously mentioned home remedies for BPPV Vertigo treatment, the Brandt-Daroff exercise can provoke dizziness for some time afterwards. Hence, you should not undertake any activities that require you to be increasingly alert & on your toes for some time until after the dizziness has passed.
Follow the below mentioned steps to perform the Brandt-Daroff exercise:
- Start by sitting on a flat surface, while your legs dangle as they would from a chair.
- As far as it’s possible for you to do, turn your head towards the left side, then lay your head & body down on your right side. All this while, your legs must not move. Hold this position for at least 30 seconds.
- Now, sit up & turn your head to the centre position.
- Repeat the maneuver by turning your head as far as possible to the right side, while laying your head & body down on your left side.
- This exercise can be done in a set of 5 repetitions, as often as 3 times a day, & twice a week.
Ginkgo Biloba
Researchers have studied the effects of Ginkgo Biloba on BPPV Vertigo patients, & it is shown to be as effective as any other liquid prescription Vertigo medicine. Ginkgo Biloba extracts can be purchased in liquid, or a capsule format. Taking about 250mg of Ginkgo Biloba everyday can considerably lessen & reduce your BPPV Vertigo symptoms, & is used as an effective BPPV Vertigo treatment plan.
Stress Management techniques
Certain conditions causing Vertigo, including Meniere’s Disease, can be triggered by stress. Participating in stress management activities that can help reduce stress in your everyday life, is an effective BPPV Vertigo treatment strategy, & can help in decreasing the episodes of Vertigo. You can begin by practicing meditation & deep breathing exercises, and then move onto specific activities like singing, dancing, knitting, painting, colouring, gardening, etc. to help reduce your daily stress levels.
Yoga & Tai Chi
Yoga & Tai Chi are known activities that help reduce stress levels, increase balance postures, stability, & flexibility. Physical therapies for Vertigo attempt to help the Vertigo patient navigate their loss of coordination, by instructing the nerves to compensate for the disorientation by activating specific balance postures. When done through specific exercises at home, Yoga & Tai Chi helps the body mimic natural balance postures & restore the body’s balance to a certain extent. Specific simple Yoga postures, such as the Child’s Pose & the Corpse pose, help you restore your body’s natural balance when you’re feeling dizzy.
However, you should avoid poses that involve sudden head or body movements, as they can trigger BPPV Vertigo episodes.
Get adequate amounts of sleep
Sometimes, Vertigo symptoms can be triggered by lack of sleep. This is especially true if you’re experiencing Vertigo for the first time, as it can be triggered by sleep deprivation. Taking some time out of your day to sleep for a little while, might help to resolve the symptoms of Vertigo.
Hydration
Drinking enough amounts of water every day can also help resolve the feelings of Vertigo. Oftentimes, when the body experiences a lack of hydration, the brain doesn’t get enough oxygen to translate signals properly, thus leading to feelings of a loss of balance & dizziness. Drinking enough water & fluids might help with this problem, & also help you maintain greater focus, concentration, & steadiness in day to day activities.
Vitamin D
Studies have shown that a lack of Vitamin D in daily diet can worsen the symptoms of people already suffering from BPPV Vertigo. If your doctor determines that your Vertigo symptoms are caused by a lack of Vitamin D in your diet, then you should take some steps & make changes to your diet in order to rectify it. Try including more sources of Vitamin D in your diet, like fortified milk, orange juice, canned tuna, & even egg yolks, will help give your levels of Vitamin D a boost.
Avoiding Alcohol
Alcohol makes the balance system in our body as well as the nerves carrying the signals to the brain weak, thus leading to feelings of dizziness & loss of balance.
Besides weakening the balance system in the body, alcohol also changes the composition of the fluid in the inner ear, which is essential to the flow of balance signals to & from the brain. Alcohol is also a known dehydration agent, leading to feelings of dryness in the mouth & dizziness afterward. Avoiding alcohol goes a long way towards treating multiple disorders & health troubles, not the least of which is BPPV Vertigo.