Dizziness- what it could really be

Have you ever rolled over in bed and suddenly felt as if your bed has become a fast-moving merry-go-round?  If so, chances are you’ve experienced the most common cause of vertigo – Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV).

Benign:  Not life threatening

Paroxysmal: A sudden, brief episode

Positional: Happens in certain head positions/movements

Vertigo: A false sense of movement

BPPV happens when the motion sensors (calcium carbonate crystals) become displaced in the canals of the inner ear.  Once the crystals are in the canal, moving your head into certain positions can give your brain false information of motion.  Movements such as rolling over in bed, getting in and out of bed, lying back in the dentist’s chair or getting your hair washed at the beauty parlor can cause a room-spinning sensation.  This spinning sensation usually lasts less than one minute.  Some people will also feel a little off-balance after the spinning sensation has passed.

There is no evidence that medications are effective for BPPV.  However, in the majority of cases, BPPV can be corrected with the help of a trained Physical Therapist.  After determining which canal and ear has been affected, your vestibular (inner ear) therapist can move your head through a specific series of movements called Canalith Repositioning Maneuvers to help move the crystals back to where they’re supposed to be.  The treatment is quite effective, and BPPV can often be resolved in one to three visits.

So the next time your world goes spinning and your doctor says you have “rocks in your ear”, consider seeing a Monument Health vestibular therapist.

Jessica Schatzle, DPT is a physical therapist at Monument Health Rehabilitation in Spearfish.