More on Vertgo

 

Please feel free to skip this if you have no interest, but I have had several people ask about my vertigo to compare it with theirs.  

This is a follow up on my blog of a couple of days ago.  I do have vertigo (well I knew that!).  My doctor thinks it has been brought on by allergies, probably because of my work with the cats. BUT  he does not want me to quit the Animal Shelter.  He thinks if I take one Claritan on the days I go to the shelter it may get me through.  Apparently it all has to do with the ear, nose and throat tubes.  The allergies cause inflammation and swelling hence the vertigo. There is an exercise I have to do.  You sit on the bed with your head dangling over the edge.  First you turn your head to one way and keeping the body flat, lie down  with your head still turned to one side, drooping over the edge.  I have to have Barry there to catch me and make sure I don't fall off the bed. I then have to wait until the swirling stops , maybe a minute or two.  Then sit up straight keeping your head turned until you are sitting upright and then turn your head to the center again.  Then you do that again only this time turning your head to the other side, lie down and wait and then sit up.  I don't recommend you do this unless you have someone with you, because when I lie on my left side the vertigo returns with such a swoosh that I have to grab Barry, even though I am not falling.  It really feels like you have been picked up and thrown across the room!.  After the worst of this I have great difficulty sitting up again.  I am also usually highly nauseous.  I have to do this once a day until the vertigo goes away which could be one - three weeks.  The upside to this is that as the day goes on the vertigo decreases and the second day I didn't throw up.  There are other similar exercises which you can find on Google called the Brandt Dorf method.  I have not found them quite so effective, but the vertigo experienced during them is not as extreme.

Below is what I wrote on my blog last year explaining what actually causes the vertigo........

"Went to the physical therapist yesterday. She explained very carefully and clearly how little 'rocks' surrounding the nerve hairs in the vestibular canal (inner and middle ear) can get dislodged causing the nerve hairs which control balance from doing their job properly. In addition, there is fluid in this canal and if you are dehydrated the fluid thickens and the hairs cannot work properly. They are supposed to sway like reeds in a stream as you turn or bend down, and then return to their normal upright position. Thickened fluid or the 'rocks' can prevent them from returning upright. Hence dizziness ensues. She did a couple of movements with my head and then I had to refrain from bending down at all for 24 hours and I had to sleep sitting up for one night."

I feel sure this is more than you want to know about vertigo!

I will post a more interesting blog tomorrow I promise.