Contents:
- Medical Video: Carol Foster, MD Vertigo Treatment Oct 11
- What is the Epley maneuver?
- The guide to Epley maneuvers to treat symptoms of vertigo
Medical Video: Carol Foster, MD Vertigo Treatment Oct 11
Vertigo can instantly cripple and make you helpless. Vertigo is often described as a spinning and floating sensation. You will feel your own body or the world around you spinning randomly irregularly when vertigo attacks suddenly. This sensation can cause extreme dizziness, ringing in the ears, and severe nausea and vomiting. Symptoms of vertigo can be resolved immediately by taking special medicine for vertigo. But you also have to master special techniques to deal with vertigo, if someday you forget to bring drugs or drugs can not be reached once the disease has relapsed. One effective maneuver to overcome vertigo is Epley's maneuver.
What is the Epley maneuver?
Epley's maneuver is a set of movements to treat the symptoms of vertigo in the type of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV).
BPPV type vertigo occurs when the head position changes, so that it shakes a special crystal liquid called a canal inside the inner ear canal, which is in charge of helping you maintain balance. When you change position quickly (for example lying down to sit), the crystals in this ear change position, giving rise to the sensation of spinning dizziness called vertigo. BPPV is a type of vertigo that is quite common. About 17 percent of the total cases of vertigo are caused by BPPV.
This maneuver is designed to improve the position of the head following the gravitational force so that the symptoms of vertigo can subside by itself, without the consumption of drugs. This position can balance the state of fluid in the ear back to normal. Epley's maneuver effectively cures more than 90% of cases of vertigo due to BPPV. Research shows there are no side effects from this therapy.
Given its very specific purpose, the Epley maneuver is not recommended for treating vertigo other than BPPV. Therefore, consult a doctor first about what is the exact cause of your vertigo before carrying out this maneuver.
The guide to Epley maneuvers to treat symptoms of vertigo
Epley's maneuver is considered safe, effective and efficient in handling BPPV. Epley's maneuver can be done alone at home, but it will be more effective if you have been guided first by a doctor.
The following are general guidelines for Epley maneuvers that are usually taught by doctors:
If the source of vertigo comes from the left ear side:
- Sit on the edge of the bed with your legs straight forward. Tilt your head to 45º to the left (don't touch the shoulder). Place a soft pillow under you so that when you lie down, the pillow will narrow between your shoulders instead of under your head.
- With one fast motion, lying down (with your head on the bed but still tilted 45º). The pillow should be under the shoulder. The position of your head will hang slightly on the edge of the pillow. Wait 30-120 seconds until the symptoms of vertigo stop.
- Put your head 90º to the right without lifting it. Wait 30-120 seconds.
- Change the position of the head and body to sideways to the right, so you look at the floor. Wait 30-120 seconds until the symptoms subside.
- If vertigo comes from the right ear, reverse the instructions above.
After that, change your last position very, very slowly to a sitting position or a comfortable lying position. But stay in bed for a few minutes. Remember: rapid and sudden movements can make symptoms recur.
While resting to recover, prop up your head with 2 to 3 pillows so that the head is in a 45 degree position. If the symptoms have not dissolved after a set of maneuvers have been done, you may repeat it from the beginning.
