Vertigo is dizziness often associated with nausea. Vertigo can be frustrating, debilitating, and downright annoying.
There can be many causes of vertigo. One of the most common causes is a phenomenon called Benign Positional Paroxysmal Vertigo (BPPV). Fortunately, this condition can be treated easily and often after one or few treatments vertigo is resolved.
What’s happening?
Our inner ear has three canals, called semicircular canals.
These canals contain endolymph, a fluid, which stimulates hair cells that connect to our brains. These hair cells send signals to our brain to indicate where we are in space (think 3D!). Sometimes, for no particular reason, crystals that are normally lodged in our inner ear get dislodged and float into the semicircular canals, throwing off the endolymph and thereby sending incorrect information to our brain. A mismatch of information causes vertigo.
What can we do?
A physiotherapist can help with BPPV. A proper assessment is required to determine which ear and which canal is the source of the vertigo. Then a series of movements called Canalith Repositioning Manoeuvre (aka Epley’s Maneouvre) is performed to lodge the crystal back so that it is not disrupting the endolymph anymore.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask!
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