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What treatments are available for dizziness?
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
Symptoms of BPPV include dizziness, vertigo and nausea. Generally, symptoms are bought on when the position of the head changes, for example when you get out of bed. Typically, the symptoms of BPPV do get better over time.
BPPV causes dizziness because small crystals have collected in the inner ear. The crystals are from a structure in the ear which has been damaged or worn with age. One treatment for BPPV is called the Epley manoeuvre. The aim of this procedure is to move the crystals in the ear from the sensitive part of the ear by moving the head in to different positions. The procedure must be done by someone trained to carry it out. Please contact the Brain and Spine Helpline on free phone 0808 808 100 to find out more.
Vestibular rehabilitation exercises
These exercises are designed to ‘retrain’ the balance system. They work by helping your body to compensate for the ‘altered or ‘mixed-up’ messages that are causing you to feel dizzy. The exercises are designed to put you into just the postures you find most uncomfortable. They retrain the brain to respond to signals from the healthy ear and decrease your response to the diseased ear's response. This processes is similar to when people experience sea sickness, if they travel by sea quite often their body learns to adapt to the motion of the sea and they no longer feel sea sick.
They are only suitable for some conditions that cause dizziness and balance problems. You should obtain and individual assessment from a qualified health professional, often a physiotherapist who has specialised in balance disorders, so that you do the correct exercises for your individual condition. They can also make sure you are doing the exercises properly and monitor your progress.
The exercises need to be regularly and it may take quite a few months before you notice any difference, particularly if you have had the problem for a long time. Sometimes, the exercises can make you feel dizzier and you may need to start off by only doing one exercises at a time and slowly build up to doing all of the exercises.
The exercises involved moving the head, eyes and other parts of the body. The exercises can only work if the body is able to detect that there is imbalance. They will therefore not work if you are taking anti-vertigo drugs.
Below is an example of some of the vestibular exercises are given to people to help with their dizziness. These are called the Cawthorne Cooksey exercises named after the person who invented them.
In bed or sitting
Eye movements – move the eyes slowly at first, then quickly:
- up and down
- from side to side
- focusing on finger moving from 3 feet to 1 foot away from face
Head movements at first slow, then quick, start with the eyes open and then progress to eyes closed:
- bending forward and backward
- turning from side to side
Shoulder shrugging and circling
Standing
Repeat section 1 while standing
Change from a sitting to a standing position, first with the eyes open and then with the eyes closed
- Throw a ball from hand to hand above eye level
- Throw a ball from hand to hand under the knees
- Change from sitting to standing, and turning first to one side and then to the other
Moving about
- Walk across the room with the eyes open, and then with the eyes closed
- Walk up and down a slope, eyes open and then closed
- Walk up and down steps, eyes open and then closed
- Sit up and lie down in bed
- Stand up and sit down on a chair
- Recover balance when pushed in each direction
- Throw and catch a ball
- Any game involving stooping, stretching or aiming, for example bowling
Contents
- Dizziness and balance
- What causes dizziness?
- What treatments are available for dizziness?
- Coping with dizziness
