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For some people, it can be an overwhelming and sometimes scary experience.
“For a person experiencing vertigo, it can be so debilitating. They don’t know when
they’re going to have the attack, how bad it’s going to be,” cautions Physical Therapist,
Nathalie Grondin.
Vertigo can happen at any second. That spinning, tilting, falling feeling, when
you aren’t even moving. “If you say your vertigo happens when you roll in bed or
lie down in bed and its lasts just a few seconds, that’s a very classic history of the most common reason elederly people have vertigo. Its called benign paroxysmal
positional vertigo, or BPPV,” explains Grondin.
Doctors are reporting more cases of this in recent years. BPPV is when calcium stones
also known as crystals; get out of alignment in the inner ear. “Sometimes they get
dislodged and they may start traveling in one of these semi-circular canals. When
that happens, if a person moves their head in the position like this, of the semi-circular
canal, it causes additional movement. The brain reads additional movement and it
creates a conflict, and it says vertigo,” adds Grondin.
BPPV often strikes in people over 65. Treatment is usually quick and easy with simple
head exercises. Staying active can also keep it from returning. “But if they go
home and do nothing, have a sendentary lifestyle don’t do anything to move their
head, chances are, their abilities are going to decline and we’ll probably see them
one or 2 years later,” warns Grondin.
BPPV is not a serious condition, but it can be frustrating for those who do experience
it. Your doctor can usually detect it in a regular physical examination. |
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