5 Steps to Surviving a Positional Vertigo Attack

Do you remember the first time you had a BPPV (also called positional vertigo) attack? Did you see a doctor to get immediate vertigo relief in Boise ID? It surely was a terrifying experience. Anything unfamiliar and out of your body’s control--like the sudden spinning sensation of vertigo--can make you feel unwell in an instant.

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) can send a chill down your spine, but it is not as severe as you might think. The word benign in its name is a dead giveaway that BPPV is not that serious and lethal of a condition. However, the symptoms it causes to your body can be bothering and tormenting.

This blog will guide you on managing BPPV when its symptoms start to attack. However, before we get to the management tips, let us first understand what BPPV is and how it affects your inner ear.
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A Rundown of BPPV

When finding vertigo relief in Boise ID, you must first know what is causing your debilitating vertigo. One of the top inner ear diseases that cause episodes of vertigo is BPPV. 

Loose Ear Crystals Are Said to Cause BPPV

The inner ear works to keep our balance and help us hear. BPPV exists when ear rocks or calcium crystals move away from the utricle (part of the ear responsible for sensory reception) and stay in the center canal of the inner ear--where they shouldn’t be.

As the crystals come loose and try to settle in the wrong region in the inner ear, the brain gets false messages from your ear that you are violently rotating. You start to feel the effect when you move your head or turn your body too suddenly. That’s why many feel an attack when they roll over in bed or look up or down.

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Take These Steps to Overcome BPPV Attacks

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo can bring a whole lot of unpleasant feelings. Although the condition is benign, its vertigo symptoms can cause panic, anxiety, and stress--especially when the attack happens in public. 

If you are worried about how you can escape BPPV’s debilitating effects, then these tips can help you. 

1. Don’t panic but be aware
Vertigo attacks can cause intense fear and panic. Panic may then lead to stress, making your condition much worse. So, if you experience a BPPV attack in public or at home, be sure to stay calm. For a brief moment, you may think that the spinning sensation won’t stop, but remember that it will only last for a couple of seconds to a minute. So, what shall you do instead? 

Calmy stabilize and rest your head. Then, fix the focus of your eyes to one thing. These will help relieve the whirling feeling quickly.
 
2. Ask for help
If you have a vertigo attack anywhere and you can’t afford to get up, try asking for help. This tip is essential, especially if the attack occurs in public or when you are alone. If you are not comfortable asking for help from a loved one or a stranger, try calling a healthcare provider. They know best how to help you manage your symptoms. Your doctor or physical therapist can also prescribe exercises and medications that are appropriate for your BPPV. 

3. Pull over when you happen to be driving
Many patients with BPPV are unprepared for sudden vertigo attacks while driving. Driving with poor vision at night can cause eye strain and loss of focus. These things can cause stress and make the brain exhausted, leading to feelings of vertigo.

So, when you start to feel your body getting light and your vision getting blurry, be sure to pull over immediately. Do this before your vertigo episode to avoid further harm on the road. Additionally, you can call a friend or a family member to drive you back to your place for a safer ride.
 
4. Perform Epley maneuver at home 
The Epley maneuver is an excellent and simple exercise to manage BPPV at home. It aims to move the calcium crystals back to their original position in the inner ear. Performing this exercise can then relieve vertigo symptoms caused by BPPV.
 
5. Get upper cervical chiropractic care
Getting upper cervical chiropractic care is a form of therapy that can keep your BPPV symptoms at bay. This precise, safe, and gentle way of addressing the root cause of BPPV offers vertigo relief in Boise ID. An upper cervical chiropractor corrects a common underlying cause of vertigo--a misalignment in the upper neck.
 
The C1 and C2 bones in the upper neck can misalign due to an injury, disc degeneration, and even stress. Your upper neck and inner ear are closely related to each other. Therefore, any problem in the upper neck can affect the function of your inner ear. Neck adjustments facilitated by an upper cervical chiropractor can correct this error and lead you back to optimal health.

 
The Secret to Getting Vertigo Relief in Boise ID
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Upper cervical chiropractic care can be the natural and long-lasting solution for BPPV. This care is available here at Upper Cervical Health Centers Boise. We have an excellent team who can provide your upper neck the relief and care it deserves. Dr. Grayson Blom is committed to restoring your health and giving you another shot at living a vertigo-free life.
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Take the first step towards relief. Set a consultation with us. You may book an appointment or call our office at (208) 559-0541.


To schedule a consultation with Dr. Blom, call 208-559-0541, or just click the button below.​