If you suffer from vertigo, you might want to try the Brandt-Daroff exercise. This exercise won't work against all types of vertigo, but it may be effective against one kind of vertigo called Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), says Timothy C. Hain, M.D., in an article on Tchain.com entitled "Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo."
Function
The Brandt-Daroff exercise is called in to treat BPPV typically after office treatments such as the Epley and Semont manuevers have not worked, says Dr. Hain. These exercises are part of exercise therapy to reduce symptoms of BPPV. Symptoms include dizziness, nausea and imbalance.
Performing the Exercise
The Brandt-Daroff exercise is not like weight lifting exercises that utilize equipment like free weights or machines. The Brandt-Daroff exercise uses only your body and a flat surface like a bed. The exercise is a sequence of simple movements. All you have to do is sit on the edge of your bed and look straight forward with your knees bent and legs hanging off the bed. Then, quickly fall to your right until you are lying on your right side with your knees bent on the bed. Turn your head 45 degrees to look toward the ceiling as you fall to the right. Next, sit back up straight and then repeat on your left side. Finish one repetition by sitting up straight again.
Frequency
The Brandt-Daroff exercise must be performed daily. Dr. Hain says that you should do three sets a day of five repetitions for at least 10 days before you'll get results. Todd Troost, M.D., author of iVertigo, advises two sets a day of 10 to 20 repetitions.
Warning
The Brandt-Daroff exercise guides the ear rocks that cause BPPV out of the sensitive area of the inner ear, specifically the posterior canal, thus reducing symptoms of BPPV. It does not magically make them disappear. Therefore, it is possible though that symptoms will return. Dr. Hain warns that 30 percent of patients will experience a recurrence of BPPV within one year of doing the Brandt-Daroff exercise.
Considerations
Although the Brandt-Daroff exercise is effective for most people, it does take time. Dr. Hain says that this exercise works for 95 percent of patients, and Dr. Troost says that exercise therapy works 90 percent of the time. However, this exercise must be done consistently over time. A single treatment of the Epley maneuver in an office may treat BPPV just as well, so consider trying an office visit before going through the lengthy process of exercising at home.
