Most conditions associated with the intense dizziness known as vertigo are benign. In many cases, dizziness is caused by problems associated with the inner ear. Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is the most common type of vertigo experience. According to the Merck Manuals, head movements, such as bending over, can trigger acute vertigo. Some individuals feel off balance when they move to a standing position or when they walk. The condition often affects individuals as they grow older.
Treatment
Medication usually is not recommended as a treatment for vertigo, as the side effects of many drugs can worsen the symptoms. In rare cases, surgery is needed to correct inner ear problems. Canalith repositioning involves the use of simple and slow maneuvers used to treat vertigo. Maneuvers require repositioning the head to move free-floating particles of debris from the semicircular canals of the ear into the vestibule that houses the utricle, one of the organs of the ear. You must continue to hold the positions for 30 seconds after all symptoms cease. Following treatment, you should not lie flat for the remainder of the day. MayoClinic.com recommends elevating your head during sleep for at least the first night following the procedure so that floating particles can settle into the vestibule of the ear.
Semont Maneuver
The Semont maneuver is often used to treat vertigo when the problem affects just one ear. You will be asked to sit up in the middle of a bed or exam table. The doctor or therapist treating you will move your head toward the ear that is not affected. You must then lie down on the side of the affected ear, still rotating your head toward the unaffected ear with your nose pointing up. The position is held for three minutes before you are moved upright and lowered back down on your other side with your nose pointing downward. Once more, you must hold the position for three minutes before you are allowed to slowly sit upright again and move your head back to its normal position.
Assessment
A physical therapist will take your health history and observe your posture and movements. After gathering all the necessary information, the therapist can create a plan for you to help your brain properly process signals from the vestibular position. You will initially go through the exercises with the therapist and then have a home-based plan that you can perform on your own.
Physical Therapy
In physical therapy, you will also learn proper posture techniques, as correct neck posture is important for the treatment of vertigo. When you get sick with the flu or other illness, your body can forget what it learned to compensate for inner ear problems, which is called decompensation. Vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT) teaches patients exercises that can be used to help the central nervous system in compensating for inner ear problems.
