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Vertigo is the sense of you or your environment spinning, or inmovement, while you are standing still. The most common cause ofvertigo is benign paroxysmal positional vertigo which occurs whenthere is a certain change in your head position, like tipping thehead up or down. benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is rarelyserious unless it increases the risk of you falling.
Benign Paroxysmal Positional VertigoSymptoms
Also known as BPPV, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo,symptoms include brief episodes of mild to intense dizziness thattend to arise without reason. The signs and symptoms of benignparoxysmal positional vertigo include the following:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Loss of balance or unsteadiness
- Dizziness
- A sense that you or your surroundings are spinning or moving(vertigo)
The symptoms associated with benign paroxysmal positionalvertigo can come and go, usually lasting no more than a minute at atime. In addition, episodes of benign paroxysmal positional vertigocan disappear for a while before reoccurring.
Certain activities can trigger your benign paroxysmal positionalvertigo symptoms, but these activities can be different foreveryone. Most of the time, a change in the head position cantrigger benign paroxysmal positional vertigo as well as feeling outof balance as you stand or while walking.
Nystagmus, abnormal eye movements, is commonly seenwith benign paroxysmal positional vertigo symptoms. This is avision condition in which the eyes make repetitive, uncontrollablemovements that can result in reduced vision and depth perception –further affecting your balance and coordination. These eyemovements may occur in a circular pattern, move side to side, or upand down.
When it comes to daily life, benign paroxysmal positionalvertigo can interrupt many tasks throughout the day and change yourquality of life. Not only can benign paroxysmal positional vertigoaffect your emotional state but can have an effect on yourfunctional and physical aspects as well.
Quality of Life Changes
When living with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, it is notunusual to feel depressed because of the issue or affect confidencewhen an episode occurs in public. There are little triggers thatcan be easily overlooked by those who have never encountered BPPVand this can sometimes be troubling for both the person living withBPPV and the person around them.
Some sufferers may experience additional stress placed on theirfamily and friend relationships. This is can be because of avariety of reasons:
- Trouble in the strenuous yard or housework
- Occurs during vigorous activities such as sports, dancing, orchores
- Walking outside increases the symptoms of BPPV
- Difficulty in concentration
- Restriction in traveling in fear of episodes
- Restrict self in participating in social activities (movies,parties, dinner, etc.)
It is easy for life with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo tobecome frustrating and make you feel depressed. To many sufferers,it feels like they are missing out on many opportunities orconstantly feel interrupted with their episodes.
Even though benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is rarelyserious, it can still take a toll on how you feel and how you liveyour daily life.
What Causes Benign Paroxysmal PositionalVertigo?
The cause of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo lies withinyour inner ear. An organ called the vestibular labyrinth includesthree semicircular canal structures containing fluid and fine,hair-like sensors.
These structures observe your head rotation while the otolithorgans located in the ear overlook your head’s movements and itsrelation to gravity. Within these otolith organs reside crystalsthat make you susceptible to gravity.
Due to various reasons such as the natural aging process,injury, or condition, the crystals in the otolith organs can bedislocated and move into one of the semicircular canals located inthe vestibular labyrinth.
When this happens, this can cause the semicircular canal torespond to changes in your head position that it will typically notreact to. It is this response that can make you feel dizzy andcause benign paroxysmal positional vertigo to occur.
Natural BPPV Relief
The good news is there is a natural treatment option for thosefighting benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Since the cause lieswithin the inner ear, it only makes sense to go with a naturaltreatment option that will help your inner ear.
To relieve BPPV, the common treatment options are canalithrepositioning and surgical procedures. However, there is anothertreatment option many patients have found great success in calledupper cervical adjustments.
Upper cervical adjustments are a type of chiropractic that,unlike other chiropractic, most of us are familiar with, focuses onthe area located beneath the base of your skull. In upper cervicaladjustments, very gentle, precise movements are used to help adjustyour upper cervical spine to remove interference.
There is no “cracking” of the bones involved in this type ofchiropractic.
Unlike the rest of your spine, the upper cervical area protectsyour brain stem. When there is a misalignment in the upper cervicalarea, the vertebrae can apply pressure onto the brain stem anddistort your body’s signals and natural functions.
Correcting your upper cervical spine will remove any pressurepressed upon your brain stem – allowing your brain and body tocommunicate effectively to repair and heal itself.
What does this have to do with benign paroxysmal positionalvertigo? Well, when adjustments are made to the upper cervicalspine, this helps readjust the structure of your ear and thecrystals of the ear can fall back into place.
Many patients who suffered from benign paroxysmal positionalvertigo have seen astounding results from upper cervicaladjustments in as little as one treatment even after surgery. Thisis because although surgery can help relieve some symptoms, it doesnot take care of the underlying problem that has caused yourcrystals within the ear to fall out of line in the first place.
Depending on the severity of the misalignment, more adjustmentsmay be needed. However, the goal of the upper cervical chiropractorremains the same: To adjust the body as little as possible until itheals and repairs itself enough to hold the correction on itsown.
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