Why Do I Feel Dizzy?
Have you ever been awoken by the sensation that the room is spinning? Does lying down in bed, turning over in bed or leaning forward to pick an item off the floor cause a sensation like you have had too many to drink?
If you answer “yes” to these situations, it is possible that you are dealing with a condition known as positional vertigo (medically called Benign Proxysomal Positional Vertigo or BPPV). BPPV is an inner ear problem that affects the vestibular system. Resulting symptoms are short periods of dizziness, often described as a room spinning sensation, that are affected by certain head movements.
Often times people will deal with this type of dysfunction for weeks, months or even years, chalking up their symptoms to “just getting older.” Others will have such severity with their symptoms that they seek immediate medical intervention for fear of stroke or heart related issues. Other accompanying symptoms can include: nausea, vomiting, dizziness and loss of balance.
Diagnosis from a Physical Therapist that is trained in neurological problems, such as these, is fairly simple. The affected person is placed in a position so the treating therapist can see if certain involuntary eye movements occur, which helps to determine if it is positional vertigo, what type it is and how to treat the issue.
Just as simple as the diagnosis is, the treatment is the same. With vertigo, it is a matter of going through a few head positions to help correct the inner ear problem. The issue can typically be resolved within 1-4 sessions.
These vestibular system symptoms are not something that you have to live with. There can be an answer to your question, “Why do I feel dizzy?” For more information, contact the Physical Therapy Department at the Buchanan County Health Center. Article written by Kelly Harrold, DPT.