“Will the exercises help prevent vertigo as well as treat it?”
Back in January 2019, I developed a whooshing sound in my left ear. Over the next several months I had 4 episodes of severe dizziness with spinning and nausea (each episode lasted about three minutes and then went away). After the fourth episode, I remained dizzy and lightheaded for a week and it progressively got worse, so I went to a health clinic and I was diagnosed with BPPV in December 2019. I was told that it was caused by untreated ear infections that had scarred my left ear. I was told by a doctor to do the Epley Maneuver for a few days and to take Meclizine. Both of these things seemed to work pretty well and my vertigo went away. Unfortunately, my vertigo symptoms came back this week and lasted for three to four days. It was absolutely horrible. Everything was spinning non-stop and I got really nauseous. I also noticed that I have ringing in my left ear now as well. I did the Epley Maneuver exercises again, but this time they didn't work. Also, I took more Meclizine and it didn't seem effective either. So, I google other exercises and tried some of those and finally, I got better. My question is, is it normal for vertigo to keep coming back? Is there any way to prevent vertigo? Will the exercises help prevent vertigo as well as treat it? Also, even though my vertigo symptoms are gone, I still have the whooshing and ringing noises in my left ear. Is this normal? Thanks in advance for your help and advice.
Female | 31 years old
Complaint duration: 1 year
Conditions: Vertigo
3 Answers
Vertigo and dizziness can be confusing. BPPV is from dislocated 'otoiths' from the semicircular canals. BPPV is characterized by 'vertigo' (spinning dizziness) lasting for seconds to minutes that can be stimulated by some positional change of the head. A Dix Hallpike Maneuver tests for this problem by looking at the eyes for 'geotropic nystagmus'. The Eply's maneuver will treat this problem. The home exercises you should be doing are called the Brandt Daroff exercises. BPPV is more likely to recur in people who have had it before. Doing the exercises will not necessarily prevent another episode if you are not having symptoms.
If you are having episodes of vertigo lasting hours with nausea and tinnitus, that is likely something else. Possibly 'vestibular neuronitis' or 'vestibular labarynthitis', or a vestibular migraine, or even menieres disease. This needs to be discussed with an ENT to diagnose, since it can be possibly treated with steroids. MOST IMPORTANTLY you need an audiogram to determine if you are having hearing loss from these episodes.
If you are having episodes of vertigo lasting hours with nausea and tinnitus, that is likely something else. Possibly 'vestibular neuronitis' or 'vestibular labarynthitis', or a vestibular migraine, or even menieres disease. This needs to be discussed with an ENT to diagnose, since it can be possibly treated with steroids. MOST IMPORTANTLY you need an audiogram to determine if you are having hearing loss from these episodes.
Your pattern of vertigo may represent something other than BPPV. BPPV does not present with hearing loss, ringing, whooshing, or ear fullness. Episodes typically do not last more than a minute or two. You may be experiencing vestibular migraine or Ménière’s disease. A standard workup by an ENT for these symptoms would typically include a hearing and balance test.
Matthew Vajen
Matthew Vajen
You may have Menieries disease. Get an audiology test and see. If that's the case treatment could eliminate your problem.
