BPV

This what has been happening to me today:

"Benign positional vertigo (BPV)-or simply vertigo-is a disorder of the inner ear. You feel a sudden sensation of movement or spinning when you move your head or hold it in a certain position.

The inner ear is located within your skull and consists of the cochlea, a chamber shaped like a snail shell, where sound is transformed to nerve signals for the brain, and 3 semi-circular canals that function like a gyroscope, relaying information about head position and movement to the brain.

The semicircular canals contain fluid and special sensors that, when disturbed, inform the brain of a change in head position. It is thought that when you have BPV small particles become dislodged within the inner ear and then bounce around when your head moves, triggering faulty signals that your head is still moving even after it stops. This sensation of movement or imbalance when you are not moving is called vertigo, the primary symptom of benign positional vertigo."

Every time I move my head, I get dizzy which, of course, means I have had an upset stomach all day. I have had this a few times before and as dizzy spells go, this is a mild one. I have tried dramamine but it only works for about three hours. I really hope that this is is like the other I have and will be gone, or almost gone by tomorrow. There is actually something I can do about this and it works pretty well, From the web site —-

"You may try some home therapy exercises that are meant to disburse the inner ear particles that are causing the trouble or desensitize the inner ear nerves that are being stimulated. The following are called the positional exercises of Brandt and Daroff. You will feel vertigo while doing these, but with each repetition, the severity and duration should decrease.

• Sit on the edge of the bed near the middle, with legs hanging down.
• Turn head 45° to right side.
• Quickly lie down on left side, with head still turned, and touch the bed with portion of the head behind the ear.
• Maintain this position and every subsequent position for about 30 seconds.
• Sit up again.
• Quickly lie down to right side after turning head 45° toward the left side.
• Sit up again.
• Do 6-10 repetitions, 3 times per day."

QUOTATIONS:

"There is only one success – to be able to spend your life in your own way."

Christopher Darlington Morley (1890-1957)