{"id":4121,"date":"2019-08-29T03:23:59","date_gmt":"2019-08-29T08:23:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/esterlund.com\/blog\/?p=4121"},"modified":"2019-08-29T03:23:59","modified_gmt":"2019-08-29T08:23:59","slug":"bppv-head-trauma-causing-vertigo-why-loose-ear-crystals-make-you-dizzy-and-how-to-fix-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/esterlund.com\/blog\/bppv-head-trauma-causing-vertigo-why-loose-ear-crystals-make-you-dizzy-and-how-to-fix-them\/","title":{"rendered":"BPPV: Head TRAUMA CAUSING VERTIGO&#8230;.. Why Loose Ear Crystals Make You Dizzy and How to Fix Them"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"474\" height=\"356\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/9SLm76jQg3g?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/bppv-why-loose-ear-crystals-make-you-dizzy-and-how-to-fix-them\/\">You may feel dizzy, or just lightheaded and unsteady<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019re rolling over to your right in bed, when suddenly the room starts rolling over, too. For a couple of days, the world spins each time you turn to the right \u2014 until the sensation fades away on its own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The condition, called&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/diseases\/11858-benign-paroxysmal-positional-vertigo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">benign paraoxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)<\/a>, is downright scary because it takes you by surprise. And the dizziness, lightheadedness and nausea left in its wake will keep you from working and doing normal activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cEpisodes of BPPV can last for a few seconds, a few days, a few weeks or a few months,\u201d explains neurologist&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/staff\/4127\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Neil Cherian, MD,<\/a>&nbsp;a dizziness expert. \u201cBecause BPPV is so common and so fleeting, it\u2019s hard to get good data on its incidence.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What are ear crystals, anyway?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>At the root of the problem are tiny calcium crystals that sense gravity, found within the chambers of the inner ear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cImagine a hill with blades of grass, and on top of each blade is a crystal,\u201d explains Dr. Cherian. \u201cTogether, these crystals form an interconnected matrix. Whenever the blades of grass move, so do the crystals.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The blades of glass represent cilia, hair-like processes that are attached to tiny nerves in your inner ear. When the crystals move, it stimulates the nerves to fire, which tells the brain your head is moving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This crystal matrix serves as a reliable motion-sensing map \u2014 until crystals break free, drifting into one of the ear\u2019s three semicircular \u201cbalance\u201d canals, and create havoc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why do loose crystals make you dizzy?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Normally, the fluid in the semicircular canals and the small, direction-sensing cupula in your inner ear move only when your head moves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen the crystals are all connected, the fluid in the canals settles down as soon as your head stops moving,\u201d says Dr. Cherian. \u201cBut when the crystals are disconnected, they keep moving in the fluid for up to a few seconds afterward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThen your brain has to figure out, \u2018Why is there movement when I don\u2019t see it?\u2019 And that is what&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/feeling-dizzy-how-to-manage-your-vertigo-improve-your-balance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">makes you dizzy<\/a>.\u201d&nbsp;The fact that your eyes continue to move in response to this false cue gives doctors another way to confirm that you have BPPV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Three factors make it more likely that ear crystals may loosen:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Age over 65 years.<\/li><li>Head injury.<\/li><li>Viral inner ear infections.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>You don\u2019t need expensive tests to get a diagnosis of BPPV. Your doctor can diagnose it based on your pattern of symptoms and a medical evaluation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How do you fix loose crystals?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A doctor or vestibular physical therapist (PT) can show you how to do self-repositioning exercises at home. Collectively called the Epley maneuver, they move the ear crystals back into place, and are easy to do on a bed or on the floor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen done in a medical setting,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC202288\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the success rate for these exercises is up to 90 percent<\/a>,\u201d says Dr. Cherian. \u201cSo doing them properly on your own can be quite effective for BPPV.\u201d He adds that, once your BPPV clears, the exercises should stop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the Epley maneuver isn\u2019t helping you, it may be because:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>You have too many loose crystals.<\/li><li>Crystals have drifted into more than one semicircular canal.<\/li><li>Both of your ears are affected.<\/li><li>You\u2019ve got technical issues (e.g., the wrong ear or wrong method of treatment).<\/li><li>Your dizziness has a different cause.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>In these cases, seek help from an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist \u2014 or go straight to a vestibular PT, who can diagnose and treat BPPV. They can put you through additional exercises to move the crystals back into place<em>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do ear crystals always cause vertigo?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Having loose crystals in your ear doesn\u2019t necessarily make the room spin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMany patients with BPPV don\u2019t even feel dizzy \u2014 just lightheaded, unsteady or a bit \u2018off\u2019 \u2014 but when we test for crystals in the office, there they are,\u201d says Dr. Cherian.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He notes that it\u2019s possible to have leftover crystals without knowing it if you consistently avoid turning your head in the direction that triggered your symptoms. But the goal of the exercises is to get you back to fully normal function.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is there a cure for BPPV?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Cherian tells patients that BPPV is like the common cold. \u201cWe can identify it, and we can get you out of it sooner, but we can\u2019t&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/can-immune-boosters-with-vitamin-c-or-zinc-help-my-cold\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">prevent it<\/a>,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The outlook for BPPV is hard to predict from one person to the next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If symptoms are related to head trauma, and diminish as you heal, you may have fewer problems over time, he notes. If not, mastering the Epley maneuver will allow you to quickly stop the spinning sensations and lightheadedness when crystals get loose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, if you get so nauseous that you can\u2019t hold down liquids, or if weakness, numbness, tingling or changes in vision occur, \u201cseek help sooner rather than later,\u201d stresses Dr. Cherian. \u201cThese could signal a more serious problem,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/pages.clevelandclinic.org\/stroke-index.html?_ga=2.190214892.671092298.1541427599-1598461662.1523459502\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">such as stroke<\/a>.\u201d<a href=\"https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/bppv-why-loose-ear-crystals-make-you-dizzy-and-how-to-fix-them\/#\"><br>\n\n<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You may feel dizzy, or just lightheaded and unsteady You\u2019re rolling over to your right in bed, when suddenly the room starts rolling over, too. For a couple of days, the world spins each time you turn to the right \u2014 until the sensation fades away on its own. The condition, called&nbsp;benign paraoxysmal positional vertigo &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/esterlund.com\/blog\/bppv-head-trauma-causing-vertigo-why-loose-ear-crystals-make-you-dizzy-and-how-to-fix-them\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">BPPV: Head TRAUMA CAUSING VERTIGO&#8230;.. Why Loose Ear Crystals Make You Dizzy and How to Fix Them<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/esterlund.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4121"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/esterlund.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/esterlund.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/esterlund.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/esterlund.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4121"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/esterlund.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4121\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4122,"href":"https:\/\/esterlund.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4121\/revisions\/4122"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/esterlund.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4121"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/esterlund.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4121"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/esterlund.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4121"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}