Category: Epley Maneuver

Getting Rid Of Vertigo With The Epley Maneuver

Being dizzy is never fun, but if you experience it without warning and during normal times of the day, you know just how miserable it can make you. Vertigo is serious and can impede everyday life. You can’t drive or even function sometimes when you are dizzy. There are a number of things you can try to get rid of your symptoms, but one of the simplest and most effective is the Epley Maneuver.

What Is The Epley Maneuver?

This maneuver is an exercise you can do at home, in the office, or anywhere else to help you get rid of dizziness. If you have visited your ENT doctor and you know you have vertigo issues because of your inner ear, this maneuver can help alleviate the symptoms. The inner ear problem known as BPPV occurs when calcium crystals end up in the canals. When the crystals are dislodged and move around, it can make you feel dizzy. The Epley Maneuver can remove the crystals from the ear canals and alleviate your dizziness. If you have noticed that certain head movements make you dizzy, the Epley Maneuver could be a great way to find relief. Some people get relief right away while others still have symptoms for a few weeks. Either way, the Epley Maneuver is easy for anyone to try and it’s worth giving it a shot before you move on to medication or other elements to alleviate your vertigo.

Performing The Epley Maneuver

You may have to perform the maneuver twice if you have problems in both ears, but you will follow the same basic steps, just on the opposite side. First, you will sit on the floor or a bed with your legs straight in front of you. Turn your head at a 45-degree angle to the right. If your symptoms are worse when you turn your head to the right, then lie back and keep your head turned for the next 30 seconds. Next, turn your head to the left until it’s 45 degrees in the other direction and wait another half minute. Roll onto your side before you try to sit up and see how things feel. If your symptoms are worse on the left, then you should turn your head to the left first.

Succeeding With The Epley Maneuver

People who suffer from BPPV have the most success if they have an ENT doctor show them how to perform the moves. They may even practice in front of the doctor to ensure they have everything right. The symptoms might clear right away, but if not, you may need to do the moves again. If you have any neck or back injuries, you may not be able to move effectively to do the motions correctly. Check with your doctor before you aggravate an old injury. You don’t want to end up with another issue.

Getting ENT Help

If you already know you have BPPV, contact Breathe Clear for help with the Epley Maneuver. If you experience vertigo and you aren’t sure what’s causing it, we can help get to the bottom of your issues.

What Is The Epley Maneuver And How Does It Work?

If you have ever been dizzy, you know how miserable you feel. Having dizzy spells can cause you to feel sick and limit your activities. It can affect your everyday life and what you can and cannot do. No one wants to live with constant dizzy spells, but depending on the cause, simple maneuvers can help bring relief.

The Most Common Cause Of Dizziness

BPPV, or benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, is the most common cause of dizzy spells. This happens when calcium crystals get loose in the ear canal. You might feel dizzy when you stand up or when you tilt your head a certain direction. People who are over the age of 60 are the most likely to become afflicted with BPPV, but it is the easiest type of dizziness to treat.

What To Ask The Doctor About Treatment

Before you get into medications and possible surgery, it is a good idea to find out what issue you have and which ear has the problem. If you indeed do have BPPV, you can get relief through using certain maneuvers. While the internet is full of information, you will want to get instructions on how to get relief at home directly from your doctor.

Expectations For The Epley Maneuver

When you speak with your doctor, you may get recommendations for the Epley Maneuver. This can help you get relief both in the office and at home. The doctor will tell you to sit on the edge of your bed and turn your heat 45 degrees to the left (if your vertigo comes from the left ear.) You will put a pillow under you and lie down so the pillow is between your shoulders and not under your head. You will wait for any vertigo to stop and then you will turn your head 90 degrees to the right without raising it and wait for 30 seconds. Then you will turn your head and body on its side to the right so you can see the floor for another half a minute. You will next slowly sit up, but remain on the bed for a few moments. The doctor might recommend that you do this maneuver three times before you go to bed every night until you go 24 hours without feeling dizzy.

Who Came Up With The Epley Maneuver?

Dr. John Epley is a Portland ear surgeon who devised this simple cure plan that can help patients avoid surgery and correct their issues. The plan didn’t come easily as many in the medical field were skeptical once he came up with the idea. But after testing and trials, people were finding relief from their BPPV when using the maneuver.

Get The Help You Need

Whether you have BPPV or another vertigo ailment, you don’t want to live that way. Contact Breathe Clear Institute and let’s get to the bottom of what is making you dizzy so we can find the proper treatment for it.

What Is The Epley Maneuver?

If you have vertigo of a particular kind (BPPV), the Epley maneuver, or canalith repositioning maneuver as it is sometimes called, can help free the floating particles that are affected in the semicircular canal. They can be relocated somewhere else, relieving patients of their vertigo. The maneuver is often performed by a therapist, doctor, or Physician Assistant in order to ensure it is done correctly. The maneuver was developed in 1980 and has been modified and improved since then for even more successful results.

Epley Maneuver Background

The overall goal of this procedure is to restore equilibrium to the vestibular system, or the semicircular canal. The Epley Maneuver treats symptoms that go along with Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). When free floating Otoconia crystals get displaced from the otolithic membrane, it can cause disequilibrium. The displacement of these crystals, along with slight head movements will send signals to the brain that start to cause the sensation of vertigo.

Do You Need It?

If you are considering the Epley maneuver, you probably are plagued by vertigo and are ready for relief. The maneuver, you will be happy to hear, is quick and virtually painless. If you have BPPV, it is certainly something to seriously consider. It doesn’t take all that long, with just 10 different sequences and positions, and it can be repeated multiple times. You might be dizzy during the process, but the dizziness will subside.

Post-Treatment Advice

Once you have the treatment, you might want to wear a soft collar to avoid tilting your head too far in either direction that could displace the otoconia again. You will also want to be careful about bending over, lying on your back, moving your head up and down or tilting it to either side. You will want to sleep semi-recumbent for two nights with your head flat and upright, perhaps in an easy chair reclined back. You can take the soft collar off on occasion if you are careful about how you move. You will also want to move your head in horizontal manners to prevent stiff neck muscles from occurring later. The maneuver will be more successful if the post treatment advice is adhered to so everything settles into place elsewhere and doesn’t lodge in the wrong region again.

Get The Right Help

If you need to know what the best treatment options are for you, it is a good idea to seek professional help, like that available at the Breathe Clear Institute. If you have vertigo and you want to give the Epley maneuver a try, talk to your doctor. If you don’t know what type of vertigo you have, it is best to get a diagnosis before you make your mind up about any treatment. Feel free to reach out to us so we can get started finding you the right type of relief. It’s important for the quality of your life to find a solution to your vertigo. We look forward to getting started.