I have inner ear trouble, which can run in families. Males are more likely to have than females - but try telling me and my sister that.

Demifloyd will come around, I hope, and tell you about her (ear) crystals and the procedure that helped. I don't have crystals. ENT says mine is more due to allergies/sinus even though I'm not sneezing or stuffy.

Cut down on/out salt and caffeine. Drink more water. Sleep elevated just a little, even when you're feeling better. I cannot sleep on my left side more than a few hours and not any earlier in the night than 5am, so else I feel "off" all day.

I have the same, vertigo though. It comes and goes. My internist had me take over the counter motion sickness pills. Be careful with these, as they can make you goofy with too high of a dose. And not sure if they work since mine is spotty as to when it occurs.

Got to thinking about this issue and realized that a season would make it worse. Which lead to possible allergies, which I have never had in any form. Five years ago I went to an ENT which did the neck/head maneuver (can't remember the name), it did nothing. I told them they probably just got rid of the "rocks" in my head.

Internist, neuro, ENT...none have an explanation. If you find one, would be interested. Oh, vision problems was suggested too.

Is it benign positional vertigo? Have you seen an ENT yet? I had it, and it was diagnosed by an ENT. In my case, it went away before I needed treatment. I have had episodes a handful of times in my life, but not in recent years.

A friend of mine recently had a bad fall and hit his head, and after recovering, he was left with this same condition. His doctor did some sort of thing where he quickly moved his head from one position to another -- I'm sure it was more complex than this, but I didn't get every detail other than it was "very quick" -- and he said it was like magic, the dizziness went away immediately and never came back. So I would suggest seeing an ENT if you haven't already.

Thanks for the replies, I have not seen an ENT yet, doc wanted therapy first so they could teach me the maneuvers to dislodge the crystals in the inner ear. I am kind of worried that he is not sending me to a doctor for this but a therapist..I will be sure to ask if they have been trained in this.

I will try anything if it helps as I can no longer sleep on my right side, lay my head in any flat position, tilt it forward or backward with out losing my balance. This is way different from the typical room spinning episodes I have had in the past. I will try sleeping elevated tonight and see if it makes a difference. Weird part with all this is since it started my brain is "foggy" I don't know how else to explain..the thought process is not clear.

Sueb20, I have a friend that also had that done and he said it was a miracle. He had positional vertigo and the procedure is called the "Epley Maneuver."

He said the dizziness just completely vanished after one session and hasn't returned.

I was really interested in it because I used to have positional vertigo but it went away after I lost weight. My doctor thought that it may have gone away due to my increased physical activity than the actual weight loss. Anyway, I took note of this procedure just in case the vertigo came back.

Here is a YouTube video of the procedure:

Here is a link that might be useful: How to do the Epley Maneuver

I've been battling dizziness for 5 1/2 years now ever since I went on a cruise and got Mal de Barquement.

The worst symptoms disappeared after 3 months but I've never been the same since. I just went through a bunch of testing and an MRI and my diagnosis is otolithic dysfunction.

And yes I'm doing vestibular therapy for it ....

Definitely go see a physio therapist who can do the Epley Maneuver. It's a very quick fix if that's your problem. Unfortunately it's not mine. I've had the EP done to me 3 or 4 times. It's quick and painless, nothing to fear.

That's terrible, Dawn8b. I've never heard of Mal de Barquement.

With inner ear troubles, I always need a window seat and I dislike cruises.

Does everyone hear with ear troubles also get a lot of headaches and/or migraines?

My day/law is a physical therapist & has been trained in treating these vestibular problems. She has worked with people with the crystal problem. Just make sure the PT they send you to has been trained to do all of this. I think an ENT referral would be good, too, possibly before the PT. Good luck with this!

I have migraines and so does my sister-her dizzy spells are related to or are more frequent when she gets headaches. Thanks for posting the YT videos I checked a lot of them out them out.

@Dawn-how horrible I could not imagine I hope the therapy helps you cope with it.

I also have BPV, and, fortunately, I can go years between attacks. I had one back in January of this year, though. I have been able to ward a couple off since then with the Epley maneuever. It really does help.

Yes, there are special therapists for this. Either physical therapists or people with special neuro training.

I do get headaches, but they are menstrual/hormonal related.

Not eager to go on a cruise after hearing all this.

Thought I would post a follow up..had it done last Wednesday and although the procedure is short the room spun and spun and I was so sick afterwards..extreme nausea for the rest of the night I could not even move my head with out the nausea coming back BIG time.
Next day I felt better..Friday started with the room spinning and I was unable to walk (too off balance) until late in the day, today better but sick to my stomach. The therapist was trained in Vestibular Therapy and he did say it can take several Epley maneuvers before you notice a difference. He did confirm the eye twitch and he did narrow it down to being my right ear which is now very painful (and I know I don't have an ear infection).

I did follow all the post directives (sleep upright etc).

Yikes..I am going to my doctor and see what he thinks before I try that again. Everything I read online (and I don't believe everything I read online) says that most get immediate relief.

My DH had an extremely severe episode of vertigo several years ago. The doctors in the ER of the smaller hospital thought he was having a stroke, but after CT scan, ruled that out. His neurologist sent him to a good ENT who determined the cause of the vertigo episode was allergy related. He had polyps somewhere in the ear canal - maybe in the sinus cavity - can't remember the details. He explained that these polyps were pressing into the inner ear against the eardrum. He said "imagine sucking on a piece of Saran Wrap and making it bulge without sucking a hole in it" (don't laugh...that were his words). He was treated with Zyrtec and a nasal spray and has never had another episode. The polyps did shrink. He also said, if they did not shrink, they would need to be surgically removed.

Starting a few years ago I've had several bouts of BPPV, and as others have said, it's the WORST. I am blessed to be very healthy, and being so dizzy that I cannot function is totally out of my normal experience.

I was told to try Brandt Daroff exercises at home before doing any physical therapy. Happy to say that these have worked really well for me, and since you do them at home you can start immediately plus you're already close to bed and a resting spot if (when) you get the spins and nausea as you start the exercises. I do them on my couch which works well.

My GP recommended a repetition of 15-20 cycles each session and 2 sessions daily. Since I started doing the Brandt Daroff my episodes have been controllable within a day or so. This compares to my being unable to even go to work for several days at a time with the nausea and dizziness.

Yuck, just talking about it gives me the willies. For those who haven't had vertigo, thank your lucky stars. For those who have had vertigo due to BPPV aka ear crystals, give Brandt Daroff a try, it might do the trick for you too.

Have linked to a video below that demonstrates. Feel better soon!

Here is a link that might be useful: Brandt Daroff Exercise Demo

Running, yes, that is the move I have done to ward off attacks if I felt one coming on. It really works!

I have never been in the hospital(I don't have children) or had any surgeries, so it is really scary. When I had bad episodes 10 years ago, I missed a week of work when I rarely even get a cold and couldn't drive for two weeks.

I honestly think I'd get an ENT's opinion & also think about seeing a neuro. Have you ever had a brain / cervical MRI? It may not be your ear but an issue near the top of your spine. What other symptoms do you have?

Any aches or pains? Headaches? Bruising?

Roselvr I just had an MRI of my upper back, that is not the issue & my doc did rule out other causes.
Well after another week in therapy the Epley maneuver no longer makes me spin (so good!) and I am to start the Brandt Daroff exercises and I was taught how to do the Epley in case I have a dizzy spell, which I had Thursday morning and I hope it helped because it was of short duration.
One thing is so far they always happen while sleeping or getting out of bed, so sleeping upright, limiting salt and caffeine..it certainly confirms I have BPPV (they did the Dix Hallpike test) but hopefully there is nothing else going on in that ear. I also did not understand that you should only take antivert during an episode -I was taking it every day.
Thank you for the helpful posts.

I sympathize with anyone who has to deal with vertigo and motion sickness, I am beat and have missed so many work days.

I just LOVE this group! Hubby had a nasty attack of vertigo yesterday, and thanks to this group, I knew about the Epley maneuver and found instructions for performing it online. He was better in a few hours, but that attack was miserable! Pain we can deal with -- but nausea? Yuck!

The antivert can also cause brain fog. It causes the very same symptoms as it helps. It is very bad for rebound symptoms. Please, be also aware that it can cause a dystonic reaction.

That is something you do not want, ever..it will make the vertigo seem like a walk in the park.

Sea