These Movements Cure Vertigo

Vertigo is one of the most common complaints doctors receive. And many people suffer for a long, long time.

This is a shame because it’s relatively easy to cure.

A new study in the Indian Journal of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery reveals how simple and easy movements are almost 100% successful in curing one of the most common types of vertigo.

The Epley maneuver was designed by Dr. John Epley as a series of head movements that cause the calcium crystals that have accidentally fallen into your inner ears’ semicircular canals to fall out again.

The authors of the new study recruited 120 subjects who had been diagnosed with BPPV between 2018 and 2019. The average age was 43.5, and 52.5% of them were female.

Since doctors commonly prescribe antihistamines, tranquilizers, and other drugs to calm this form of vertigo, the researchers told all of their subjects to stop using medication.

They treated all of the participants with the Epley maneuver and then observed them for six months after the treatment to see how well it worked.

By the end of the first week of treatment, the subjects experienced a 90% improvement in symptoms. By the end of the fourth week, the improvement in their symptoms was 100%. Those who had suffered from vertigo the longest needed the most treatment sessions to resolve their condition.

By the end of the treatment, all of the subjects had experienced a massive reduction in the frequency and duration of their vertigo attacks and a huge improvement in their quality of life.

Within six months after the treatment, there were 10 recurrences, all among people who had suffered from vertigo for a long time. These cases were resolved with further treatment sessions using the Epley maneuver.

This led the scientists to conclude that the Epley maneuver is an effective treatment for BPPV.

To do the Epley maneuver, you must first identify which ear is affected. The Cleveland Clinic recommends the following:

1. Sit on a bed and turn your head very fast to the right.
2. Lie back fast so your head hangs over the side of the bed.
3. Wait for one minute, and if you feel dizzy, your right ear is the culprit.
4. If you don’t feel dizzy, you have to repeat this exact procedure, but start by turning your head to the left instead.

If your problem is with your right ear, then Johns Hopkins Medicine recommends the following steps as an Epley maneuver.

1. Sit on a bed and turn your head 45 degrees to the right.
2. Lie back fast with your head in this position and slightly backwards off the edge of the bed.
3. After 30 seconds, turn your head 90° to the left while still holding it backwards. You will now look 45° to the left.
4. After 30 seconds, turn your body and head together 90° to the left so you’re lying on your side looking at the floor.
5. Sit back up, wait a few minutes, and repeat the procedure a few times.

Invert this procedure by first turning your head to the left if your left ear is affected.

Ask someone to hold you and help you stay in the right positions, because you will experience vertigo during the procedure.

The main problem with the Epley maneuver is that it only works for one type of vertigo. So, if the above movements didn’t help you (or if you think they’re too complicated), click here to learn even simpler movements that tackle all types of vertigo…