“What You Need to Know About Balance and Falls”

From the American Physical Therapy Association, a great pamphlet including great exercises and tips for balance skills.

http://www.apta.org/AM/Images/APTAIMAGES/ContentImages/ptandbody/balance/BalanceFall.pdf

Epley Maneuver

Here’s a YouTube video of the Epley maneuver performed and explained by a healthcare professional (or at least an actor portraying a healthcare professional) for BPPV treatment. This should be performed by a healthcare professional (physical therapists who specialize in vestibular disorders can perform the Epley maneuver), not tried by oneself. But this is a basic overview of what will happen when you visit a vestibular disorder specialist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqokxZRbJfw&feature=related

Dr. Timothy Hain to Speak at 3rd Vestibular Support Group

Dr. Timothy Hain, neurologist and otolaryngologist with Chicago Dizziness & Hearing, will be joining our 3rd Vestibular Support Group as our guest speaker. We are very excited to

“Dr. Hain is locally known as the “Dizzy Doctor”. Dr. Hain’s clinical activities naturally “revolve” around evaluating and treating dizzy individuals as well as persons with hearing loss, tinnitus and hyperacusis.” (CDH’s Web site: http://www.dizziness-and-balance.com/cv/hain/hain-t.htm)

Dr. Hain was recently interviewed by NPR concerning BPPV: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103463398

“Getting Rid of Dizziness”

Here’s a recent article from Ladies’ Home Journal on “Getting Rid of Dizziness”. Enjoy!!!

http://www.lhj.com/health/conditions/mental-health/getting-rid-of-dizziness/

Great article, in my opinion.

Clinical Study for Geriatric Vestibular Patients

This study seems to have been going on for awhile, but you may have a few weeks left to sign up if you’d like to take part! The criteria include: Patients must be at least 60 years of age, seeking medical care due to dizziness and have normal vestibular function based on results of the clinical examination, rotary chair and/or caloric tests. I believe this study occurs in Atlanta, GA.

http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00275392

Parenting While Dizzy

Being dizzy is difficult enough without factoring in supporting and caring for a family. The symptoms of vestibular disorders are not conducive to having children running around or crying babies who need to be picked up. Even a task such as leaning down to pick up a baby could cause severe vertigo attacks to those with vestibular disorders.

Here are some tips to consider to alleviate the added stress of raising children with vestibular disorders:

• Make sure that you are sitting while holding an infant. People tend to look down at the infant, which can initiate vertigo in some.
• Join groups to meet other parents. You can form relationships with other parents who can help out during rough days and vice versa – you drive the carpool on those days you feel good, they can take over on the days you don’t.
• Join a support group. You may meet other parents who are dealing with similar issues or patients who have dealt with vestibular disorders while raising children.
• Place things around the house conveniently for you to reach. If looking up and down triggers vertigo and dizziness, place things that you use on a consistent basis at eye level (ie. baby bottles, keys).
• Keep a routine. This way you can figure out what works for you and to filter out what triggers your disorder.

Children and Their Unique Balance Disorders

Childhood vestibular disorders are extremely rare; in a survey done in 2005, out of an estimated 16,000 children seen at a hospital, only 119 of their chief complaints was of vertigo. Of these 119 children though, “benign paroxysmal vertigo of childhood, migraine-associated dizziness, vestibular neuronitis, and otitis media-related dizziness” were the reasons behind the vertigo.

This article discusses otitis-media related vertigo (vertigo resulting from the inflammation of the inner ear) and vestibular neuritis (imbalance due to the inflammation of vestibular nerve), which are also prevalent in adults. This article also discusses two childhood balance disorders that are unique to children: benign paroxysmal vertigo of childhood and benign paroxysmal torticollis of infancy. 

http://nurse-practitioners.advanceweb.com/Editorial/Content/Editorial.aspx?CC=196799

For more information on BPV:

http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/v/vertigo_benign_paroxysmal_in_childhood/intro.htm

For more information on BPVI:

http://www.benignparoxysmaltorticollis.com/

3rd Vestibular Support Group

Please join us at our 3rd Vestibular Support Group on Saturday, August 15th. Individuals dealing with or have dealt with vestibular disorders, such as BPPV, neurotoxicity, Meniere’s Disease, labrynthitis, vestibular neuritis, to name a few, are invited to take part in the support group in the heart of Chicago. Bring your support system as well!

Meet other vestibular disorder sufferers and learn more about your disorder. Topics of discussion will be announced shortly.

Refreshments will be served at 11:30am and the meeting will begin at 12:00pm and will last for about an hour. This support group is FREE of charge!

Please RSVP to: info@balancechicago.com or 773-525-5200.

Battling Meniere’s

In Summer of 2008, the Deafness Research Foundation published an article by Raymond Hines that described how he coped with Meniere’s. This article was published in hopes that you can pass it on to your support system to give them a better understanding of what it is like, battling Meniere’s.

http://www.menieres.org/hearinghealth-menieres.html

Coping with BPPV (Home Treatments)

Here are some home treatments for BPPV:

Use two or more pillows at night.

Avoid sleeping on your side with the ear causing the problem facing down.

Get up slowly in the morning and sit on the edge of the bed for a moment before standing.

Avoid leaning over to pick things up or tipping your head far back to look up.

Be careful about reclining, such as when you are in the dentist’s chair or having your hair washed at a hair salon.

Be careful about participating in sports that require you to turn your head, lean over, or lie flat on your back.

https://www.tmh.org/body.cfm?xyzpdqabc=0&id=223&action=detail&AEProductID=HW_Knowledgebase&AEArticleID=hw263714#hw263714-ConRes