Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) – The Crucial Details

Upper cervical care in Farmington regularly helps vertigo patients find relief by finding and dealing with the root cause of their symptoms.

When people hear of the term benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), most are usually intimidated, believing this to be a severe and dangerous condition. The truth is that BPPV is not life-threatening. It is just the most frequent cause of vertigo.

BPPV commonly occurs in adults, especially seniors, aged 60 years old and above. This article will tackle the true meaning of the term BPPV, why it occurs in people, and how you can get natural and long-lasting relief for this condition.

The Real Meaning Behind The Term BPPV

For most people, hearing the term BPPV or Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo would strike a level of intimidation in their hearts. Such medical conditions may sound scary, especially if you are not aware of its real meaning and what it can do to you. BPPV is composed of four words. Let’s dissect each term:

  • Benign - It means the condition is not life-threatening. 
  • Paroxysmal - The condition occurs suddenly and in short episodes.
  • Positional - The triggers of the vertigo attacks are changes in the head position or precise movements of the head.
  • Vertigo - The feeling or sensation of false spinning, whirling, or rotational movement.

You can rest assured that despite the crippling vertigo attacks, BPPV is not a threat to your life. Its origins and workings can be explained by what happens inside the inner ear.

What Happens During A BPPV Episode

The body has various sensory organs that coordinate and control your balance. These are your—

  • Vision (The eyes)
  • Inner ear (The vestibular system)
  • Proprioceptors (The sensors in the arm or leg joints and muscles)

These components collect sensory input and transmit the information over to the central nervous system where the brainstem processes it. Under normal circumstances, when all your sensors are working correctly, the body will know how to adjust your body’s position to maintain your balance automatically. Your inner ear also has the otoconia – these are calcium carbonate crystals that stay in one specific place.

To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and vertigo, download our complimentary e-book by clicking the image below.

However, when you have BPPV, the otoconia are dislodged, and when they do, they move into the three fluid-filled semicircular canals within the ear. As a result, it disrupts the normal movement of fluid in the inner ear. It causes the transmission of incorrect signals to the brain concerning the body’s movement. Then the brain proceeds to detect motion, even when there is none. As a result, this leads to vertigo attacks. Thankfully, upper cervical care in Farmington can relieve it.

BPPV Has Varying Symptoms

Those with BPPV have many different symptoms, with changing regularity and severity. Here are the shared experiences of people with BPPV. The following are common warning signs:

  • Nausea and vomiting 
  • Syncope or feeling faint
  • Short and intense episodes of vertigo
  • Nystagmus – abnormal movements of the eyes during a BPPV attack

Since BPPV occurs in quick sporadic bursts or short episodes, sometimes people may not feel the symptoms in between these attacks. During this time, an individual might only feel a slight off balanced feeling. Otherwise, they might feel excellent. A typical BPPV episode does not regularly affect your hearing, does not give you constant vertigo, or even cause neurological symptoms like tingling or numbness.

Treatment Options For BPPV Patients

Several relief options exist in dealing with your BPPV symptoms. Here they are: 

  • Prescription Medicine

Doctors will often prescribe vertigo and nausea medications to their patients who suffer from BPPV. It is important to remember that most prescription medicines have unwanted side-effects.

  • Vestibular Rehabilitation

In vestibular rehabilitation, a trained professional will help you perform specific exercises that aim to reduce the sensation of vertigo and dizziness. This method will show you how to retrain your eyes and help you protect against the risk of falling due to a sudden loss of balance from vertigo attacks.

  • Treatment Maneuvers

The most famous treatment maneuver used to treat BPPV is the Epley maneuver. A medical practitioner will show you how to do the procedure properly so you can do it at home when needed. The objective is to reposition the crystals in your inner ear by moving in specific ways. This series of movements is essential in returning the salt crystals to their proper location.

However, take note that this method does not work for all cases of BPPV attacks. Make sure you know how to do it properly. Otherwise, if you do it wrong, then it can make your balance issues worse.

  • Surgery

This option rarely happens, but severe cases of BPPV would sometimes require surgical intervention. Surgery is a high-risk operation to take, especially if it involves the neck or spine. 

Upper Cervical Care in Farmington to Reverse BPPV

This option provides a natural, precise, effective, and long-lasting way to deal with BPPV. Research proved that there is a link between BPPV and neck or head trauma and injury. Thus, people with BPPV and a history of neck and head injury have an increased long-term recurrence of their conditions. Upper cervical chiropractic care effectively addresses these concerns.

There was a case study involving a 33-year older woman who had BPPV. The Epley maneuver did not work for her. She refused to take medication because she was nursing a child. After she received chiropractic care, it proved effective and beneficial in the management of her BPPV.

Visit our office at the Premier Family Wellness and Spinal Care in Farmington, Michigan. Come and experience a reliable upper cervical care in Farmington. You can also call our office: 248-478-6203 or click this link to contact us.

To schedule a consultation with Dr. Perkins, call 248-780-8864 or just click the button below area

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If you are outside of the local area you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com.

Dr. Chris Perkins Chiropractor Farmington Hills Mi.

Meet Dr. Christopher Perkins

Dr. Perkins grew up in Novi, Michigan and attended Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa. He received his Doctorate Magna Cum Laude with a focus on Upper Cervical Chiropractic care. Chris is well known in the community for his public speaking and holds a number of professional certifications. We are proud to say that Dr. Perkins and Perkins Family Wellness has been recognized by Hour Magazine as one of the Top Chiropractors in Metro Detroit  for 3 years in row.

Learn more about the doc.

REAL RESULTS

"After 30 plus years of almost daily headaches and increasing severe debilitating migraines, I am pain free. I had tried everything, including 3 different chiropractors, medical tests, food allergy tests, special prism glasses, massage, etc. Dr. Perkins was a life changer for sure. Thanks to Dr. Perkins, I now know what it is like to live without pain. For someone with my headache history, this is a miracle"... Kathy Hiatt
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At Premier Family Wellness & Spinal Care in Farmington, MI will not only help you get well, but also stay well.

Contact

33966 West 8 Mile Rd. Suite 103
Farmington, MI 48335
248-780-8864
info@pfwspinalcare.com

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