How to do Home Balance Exercises for Treating Dizziness VIDEO

The home balance exercises described in the video may be helpful to resolve dizziness due to vestibular dysfunction that is NOT due to BPPV or Meniere's Disease which are treated differently. Vestibular dysfunction amenable to a home exercise regimen is typically determined based on VNG or ENG testing . Such exercises are helpful in select patients as it slowly challenges the inner ear balance system in such a way to make it work better. The analogy would be a young gymnast doing re…

11/19/2017 0

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Pro Golfer Jason Day Collapses from Vertigo During 2015 US Open

If you are an avid golfer, you have probably seen by now pro golfer Jason Day stumbling several times and ultimately collapsing on the 9th hole during Round 2 of the 2015 US Open at Chambers Bay. Later, his agent reported that Jason suffered from BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo). This condition is classically described as sudden onset severe spinning attacks that lasts only a few seconds to minutes triggered by a head position change. Although scary, this is perhaps one of the e…

6/22/2015 0

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Video on How the Dix-Hallpike Maneuver Diagnoses BPPV Dizziness

This is the second in a series of videos our practice is producing on inner ear dizziness.  This video  demonstrates how the  Dix-Hallpike maneuver  is performed to diagnose  BPPV . Also demonstrated are the different types of eye-twitching (nystagmus) that suggests what type of BPPV a patient may have. The first video was on  how the inner ear balance system works  which can be watched  here . Soon to come are videos specifically regarding treatment of  BPPV . Watch this  video !���������…

9/21/2014 1

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Video on How the Inner Ear Balance System Works

This is the first in a series of videos our practice is producing on how the inner ear balance system works (and when it doesn't) geared towards the lay public and general patient education. Soon to come are videos specifically regarding treatment of BPPV . Watch this video on YouTube .

9/14/2014 0

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Top 4 Causes of Dizziness (Table)

Dizziness is an extremely common disorder that afflicts an estimated 10-20% of individuals older than 70 years old. Even for those younger, dizziness is a not uncommon problem. Several studies have been performed over the years to try and quantitate what are the most common causes of dizziness to help narrow the possibilities given the workup for dizziness can be long, tedious, and time-consuming which often frustrates patients. Also frustrating is the fact that without a diagnosis, trea…

5/15/2014 1

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Dizziness and Imbalance in Kids

Dizziness is not the easiest thing to figure out in adults. It is even more difficult to figure out in kids who may not have the vocabulary to explain what they feel. Regardless of adult or child, a good history is required to help narrow down possibilities. A flowchart of questions to help come up with a diagnosis can be found  here . Given that, a review article published in 2014 went over the most likely diagnosis of a child who is dizzy. Based on 724 subjects over 10 studies, benign …

4/17/2014 0

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Mal de Debarquement Syndrome - Rare Cause of Dizziness

The BBC recently printed a story describing a rare condition called mal de debarquement which causes  dizziness , typically after a boat cruise, though can occur with airplane flights and even a long drive in a car with switchbacks (going up/down a mountain). Two signs that a patient has mal de debarquement are if they feel a rocking sensation for weeks or months starting AFTER a cruise and two, if they're much better when in motion like vigorous exercise, but feel much worse when sta…

3/17/2013 0

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Nasal Spray to Help Motion Sickness

Over the years, many NASA initiated research has resulted in new products and treatments geared towards advancing the space-program, but has eventually led to benefits to us earth-bound mortals including: the computer mouse telemetry weather satellites cochlear implant NASA publication Spinoff highlights these research innovations that has benefitted the general public. Well, you can now add dizziness treatment to another NASA innovation to help motion sickness. Born of t…

10/13/2012 0

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Actress Kristin Chenoweth Suffers from Meniere's Disease

Image by Drama League in Wikipedia Kristin Chenoweth is an accomplished actress both on TV and live on Broadway having performed in Wicked as Glinda as well as appearances in TV shows Glee and Pushing Daisies . She also suffers from Meniere's Disease which was diagnosed in 2007. As such, she is prone to dizzy attacks which may have contributed to well-known falls during performances over the years. • 2003: Fell off the stage during rehearsals for Wicked • 2006: Fell off the …

7/16/2012 1

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Not All Spinning Motions Cause Dizziness

In one of the stranger research projects I've encountered in awhile, French scientists reported on why in the sport of discus throwing, athletes tend to feel more dizzy than those who hammer throw. Whether discus or hammer throwing, both require spinning on part of the athlete before letting the discus/hammer go for long distances. 59% report dizziness with discus throwing, but none with hammer throwing. Why? This occurred even among athletes who did both sports eliminating indivi…

9/30/2011 0

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MRI Scans CAN Cause Vertigo

Researchers at Johns Hopkins published a study that reports that MRI scans CAN cause feelings of dizziness induced by magnetic fields causing motion of the electrically charged fluid of the inner ear. In both ears, there is a "gyroscope" called the labyrinth. Whenever the head turns or a force like gravity is exerted on this system, fluid moves within which tells the brain that motion has occurred. It's much like looking into a glass of water and based on the way the water t…

9/27/2011 1

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Boy With Missing Cerebellum & Pons Learning to Walk!

First off... the cerebellum and pons are part of the brain that is responsible for some very important things like balance , breathing, regulating blood pressure, heartbeat, etc. So one would think that without a cerebellum or pons, life would not be possible. Well... it seems that may not be quite true. You see, there's a young boy missing those parts of the brain who not only is living without mechanical assistance, but eventually managed to sit up on his own, something he shouldn&#…

2/19/2011 0

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How is Love Like Dizziness? Medically Speaking...

I watched this touching video of what it is like to fall in love... that very moment when you see the love of your life for the first time... and the world falls away. Time slows down. That feeling of elation, passion, love overwhelms. Time stands still. Everything else blurs out except for him/her... Nuit Blanche from Spy Films on Vimeo . Now from a medical perspective, how can we test this? If "love" is considered a disease, how can we positively "diagnose" th…

2/19/2011 0

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A New Treatment for Meniere's Disease!

I read with interest an MSNBC article that describes a brand new surgical treatment for Meniere's Disease, a debilitating disorder in which a patient suffers spinning attacks that last for hours to days. The treatment is an electrical device surgically implanted into the vestibular system of the ear, much like a cochlear implant for deaf individuals. The device, called "UW/Nucleus Vestibular Implant," is surgically installed behind the affected ear with a small wire threaded …

10/21/2010 0

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Tilt-Table Test: An Under-Utilized Study To Evaluate Light-Headed Dizziness

We often see patients for dizziness. Many of these patients do not have an ear etiology for their dizziness given principal complaint of light-headedness, especially with standing/sitting up from a laying down position. In this scenario, a blood pressure issue is the more likely cause. Why? Because when you get up from a laying down position, gravity pulls the blood down and away from your head resulting in a transient lack of adequate blood-flow to the brain resulting in light-headedness... an…

9/24/2010 0

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Feeling Dizzy or Having Vertigo? There's an iPhone App for That!!!

On April 22, 2010, Clearwater Clinical Limited released an iPhone application that helps clinicians diagnose and perform the Epley maneuver in patients with BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo). The way it works is by placing the iPhone over the patient's forehead and than following the instructions as shown on the iPhone through each of the Epley steps. When I tried it out, it does seem to correctly take the patient thru the appropriate steps... however, I would add one mor…

4/28/2010 0

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Rare Disorder Causing Dizziness Called "Mal de Debarquement"

The Washington Post on March 16, 2010 published a story entitled " Rare disorder makes people feel off balance for weeks or months " describing a rare condition called mal de debarquement which causes dizziness . Two signs that a patient has mal de debarquement are if they feel a rocking sensation for weeks or months starting after a cruise and if they're fine when driving but not when standing, walking or sitting. Read the story here . Optokinetic head roll exercises  do se…

3/15/2010 1

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