What are the top 5 dizziness exercises?

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Vertigo is a condition characterized by dizziness, sudden spinning sensations, and feelings of being disoriented, imbalanced, & nauseous. Vertigo can sometimes also be accompanied by motion sickness, headaches, vomiting, & tinnitus (ringing in the ears).

Vertigo causes include a range of conditions. Some of these are mentioned below:

• BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo), caused by the deposition of loose calcium crystals in the semicircular canal of the inner ear. These are normally in the middle ear, & are motion-sensitive, thus causing problems with the brain’s detection of motion signals sent from the vestibular system located inside the inner ear
• Meniere’s Disease, caused by an abnormal amount of fluid inside the inner ear (also known as endolymphatic fluid). This excessive fluid causes pressure changes in the ear, leading to balance problems, dizziness, nausea, motion sickness, headaches, & tinnitus(ringing sound in the ears)
• Vestibular Neuritis, which is an infection of the vestibular nerve that carries balance-related signals from the vestibular system to the brain & vice-versa. When this nerve gets infected or inflamed, balance signals can’t properly reach the brain & the person experiences dizziness, nausea, & motion sickness.
• Which is also an inner ear infection caused by viruses or bacteria, & leads to the inflammation of the vestibular nerve, causing dizziness & vertigo symptoms.

Other Vertigo causes include head injuries, blunt force trauma, inner ear surgeries, & side effects of certain medications.

Dizziness can arise out of a lot of medical conditions; Vertigo, inner ear issues, head injury, infections, illness, side effects of certain treatment therapies, medications, & central nervous system problems. In most cases, dizziness & vertigo are nothing to worry about, & usually go away on their own.

However, if they don’t go away on their own, & if the symptoms are severe enough to impede your everyday life, then it might be time to see a specialist.  A dizziness & vertigo specialist will take into factor your condition, your symptoms, their intensity & severity, & your exact medical history to formulate proper vertigo & dizziness treatment plan for you.

Your dizziness & vertigo treatment plan can include everything from vertigo & dizziness exercises, vertigo medicines, & other vertigo treatment home remedies. In cases where other viral infections &/or central nervous system disorders are causing your vertigo & dizziness symptoms, then treatment for the underlying condition will also be included in your regime.

Dizziness & Vertigo treatment:

Your vertigo & dizziness treatment will depend on your exact symptoms & your medical history. Your doctor will likely order a couple of tests, including the Dix-Hallpike maneuver, the rotary chair test, the ENG(electronystagmography) test & the VNG (Videonystagmography) test to determine if you’re suffering from vertigo.

Once the diagnosis comes back with valid results, your doctor will then work with you on a vertigo & dizziness treatment plan that targets your particular condition.

You may be recommended certain dizziness & vertigo exercises, vertigo medicines, physical therapy (also called vestibular rehabilitation therapy), medicine for Meniere’s Disease & Vestibular Neuritis treatment, & home remedies. Below, we talk about some of the most well-known Vertigo & dizziness exercises that your doctors will likely recommend you for vertigo & dizziness treatment. Note that, these vertigo & dizziness exercises are only useful as vertigo & dizziness treatment methods if the patient is suffering from BPPV.

In cases of Central Vertigo & Epileptic Vertigo, they are not as useful.

Brandt-Daroff exercises:

Brandt-Daroff exercises help dislodge the calcium crystals from the semicircular canal to their original position in the middle ear using the principle of gravity. To perform the Brandt-Daroff dizziness exercises properly, follow the steps below:

• Sit on a bed with your feet touching the floor. Next, turn your head 45 degrees to the right.
• Lie down on your left without moving your head. Wait 30 seconds to let any dizziness pass. If you do not experience dizziness, wait another 30 seconds before returning to the original position.
• Return to the original starting position & pause for about 30 seconds.
• Next, turn your head 45 degrees to the left, & repeat the above steps in the right direction.
• Return to the original starting position & pause for about 30 seconds.
• Perform these exercises in a set of 5 on each side.

Wait for any dizziness to pass before standing up. You should ideally perform one set in the morning & another set in the night. Do the exercises every day for at least 2 weeks for effective vertigo & dizziness treatment.

Semont Maneuver:

The Semont Maneuver, also known as the liberatory maneuver, is another vertigo & dizziness exercise that helps patients get relief from their vertigo symptoms. It is best to perform it under the supervision of a trained vertigo specialist.

To perform the Semont Maneuver for left-ear BPPV, follow the instructions below:

• Sit on the edge of a bed in an upright position & turn your head 45 degrees to the right.
• Quickly drop on to the left side until your head is lying on the bed. Hold this position for 1 minute.
• Next, quickly move your body to the right side in just one simple movement, without changing the angle of the head. Note carefully that in this position, you should be facing the floor.
• Hold this position for 1 minute, & then quickly return to the starting position.

In case you have right-ear BPPV, turn your head to the left first & drop to the right.

Sit still for at least 10 minutes after performing this vertigo exercise, & repeat once a day until your symptoms improve.

Epley Maneuver:

The Epley Maneuver is easily the most popular exercise for Vertigo & dizziness treatment. It is recommended to almost every BPPV patient, & has shown monumental success rates in vertigo treatment.

To perform the Epley Maneuver for left-ear BPPV, follow the steps below:

• Sit on the bed in an upright position, with your legs straight ahead & a pillow behind you.
• Turn your head 45 degrees in the left direction.
• Now lie back quickly until your shoulders are on the pillow, & wait for any dizziness to subside, for at least 30 seconds.
• Turn your head 90 degrees in the right direction without lifting it, & hold this position for at least 30 seconds.
• Now turn your body until you’re lying on your right side, & wait at least 30 seconds for any dizziness to pass.
• Now sit on the right edge of the bed in an upright position.

You should sit in an upright position for at least 15 minutes after performing the Epley Maneuver. Repeat the exercises once every day until your symptoms subside for at least 24 hours.