Home Remedies for Vertigo
A sensation of feeling off-balance and you may be suffering from Vertigo.If you have these bouts of dizzy spells and you feel that the world around you is spinning or if you feel that you are spinning, may be signs that you are suffering from Vertigo. If you have ever experienced these feelings then you would also know that you do not want these feelings to come to you again and definitely not be a regular occurrence. This dizziness can cause you to be extremely uncomfortable and miserable. It brings with it a feeling of panic, nausea, and weakness. A vertigo attack can last from a few seconds to hours. If you have severe vertigo, it can last for many days or months.
What is Vertigo?
Vertigo is not your average dizzy spell. It’s a false sense of motion. It is a feeling of tilting, spinning, or swaying when you are not actually moving. To describe this feeling of dizziness in short is the feeling that you experience where you find everything moving around you or the feeling that you are moving eventhough you may be standing still. It is a delusion of motion that when sever can lead to nausea and vomiting.
Causes of Vertigo?
You need to first figure out the cause of your Vertigo and the symptoms that you are experiencing. This would help you in applying the home remedies for vertigo more effectively. There are basically three triggers that cause the vertigo attacks –
- Vestibular Neuritis – Inflammation of the vestibular nerve, which connects the inner ear to the brain
- BPPV (Benign Paraoxysmal Positional Vertigo) – where certain head movements trigger Vertigo
- Labyrinthitis – an inner ear infection
Home remedies for Vertigo
As a first step applying an ice pack to the neck between the ears at the base of the skull should give you quick relief. If an ice pack is not readily available even a bag of frozen vegetables or peas will work as well.
Another home remedy for vertigo is to keep your head as still as possible. Since the vestibular system is stimulated by movement and is in most cases the culprit causing the vertigo symptoms. Hence stopping the movement of the head will ease the system down and reduce the uncomfortable feeling of dizziness.
Keeping you head upright is also recommended if you are have a bout of vertigo. This can be done either by sitting up or lying with the head propped up with a couple of pillows. One of the main reasons for BPPV is usually caused due to lying down or rolling in bed.
Another good exercise with as less a movement as possible is to breathe through your nose into your belly. Breathing through the mouth and into the chest can make you feel worse and the symptom to last longer. Hence, breathing through the nose, deep into the belly, is one of the natural remedies for vertigo.
Another technique that can help you overcome the symptoms of vertigo is to stare at a vertical line in the distance, when you do have to move around. This would help the brain to reorient itself.
Epley Maneuver
Vestibular therapy is regarded as the best treatment for all kinds of vertigo. The vestibular therapy includes vertigo exercises that you can do at home. One of the exercises is the Epley maneuver. However it is recommended only after you have consulted your doctor before you attempt this home remedy for vertigo. It is not complicated and requires only a few 10- to 15-minute treatments but visit your primary care physician first so that other causes may be ruled out like a bacterial infection in your ear.
How is the Epley Maneuver for Vertigo done
- Turn your head towards the side that causes vertigo.
- Quickly lay down on your back with your head in the same position just off the edge of the table. You will likely feel more intense vertigo symptoms at this point.
- Slowly move your head to the opposite side.
- Turn your body so that it is in line with your head. You will be lying on your side with your head and body facing to the side.
- Sit upright.
It may not be advisable to do the Epley maneuver for vertigo on your own, as it can be really difficult, especially if you are currently battling dizziness. Besides, it is can make yourvertigo more intense while doing the maneuver and make it worse. So even though it is beneficial for treating vertigo at home, it is absolutely important that you see a specialist doctor before trying this at home.
Semont Maneuver
Another exercise like the Epley maneuver is the Semont maneuver. It is a neck exercise for vertigo. Here again it is advisable that you consult your primary care doctor.
This is what you can expect when your doctor performs the Semont maneuver:
- While you are seated, the doctor will turn your head so it’s halfway between looking straight ahead and looking away from the side that causes the worst vertigo.
- Next, the doctor lowers you quickly to the side that causes the worst vertigo, positioning your head on the table so you’re looking up at the ceiling. You’ll stay in this position for 30 seconds.
- Then, the doctor quickly moves you to the other side of the table without stopping, so you will then be looking down at the table. You will remain in this position for 30 seconds.
- Finally, the doctor helps you sit up.
Both these exercises – Epley and Semont maneuvers may help in improving your symptoms. Word of caution again, these maneuvers can be difficult to do on your own. The main challenge is to figure out the ear which is causing the problem. Hence it is highly recommended to work with a specialist before trying these maneuvers at home.
Brandt-Daroff Exercise
Another part of the vestibular rehabilitation and neck therapy for the treatment of vertigo is the Brandt-Daroff exercise. This exercise can be performed at home as part of the home remedies for vertigo and dizziness. These exercises help your brain to acclimate to your dizziness and this can decrease symptoms over time. These exercises do not move the crystals that have become displaced in your ear.
What to expect in Brandt-Daroff:
- Sit in an upright position.
- Lie down on one side with your nose pointed up at a 45-degree angle.
- Stay in this position for about 30 seconds, or until the vertigo goes away.
- Move back to a seated position, then repeat on the other side.
Find a Comfortable Position
Another of the natural remedies for vertigo,that can help you feel more comfortable during an attack of dizziness, is to simply sit in a comfortable position. If the cause of your vertigo is BPPV, then perhaps the symptoms you will notice are not as bad when youfacing one particular side and is worse on the other side. Find the perfect position that makes the bout of dizziness most comfortable. Try and keep your head positioned at that position that makes you less dizzy. Use pillows to prop your head up and to keep it steady. Though this exercise offers temporary relief it is not a permanent solution to vertigo.
Do Balance Exercises
Other than the exercises mentioned above, there are exercises that help you to strengthen your balance. In the same way as you pump iron and build your muscles from weak to strong, in the same way, you can use exercise to strengthen your balance system and make it stronger. What is a balance system? Your balance system is the interconnection between the information your brain receives from your eyes, muscles, joints and the inner ear.
Wait It Out
When you have a vertigo attack and are battling dizziness, the best home remedy for vertigo will be to wait it out. In particular if it is caused by BPPV. It often goes away on its own.
Drink Fluids
Even if you do not suffer from vertigo you are bound to feel dizzy if you are dehydrated. Hence, make sure that your fluid levels are up and you are adequately hydrated. So, drink up enough fluids which can either be plain water or watered down juices.
Reduce Salt
There is no food to stop dizziness but when it comes to treating vertigo with food you should avoid processed ones that are rich in salt like packaged snacks and fast food. Reducing the amount of fluid your body retains can help relieve pressure in the inner ear and thus help in your fight against vertigo.
Avoid Alcohol and Caffeine
In addition to limiting salt, stay a mile away from caffeine and alcohol. Both can make the dizziness worse.
Of course, these home remedies do not replace the value of a consultation with a Vertigo Expert healthcare provider.
FAQs
No cure is instant as ramen noodles. However, doing the following few things make you give you relief and ease the bout of dizziness:
1. Sit upright in your bed.
2. Tilt your head around a 45-degree angle away from the side causing your vertigo. Now move into the lying position on one side with your nose pointed up.
3. Stay in this position for about 30 seconds or until the vertigo seems to ease off, whichever is longer. Then revert to the seated position.
4. Repeat on the other side.
It is not convincingly proven as to which of the many available home treatments for vertigo works best. A review of study data has found that the most effective therapy is a safe and easy sequence of head movements. The head maneuvers mentioned in the article are most effective treatment for Vertigo
The following few home remedies for vertigo and precautions can be useful:
– Lie down still on your bed to reduce the dizziness
– Move your head very head slowly and carefully while doing any activity
– Sit down absolutely straight when you experience the spinning
– Sleep with your head slightly raised. Use two or more more pillows
– Sit on the edge of the bed for a while before getting up on your feet
– Reduce stress and relax as anxiety can make vertigo worse
While a lot of natural remedies for vertigo have been included in this article which might be a good starting point for you to get back on the road to recovery, there are a few things that you should avoid doing as well.
– Do not make sudden movements of the head.
– Do not bend over to pick things up.
– Sit down with a straight head or squat if you have to bend down to reach something
– Do not extend or stretch your neck
The best sleeping positions if you want to avoid feeling dizzy and sick according to many experts is that you try and sleep on your back. This is because the crystals within your ear canals are less likely to become disturbed and trigger a vertigo attack. If you need to wake up and visit the washroom at night, do not sit up in a sudden move. Sit up slowly without any sudden movements with the head or the neck. It is a also suggested to keep your head slightly elevated.
