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The Simple Solution to Vertigo Woes
head moves. The problems of BPPV arise when small calcium crystals break off the walls of the canal and float freely in the inner ear fluid.
When someone says “vertigo,” many people immediately think of Alfred Hitchcock’s 1958 thriller about a disgraced detective and his fear of heights. Of course, there are those who instead feel their stomach start to do flips and need to sit down. Vertigo is that unpleasant spinning sensation you may experience even when you’re standing perfectly still. It’s estimated that 69 million Americans over the age of 40 suffer from vertigo. Despite how common this condition is, many people still mistake vertigo for a disease. It is actually a symptom, like pain or nausea, and is an indication of an underlying problem. The most common case of vertigo is an inner ear disorder called benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. BPPV can occur when the balance organ of your inner ear becomes disturbed and interacts with fluid in your ear. You might be surprised to learn the fluid isn’t the problem here. Our ears are supposed to have some fluid, and it’s the movement of this fluid against our semicircular canals which tells our brain when our
When these calcium crystals come lose, certain head movements can cause them to rub against the semicircular canal and send abnormal signals to the brain. Rolling over in bed is a common trigger for an episode of vertigo. These episodes can last for a few seconds to over two minutes and can occasionally lead to nausea. BPPV is easy to diagnose by your ENT though a physical exam called the Dix-Hallpike maneuver. Your ENT can just as easily treat BPPV with the Epley maneuvers, a series of four positions which move gravity to move the floating crystals out of the canal. See how simple the solution to vertigo really is by checking out the video on our blog, “What is the most common cause of vertigo?” at drsethevans.com/category/ear/.
LAUGH! HAVE A
Sausage and Barley Soup It’s a great time of year to warm up with a cup of soup, and this comforting, guilt-free dish comes together in a flash.
Ingredients:
Recipe courtesy of CookingLight.com.
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1/4 cup uncooked quick- cooking barley
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2 cups water
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Cooking spray
1 (141/2-ounce) can Italian- style stewed tomatoes, undrained and chopped
6 ounces turkey breakfast sausage 21/2 cups frozen bell pepper stir-fry
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1 cup coarsely chopped fresh baby spinach
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Directions:
to sausage in pan. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat; cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in spinach; cook 1 minute or until spinach wilts.
2. While sausage cooks, place stir-fry and 2 cups water in a blender; process until smooth. 3. Add stir-fry puree, tomatoes, and barley
1. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add
sausage; cook 3 minutes or until browned. Remove from heat.
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