The past few days haven’t been quite as bad as last week. I still feel as though I could have an attack. In my case that feeling that I get is pressure pushing down on my head. The worse part about getting that feeling is that it brings on panic. If I am at my desk or driving my car, my stress level rises and that is the worse thing that could happen. At that point I feel that if I turn my head ever so slightly I am going to start spinning. But one thing that I learned from my VRT sessions is that Meniere’s disease isn’t brought on by movement. I know that I have written that in a post before and I am still a little skeptical whether that is true.
What causes vertigo?
Vertigo or BPPV is caused by motion. Particles in the inner ear move around and send incorrect signals to the brain. That is why vertigo can be cured by therapy, such as the Epley maneuver or canalith repositioning procedure.
What causes Meniere’s disease?
Meniere’s disease is caused by a pressure in the inner ear or by an autoimmune disease or other things that no one knows about. Since there isn’t a cure it is hard to say what causes Meniere’s disease.
My own little test about whether motion has an effect on Meniere’s disease.
The other day I started to get that feeling that I described earlier in the post. My head started to get heavy. Usually if I am at home I would head straight to bed and lay there till the feeling passed. But this time I sat down in a chair and jerked my head left then right, trying to see if this would make me dizzy. It didn’t. Then I stood up quickly and sat down quickly. Still, I wasn’t dizzy. My head was still feeling heavy but with no spinning. I know this isn’t scientific but it showed me that turning my head or standing up quickly wouldn’t bring on the spinning and vomiting.
Now I feel a little less stress when I get that feeling coming over me.
I would love to read any comments you have about this post.
Thanks
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
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12 comments:
Sometimes I feel that not moving can make things worse - that's your instinctive reaction to balance or head problems, but for me that can make my neck and shoulders stiffen, which is definitely related to having an attack. Sometimes when I've felt a bit wobbly but have gone to the gym or done some other physical activity, I felt better afterwards.
I think as well as loosening you up, the movement actually helps to get your balance back in tune, whereas if you're just sitting there rigid you don't have so many stimuli and you can start to lose it.
I think the exercise helps with the stress involved also. I don't have the neck stiffnes that I use to because I try to move my head back and forth when ever I feel an attack coming on.
I was diagnosed with Menieres 3 years ago.. I started a new job about 4 months ago and it's pretty stressful. I have noticed that everyday I get pressure in my head like my head is going to explode... I'm not really having full blown attacks. My eyes feel funny and blurred a bit more so on the right side which is the same ear I have Menieres in. I had a CT because I was worried it might be something different and the test came up normal. I'm wondering if you or anyone else reading this has had the same thing happen?? I am not used to having a desk job so I wonder if it's the lighting or because I'm staring at a computer screen all day?? It's very uncomfortable, I can't even look at people in their eyes cause I feel so awkward.. anyone, any advice...
I sit in front of a pc all day and it can really be challenging! I do graphics work which can be a strain in itself but add that with meniere's and it's a reall problem.
Since you just started the job 4 months ago it might take some time to get used to being in front of the screen.
You might also want to have your eyes checked. I've had to have my prescription changed many times.
good luck and keep in touch
David
daelgoodie, I have the same symptoms sometimes. I regard this as a very mild form of attack, as my neck still goes floppy and moving my head or moving around isn't pleasant (though possible). It passes after anything from 20 minutes to 1-2 hours. I get these attacks more frequently that the actual vertigo attacks, but I see that as a good thing - the release is happening little by little, which is less traumatic.
You might find it helps to stay still and close your eyes for a couple of minutes. After a few seconds of doing this sometimes I feel that I am spinning around, but I just go with it and after a minute or two it passes. After that the other symptoms (eyes and so on) seem to be reduced.
Just as a postscript to this, I've also noticed that sometimes when I close my eyes as I mentioned, the spinning doesn't come on but I do feel my eyes darting around randomly inside my eyelids. If I open my eyes it stops, but I keep them closed to try to let it settle down.
As we all know, with vertigo there's a disconnect/difference between what you see and what you feel. It seems to me that with these mild attacks there's a chance to help the two get back together if you close your eyes and thereby take away the visual reference points that your brain finds out of sync with what is coming from your ears!
Jeff,
I have similiar eye reactions when I have an attack. I have learned to keep my eyes open and I don't move my head much.
thanks for the comment
David
I had an interesting attack the other day I feel was related to rapid movement of my head. I have not had an attack in about a year. We were in a sales meeting and I had been experiencing a lot of fullness and tinnitus the afternoon prior. In the sales meeting, I turned my head quickly. As I did I felt an immediate "rush" as if a dam had burst in my ear and head. My ear started ringing very loudly and I broke out in a cold sweat. Within 5 minutes I was in a full blown attack. It was the only time an attack has come on like that. BTW, I had spent the day prior swimming in vey salty water with my son for about 2-3 hours.
that is interesting about the salt water, I hadn't thought about the effects of swimming in it
thanks
David
Getting back to the movement topic, I have noticed one particular kind of movement that seems to bring on attacks for me. That is, repeated turning from side to side.
For example, I have a 'galley' kitchen and if I'm busy making something and have to keep moving from one side of the kitchen to the other, that causes problems. Also if I'm sitting in the middle of other people talking and have to keep looking from side to side to follow the conversation.
The attack doesn't come suddenly and isn't severe, but I realise gradually that it's affecting me. I'll go and sit down for an hour or so and my head will feel very sensitive to movement.
I was in a grocery store the other day and as I was walking down an aisle I started to feel a little dizzy. I think that was from looking from side to side. it didn't last long and it stopped when I left the store.
David
Yes, you're right! The supermarket can be a nightmare because the goods are piled high all around you and so close together. Unless you have a problem like ours you don't realise how much twisting and turning you're doing.
I think it's a kind of over-stimulation as well. When I've been in an unfamiliar place I've sometimes found it a relief to go outdoors; I think the extra space/longer distances to focus have a calming effect.
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