 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi,
I've just been diagnosed as suffering from Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, anyone else got that and still skis?
(I'm not super rocky, just a bit wobbly sometimes).
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@marodo2712, has anyone carried out an Epley maneouvre? Helped my Dad . no reason why you can't still ski.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Epley manoevre can help in preventing attacks. Buccastem tablets (dissolved under tongue) can help when you're actually suffering. I had a few mild episodes and was given Buccastem. Havan't had any problems for several years now but will be taking a few tablets skiing with me next week! Just in case.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I was diagnosed today at the NHN&N, they say they'll have me in for a couple of sessions of manipulation, then I have to do it myself.
I've been wobbly for a couple of years, and even felt it last year when on the Sella Ronda, but i found that the concentration required to ski distracted me from the woosiness. Just wanted to see what experiences others might have had.
(I'm currently standing up on the At Pancras to St Albans train, without a problem, so it's definitely low level)
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@marodo2712, it can be very unpleasant. My mother suffered spasmodically - when she was bad she couldn't walk across a room - once had to crawl for help in a hotel - she was working away from home and woke up with awful vertigo. The hotel called a doctor - not good to have patients crawling down the corridor in their PJs. Sometimes lasted 3 days. Mine was never that bad but I couldn't have trusted myself to drive. I think by it's nature this sort of vertigo is often spasmodic - my mum used to be free of it for months and months, then would have a very wobbly few days. The first time I went to the GP when I was suffering I walked up to the surgery (so it wasn't that bad). He was very sympathetic because he'd had a sudden bad attack out of the blue - had to lie on the floor under his desk and call for a colleague. He prescribed me Buccastem - I have only needed a few, and have kept them handy since - probably a pharmacist like @Hells Bells would tell me I should have thrown them out - they must be well out of date but I don't have the packet any more. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Sounds awful.
Mine's isn't bad, but it isn't sporadic either but constant. Consultant said it was probably age related (54), and that there was no 'cure' just treatment via head movement.
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@marodo2712, ...right...I have had mild and severe. Severe is mental. The world just is inaccessible - everything spinning around, feeling of falling falling falling, and vision at 45 degrees. Mad. For me lasts two-three minutes, which feels like an eternity. And guess when I had an attack? Last Easter, first morning in the chalet after looking forward to a trip with the ValaisGrom and friend Ant for WEEKS. Didn't tell the Grom for fear of him worrying since it was just him, me and Ant. Sitting on the side of the bed, holding on the underside of the mattress trying not to vomit. AAAAArgh. In fact was fine skiing, but the moment I looked up and then down WHAM! Back again. Worst attack ever. I tried self-administration of the various manoeuvres - nothing, just brought on another attack.
To think one displaced crystal can do such horrors. But...back in UK, the doctor simply said '...Hah!...my favourite! Something serious I can resolve in seconds....'. And she put me on the couch, head hanging over the edge, and said 'this will be sudden and violent' and whish wosh wwargh my head comes left, right, down, up, down, right, back up. And...........gone. Wonderful. She was brilliant.
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BTW it IS age related. The gel which holds the crystals in the right part of the inner ear becomes less viscous as one grows older, and the chances of crystals breaking out of captivity increases. If you have your head tipped too far back at the dentist, that can do it. Fair rides, etc anything which causes rapid angular acceleration and thus the crystals to dislodge.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@valais2, wow, sounds bloody awful!
I find walking around busy cities difficult as it requires me to constantly look from side to side and up and down, I end up dizzy and have to watch my step. It's not helped by the fact that I wear varifocals which is like wearing the hall of mirrors on your face.
The kind of experience you describe I only get in the dentist's chair and specifically in bed when I go from lying on my back to lying on my left, a few seconds after my head comes to rest I have a bizarre spinning sensation with my eyes jitter violently and a sensation within the left part of my skull that I can only describe as being like someone pulling a pipe cleaner through my ear, which I'm guessing is the chalky ball(s) slipping over the little hairs.
AND I've got a broken arm, probably going to start a thread on that, it doesn't look right!
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@marodo2712, which side it happens on when you are lying down is diagnostic of which ear is affected:
https://www.webmd.com/brain/qa/how-do-you-know-which-ear-is-affected-by-benign-paroxysmal-positional-vertigo
AND a broken arm...how the hell did you do that?
Me....
Climbing at the old wall in Cambridge - quick dyno up putting my hand into a slot, missing it, and weighting my arm up dynamically with my entire body weight, and my hand jammed... CRACK.
Oliver down below: 'what was that crack'
Me: 'my arm breaking'
Oliver: 'ha ha ha ... no seriously, what was it...'
Me: 'my arm breaking...'
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@valais2, yes, it's my left ear.
Re arm: Slipped on a weird thing they have in St Albans, which is a strip of metal that covers a channel which carries water from the drainpipe to the road gutter, there's hundreds of them, and people are constantly slipping on them.
Your experience sounds NASTY!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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That's really frustrating - I do hope that it is a minor break - mine didn't even need a sling for very long, just a bit of stop in use and then after a few days felt good enough to use lightly. Hope yours is the same and mends really quickly....
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I was diagnosed with that a couple years ago. I never had problems with BPPV while skiing or doing other sports. I only have attacks in the morning or at night when I am turning around in my bed. Usually it is gone after a couple of days. Don't worry about that.
Once I had pretty bad attacks so I went to the doctor one more time. He told me that it was not because of BPPV but due to a tense neck. I went to the physio and it was gone. I know, it is very uncomfortable but completely harmless.
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You know it makes sense.
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@marodo2712, how did your treatment go at the NHNN?
BPPV is benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Benign meaning it will not progress to worse disease. Paroxysmal meaning is comes in spasms, intensely and out-of-the-blue, then seemingly resolved entirely, then comes back. Positional meaning it happens when the head is in certain positions - typically when changing from lying in bed to standing up.
So all of the experiences in this thread sound fairly characteristic.
The Epley maneuver has excellent results, but it is pretty specific and it looks odd. There are good guides and videos online, but the best way is if an experienced clinician takes you through it in person.
Remember that there are 3 semicircular canals, and the Epley maneuver only repositions otoliths in the posterior canal. That is by far the most common blockage. The other two canals will respond to repositioning maneuvers if you get a good clinician with an understanding of the anatomy.
For those of you suffering from recurrent vertigo that doesn’t respond to canal repositioning maneuvers, it could be worth finding a provider for vestibular therapy. Vertigo happens when the brain perceives a conflict between the eyes and the inner ears - and the brain can begin to perceive a conflict when there is none. Therapists can help train the brain to correct that mistake.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Pretty much agree with diaphon, except that I always get people to do it themselves ;0
Would disagree with earlier posts, home administered BPPV exercises are basically a cure (if they work for you) as the crystals no longer hit the nerve endings.
It can be worth taking meds before doing the exercises as for the odd person they get worse before getting better.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Personally I found the epley did not work for me (54 yo male) ...but the 1/2 Summersault did. The great thing about that is that you can do it by yourself. Can be found on YouTube. Good luck with it.
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